Nas to release ‘Illmatic XX’ to celebrate 20th anniversary of seminal debut

Everyone’s favourite rap album is turning 20 in 2014, and to celebrate the milestone it’s getting the ‘deluxe reissue’ treatment.

In case you didn’t know, you’re favourite rap album is Nas’ epochal, seminal, classic 1994 debut album Illmatic. Well it should be anyway, according to those in the know on these things. Personally, I think it’s amazing and it’s one of the very few hip-hop albums I can listen to all the way through without getting bored. If you want to get into hip-hop but you’re unsure where to start, then start with Illmatic.

The deluxe reboot is called Illmatic XX and is set to ‘drop’ on 15 April. It will feature a new re-mastered version of the original album as well as a host of remixes and studio rarities. To get you in the mood, you can stream a remix of ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’ over on RapGenius.com.

The artwork and tracklist is below:

illmatic xx

Disc 1: Remastered original album
1. The Genesis
2. N.Y. State Of Mind
3. Life’s A Bitch
4. The World Is Yours
5. Halftime
6. Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)
7. One Love
8. One Time 4 Your Mind
9. Represent
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell

Disc 2: Demos, Remixes & Live Radio
1. I’m A Villain (previously unreleased)
2. The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993 (previously unreleased freestyle)
3. Halftime (Butcher Remix)
4. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Remix)(promo single)
5. One Love (LG Main Mix)
6. Life’s A Bitch (Arsenal Mix)(promo single)
7. One Love (One L Main Mix)
8. The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)
9. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix)(UK single)
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Laidback Remix)(UK single)

Post Author: Luke Glassford

All-Noise was founded in 2010 with just one simple aim – to highlight and celebrate ‘proper music’, made by real people with real musical inspirations.