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NAS - IT WAS WRITTEN
- NEW RELEASEARTIST:
TITLE:
It Was Written
LABEL:
CATNO:
19958414681
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FORMAT:
Vinyl record
DESCRIPTION:
2x12" 1996 Hip Hop / Rap LP Repressed.
Illmatic, the 1994 studio debut of Nasir "Nas" Jones, was more than just a critical success for the Queensbridge-based rapper. At a time when East Coast hip-hop was increasingly being taken less seriously than their West Coast counterparts, Illmatic's raw jazz and soul-based production, dire atmosphere, and lyrics, coupled with Nas' uncompromising flow was integral in restoring interest in the East Coast as a hotbed of hip-hop artistry. Along with key releases from Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G., it shifted attention away from the funky, dayglo synth-based G-funk coming out of California and back to the grimy streets of New York.
After such an unprecedented debut record, expectations were understandably high for Nas' follow-up. What came next threw critics and fans for a loop, but was no less influential than Illmatic, and would become the most commercially successful album in the entirety of Nas' discography. The 1996 sophomore follow-up is titled It Was Written, and in contrast to the urban bleakness of his debut, has Nas dipping his toes into the world of mafioso rap. Amidst production from heavy hitters like Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, L.E.S., Havoc of Mobb Deep, and Illmatic-collaborator DJ Premier, among others, Nas weaves evocative narratives of gang warfare, downtrodden neighborhoods, drug deals gone awry, and gangsta triumph, against a backdrop of samples from Sam Cooke, Etta James, the Isley Brothers, and even Chuck Mangione. It Was Written is not hard up for top-tier guests either, featuring major guest turns from Lauryn Hill and Joel "JoJo" Hailey of K-Ci & JoJo. It also introduced the world to The Firm, the brief Nas-led supergroup featuring rappers AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. It even managed to cause some minor controversy in the hip-hop community for its collaboration with West Coast producer Dr. Dre, at a time when the East Coast/West Coast rap feud was reaching a fever pitch, briefly attracting the ire of one Tupac Shakur.
Not only was It Was Written received warmly by critics, but it also became a major commercial success, reaching the top of the Billboard 200 charts, reaching platinum sales status four times, and alongside albums like Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, helped usher in the era of mafioso rap in the mainstream. It rendered chart hits out of singles like the Eurhythmics-mimicking "Street Dreams", and the Grammy-nominated "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)", and proved to be a major influence on artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, and many more.
Illmatic, the 1994 studio debut of Nasir "Nas" Jones, was more than just a critical success for the Queensbridge-based rapper. At a time when East Coast hip-hop was increasingly being taken less seriously than their West Coast counterparts, Illmatic's raw jazz and soul-based production, dire atmosphere, and lyrics, coupled with Nas' uncompromising flow was integral in restoring interest in the East Coast as a hotbed of hip-hop artistry. Along with key releases from Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G., it shifted attention away from the funky, dayglo synth-based G-funk coming out of California and back to the grimy streets of New York.
After such an unprecedented debut record, expectations were understandably high for Nas' follow-up. What came next threw critics and fans for a loop, but was no less influential than Illmatic, and would become the most commercially successful album in the entirety of Nas' discography. The 1996 sophomore follow-up is titled It Was Written, and in contrast to the urban bleakness of his debut, has Nas dipping his toes into the world of mafioso rap. Amidst production from heavy hitters like Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, L.E.S., Havoc of Mobb Deep, and Illmatic-collaborator DJ Premier, among others, Nas weaves evocative narratives of gang warfare, downtrodden neighborhoods, drug deals gone awry, and gangsta triumph, against a backdrop of samples from Sam Cooke, Etta James, the Isley Brothers, and even Chuck Mangione. It Was Written is not hard up for top-tier guests either, featuring major guest turns from Lauryn Hill and Joel "JoJo" Hailey of K-Ci & JoJo. It also introduced the world to The Firm, the brief Nas-led supergroup featuring rappers AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. It even managed to cause some minor controversy in the hip-hop community for its collaboration with West Coast producer Dr. Dre, at a time when the East Coast/West Coast rap feud was reaching a fever pitch, briefly attracting the ire of one Tupac Shakur.
Not only was It Was Written received warmly by critics, but it also became a major commercial success, reaching the top of the Billboard 200 charts, reaching platinum sales status four times, and alongside albums like Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, helped usher in the era of mafioso rap in the mainstream. It rendered chart hits out of singles like the Eurhythmics-mimicking "Street Dreams", and the Grammy-nominated "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)", and proved to be a major influence on artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, and many more.
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Last FM Information on Nas
Please note the information is done on a artist keyword match and data is provided by LastFM.
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (/nɑːˈsɪər/ nah-SEER; born September 14, 1973), known professionally as Nas (/nɑːz/ NAHZ), is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and record producer. He is the son of jazz musician Olu Dara and began his musical career in 1989 under the name "Nasty Nas", recording demos with the assistance of East Coast rapper Large Professor. Nas made his recording debut on Main Source's 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque".
Nas signed with Columbia Records in 1992 and released his debut studio album, "Illmatic", on April 19, 1994. The album has been included in the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry and is frequently cited as an influential hip-hop release. His second album, "It Was Written" (1996), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and included the single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill. His third and fourth albums, "I Am" and "Nastradamus" (both 1999), received mixed reviews for their commercial orientation and perceived inconsistency.
From 2001 to 2005, Nas was involved in a publicized feud with Jay-Z, highlighted by Nas's diss track "Ether". During this period, he released "Stillmatic" (2001), "God's Son" (2002), and the double album "Street's Disciple" (2004). He later reconciled with Jay-Z and signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2006, releasing "Hip Hop Is Dead" (2006) and an untitled ninth studio album (2008), which incorporated more politically oriented themes. In 2010, Nas released "Distant Relatives", a collaborative album with Damian Marley, with its royalties donated to African charities. His tenth album, "Life Is Good" (2012), was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2020, his thirteenth studio album, "King's Disease", won the Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. Subsequent albums—"King's Disease II", "Magic" (2021), "King's Disease III" (2022), "Magic 2", and "Magic 3" (2023)—were produced entirely by Hit-Boy and received positive critical reception. In 2025, Nas released a collaborative album with DJ Premier.
Nas has been recognized in various industry rankings, including second on The Source's "Top 50 Lyricists of All Time" (2012), fourth on MTV's Annual Hottest MCs in the Game list (2013), and named "Greatest MC of All Time" by About.com (2014). He was also included in Billboard's "10 Best Rappers of All Time" list in 2015. Outside of music, Nas serves as associate publisher of Mass Appeal magazine and co-founded Mass Appeal Records, a label that has signed artists such as Dave East, N.O.R.E., Run the Jewels, and Swizz Beatz. As of 2025, Nas has released seventeen studio albums, ten of which have received gold, platinum, or multi-platinum certification in the United States.
Studio albums
Illmatic (1994)
It Was Written (1996)
I Am... (1999)
Nastradamus (1999)
Stillmatic (2001)
God's Son (2002)
Street's Disciple (2004)
Hip Hop Is Dead (2006)
Untitled (2008)
Life Is Good (2012)
Nasir (2018)
King's Disease (2020)
King's Disease II (2021)
Magic (2021)
King's Disease III (2022)
Magic 2 (2023)
Magic 3 (2023)
Collaborative albums
The Album (with The Firm) (1997)
Distant Relatives (with Damian Marley) (2010)
Light-Years (with DJ Premier) (2025) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
