If you were to ask 50 hiphop fans about their favorite classic albums, chances will be that you’ll hear Illmatic by Nas named quite a few times. When the album was released it stood out. Nas succeeded in using his words to capture life in his neighbourhood in such a way that the listener got pulled into his world. His poetry, combined with strong beats from various producers including DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip and Large Professor has resulted in an album which has gained the “classic” status. 20 years after its release, the documentary Time is Illmatic takes a look back on the album and the man behind it.
The album is the product of the place Nas grew up in, his experiences, but also the people around him. His father is a musician as well (and someone he would work with later on Bridging the Gap) and that also formed him. By interviewing his father, brother, various producers and other artists the movie succeeds in giving you a good idea about Nas and everything that influenced him in creating Illmatic.
Of course the biggest risk with this sort of documentary is that when it focusses on a historic event (or in this case a piece of music) that the subject receives nothing but praise. Of course praise is given to some degree, but not as much you would expect. It tells a personal story about how Nas was discovered and analyses his lyrics and therefore is not something which feels like self promotion. For hip hop fans it is a documentary which is very interesting to watch.
