Nastradamus saw it happen: The man behind the world’s best rap album places the way past Aarhus this summer
11 albums have so far been created for New York rapper NAS, who has delivered excellent titles such as “Nastradamus”, “God’s Son” and “Hip Hop is Dead”. But the masterpiece and the most impressive release is still the debut album “Illmatic” from 1994, which the then 21-year-old rapper had recorded with DJ legends DJ Premier and Pete Rock.
The album has been named by many as the best debut album ever from a rapper, and many even have it as the best rap album ever! With a track list that includes “N.Y. State of Mind, “The World is Yours” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” can in no way surprise it, and especially the former track is still really sharp today not least because of the lyrics: “It drops deep as it does in my breath. I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death. Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined. I think of crime when I’m in a New York state of mind.
“Illmatic” has, over time, been praised for the clouds for both texts and music, and especially NAS’s flow, which is both sophisticated and complex is sophisticated and complicated, but always clear and sharp.
It has also been the hallmark of subsequent releases by NAS, and not surprisingly, the rapper has often been asked to contribute rhymes to other people’s songs. He has, for example, collaborated with Rudimental, French Montana, Beastie Boys, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott and Mary J. Blige, and on his own tracks he has been in duel with will.i.am, Puff Daddy, Lauryn Hill and Q-Tip. The latest high-profile collaboration took place at “Nasir” from 2018, where Kanye West is a producer on the entire album and also contributes to “Cops Shot the Kid” and “Everything”.
There is more new music coming from NAS in 2019, but in the first instance it is about the phenomenal storyteller’s first visit to NorthSide, which is guaranteed to be an intense and stylish affair.
NAS will play on NorthSide 2019 on Friday June 7th
After today’s release, the preliminary program for NorthSide 2019 is as follows: Alice in Chains, Bon Iver, Cautious Clay, First Aid Kit, Foals, Georgia, Gnags, Jada, Jonah Blacksmith Film Concert, Kaytranada, Khalid, Kurt Vile & The Violators, LOC , Lydmor, Major Lazer, Migos, The Minds of 99, Nas, Peter Sommer & Tigers, The Streets, Suspekt, Tame Impala and Tove Lo.
NorthSide 2019 is held in Ådalen near Aarhus in the days 6-8. June 2019