[IggyWH]

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Nas - Illmatic
Nas - It Was Written

To me these albums are constantly at the top of any list, be it favorites, 'important' records, etc. I go back and forth between which one is better. Illmatic seems to exist perfectly in the time that it came out - it's not self-conscious, it doesn't give the impression of being 'constructed' - it's like it just stepped into existence out of what was going on, and captures a style and essence that existed, but hadn't been articulated in that way before.

It Was Written is more elaborate, more structured, almost like a series of fables, with all the constructs that implies, but it was also hard as [censored], it had some of the best collabos you could ask for, posse tracks that actually kill instead of just getting your people on a record. Nas' flow is as deadly and intricate as anyone, anywhere on this album.

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Illmatic is definitely an all-time great, but to me, It Was Written is a better album. I might be in the minority on that one.