That album, IMO, divided his fanbase at the time...
It was kinda a general consensus that it wasn't wack. I don't think too many people felt it was garbage. But it was like, either it was the shyt, or it was aight but "not Illmatic". I've also found that people who weren't really checkin' for him when Illmatic was out LOVE this album... this is THEIR Illmatic. And then those who were up on him prior to IWW felt like he took a step back. It was pretty mixed across the board, far as I recall. Guess it's an issue of musical taste- to people who loved straight up street East Coast rap, it didn't get better than Illmatic... so when Nas stepped out of that box on IWW, it didn't get the same reaction. And then people who weren't really on that "purist" shyt and liked music with a lil' more appeal were more able to get into it.
It's def. an album that has become greater in hindsight but not in a bad way. I think the whole backlash over him "going commercial" subsided and people were able to listen to the album more objectively and realized it was actually very good.
I can relate to this. I was a latecomer to Illmatic at the time due to my own lack of enthusiasm for East Coast music at the time. Like Nas didn't become my favorite rapper overnight, it took some time. MC Eiht, MC Ren, KMG(RIP)& Cold 187um of Above the Law, Scarface, Pac, and Cube were the epitome of Hip Hop to me back then. You couldn't tell me that MC Eiht wasn't the greatest rapper ever back then and I would have socked the shyt out you had you said Quik was better. That G aint in you line still makes me
That was all subject to change once I heard It Was Written for the first time. It was like my eyes or probably I should say my ears were opened. Take It In Blood, Suspect, Live nikka Rap, and shyt I almost forgot about Shootouts!!! Pierre died of internal bleeding and aint been back since 95 was one of the greatest stories I've ever heard. That entire verse is up there with The Outlaw Josey Wales and The Good The Bad and The Ugly!!!!!!!
After I fell in love with that album, that's when I gave Illmatic further listening and it became one of my favorites. I can see now looking back how Illmatic completely shytted on everything else lyrically at that time. It was just that during those years of my life I was in a West Coast frame of mind, and it took a crossover album like It Was Written to help me fall in love again with NYC. Other than the Boot Camp Clik back then, I didn't fukk with too much East Coast music prior to It Was Written.
This thread brings back good memories. I bought my first car in 96", and I remember driving to night class that year, and It Was Written, Atliens, and Bow Down were the casettes I had in heavy rotation.
edit post: Meant to mention, Nas had that summer on lock along with Outkast. IF I Ruled The World, and Elevators defined that summer.
2nd childhood? 
Then when the remix dropped everyone was 
