Lol
It was written > illmatic
- Thread starter I'm Blackman
- Start date
To be honest as much as I like It Was Written (and I do prefer it to Illmatic), it seems to me to be a less good attempt at doing the mafia thing compared to say, AZ's Doe or Die and Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, which hit that mafia aesthetic better than It Was Written gets. It just seems a little bit out of character for Nas I suppose.
I just started going through old acclaimed projects to see what my system is saying about past projects.
It's true.
My rating system went like this.
Nas - It Was Written - 90.38% Classic
Nas - Illmatic - 88.89 Classic
But Lost Tapes graded better than both of them if we're counting that project @ 95.45%
It's true.
My rating system went like this.
Nas - It Was Written - 90.38% Classic
Nas - Illmatic - 88.89 Classic
But Lost Tapes graded better than both of them if we're counting that project @ 95.45%
spliz
SplizThaDon
It’s not a mafioso album. That wasn’t its goal.
Slim Charles
All Star
Illmatic better for me but do agree on from a technical standpoint Nas is ever so slightly better on IWW. Illmatic subject matter has more depth, it’s more introspective, I prefer the production but as others said on IWW Nas flow becomes even smoother, rhyme schemes more consistently complex, punchlines and metaphors better and Nas better develops his tones in his voice and presence on the mic.
but that’s not knocking Illmatic in any way. It’s comparing near perfect rhyming on both IMO, Nas just grew as an MC
although Memory Lane 2nd verse > ***
but that’s not knocking Illmatic in any way. It’s comparing near perfect rhyming on both IMO, Nas just grew as an MC
although Memory Lane 2nd verse > ***
This is absurd
IWW has a few great songs (The Message, I Gave You Power, Affirmative Action, Take It In Blood) and the rest of the album is a cut below, in “solid but not great” territory.
The worst song on Illmatic (whatever you think that is) is at least as good as the best on IWW
This revisionism about IWW needs to stop. It was considered a major let down when it dropped. That’s why the entire narrative before I Am dropped was about whether Nas could regain his old form and redeem himself.
IWW has a few great songs (The Message, I Gave You Power, Affirmative Action, Take It In Blood) and the rest of the album is a cut below, in “solid but not great” territory.
The worst song on Illmatic (whatever you think that is) is at least as good as the best on IWW
This revisionism about IWW needs to stop. It was considered a major let down when it dropped. That’s why the entire narrative before I Am dropped was about whether Nas could regain his old form and redeem himself.
alot of albums were considered disappointments when they first dropped by critics
the streets of NYC was bumping IWW more than Illmatic tbh
This.
I came in here to say people need to cut the chit already and just admit they like IWW more because they actually remember it in real-time.
Songs like “The Set Up,” “Shootouts,” and “Live Nicca Rap” are nice, decent songs … but nothing special (I think “Live Nicca Rap” is by far the least impressive Nas/Mobb Deep collaboration from the 90s)
You guys really think those songs are equal to or (I can’t believe I’m saying this) better than songs like “It Ain’t Hard To Tell,” “Memory Lane,” “Life’s a bytch” etc.?
Really?
Have you guys really thought this through, even a little bit?
You guys really think those songs are equal to or (I can’t believe I’m saying this) better than songs like “It Ain’t Hard To Tell,” “Memory Lane,” “Life’s a bytch” etc.?
Really?
Have you guys really thought this through, even a little bit?
well I was too young to remember what were bumping in the 80s but you're right about Puffy and Mase
just pointing out that there were different views between hip hop fans and music critics about IWW
