Breaking Down Nas’ “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” | Large Professor

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  • Опубликовано: 18 апр 2024
  • Watch the full, extended edit of this video by becoming a FREE DTG member at www.patreon.com/posts/free-ex...
    That video is twice as long and has things that can't make this cut.
    Today is the 30th anniversary of Nas’ Illmatic. So today, we’re gonna talk about yet ANOTHER incredible producer who worked on this album: Large Professor. He produced multiple songs on this album, but today we’re looking specifically at the last song on the album “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”. This song has it’s own journey as there are multiple version of this song, but… well the easiest way to navigate this is to… use a metaphor.
    __________________________________
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    __________________________________
    SOURCES
    Original Demo: • Video
    Interview with Large Professor: • Large Professor on Doi...
    Nas Quote: www.xxlmag.com/making-of-nas-...
    _________________________________
    TOPICS COVERED
    Nas
    Illmatic
    Large Professor
    30th Anniversary
    It Ain't Hard To Tell
    Nas Will Prevail
    Remix
    Chopped
    #nas #illmatic #hiphop

Комментарии • 159

  • @diggingthegreats
    @diggingthegreats  28 дней назад +20

    Watch the full, extended edit of this video by becoming a FREE DTG member at www.patreon.com/diggingthegreats
    That video is twice as long and has things that can't make this cut.

    • @Scoots1994
      @Scoots1994 27 дней назад

      Have you listened to The Brand New Heavies album Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol 1? It's got Main Source, Gang Starr, Black Sheep, Pharcyde, and others.

    • @CantTellYou
      @CantTellYou 26 дней назад +1

      I swear CHOPPED must be sponsored by jordan almonds, which is a shame because I thought reality TV was the most ethical genre

  • @Kanyewestbiggestfan123
    @Kanyewestbiggestfan123 28 дней назад +183

    That Michael Jackson flip is one of my favorite sample flips of all time. Can’t believe this album is 30 and still sounds so fresh

    • @KtotheG
      @KtotheG 26 дней назад +8

      The first time I heard "It Ain't Hard to Tell" was like the first time I heard "Sucker MCs" or "My Melody." It was one of those moments.

    • @waynemazique6556
      @waynemazique6556 26 дней назад +5

      ​@@KtotheGListening to this album for the first time in 94 gave me goosebumps.

  • @artisans8521
    @artisans8521 28 дней назад +40

    Human nature is written by Steve Porcaro, dug up by Quincy Jones and retexted by John Bettis and sung by Michael Jackson. Toto was the backing group. But that is just a detail.

  • @nicolesherman8974
    @nicolesherman8974 28 дней назад +100

    East Coast hip hop hits different on cloudy days for some reason… ☁️🔥🔥🔥

    • @paperbagbrown1326
      @paperbagbrown1326 28 дней назад +17

      You in a New York State of Mind.

    • @JDXTHEKID
      @JDXTHEKID 28 дней назад

      😂😂​@@paperbagbrown1326

    • @darkdoc5643
      @darkdoc5643 28 дней назад +3

      Frrr. Like as ur listening to a beat coming from the East Coast, its like ur in whole different zone. The Vibe and everything.

    • @JoeyGastonQB1
      @JoeyGastonQB1 26 дней назад +2

      Facts...I always play the purple tape on rainy dayz

    • @joneseybaby8124
      @joneseybaby8124 24 дня назад

      Dam I thought only I thought like that. Crazy.

  • @Jacqueal
    @Jacqueal 28 дней назад +38

    "It Ain't Hard to Tell" was my first lesson in timing. I considered "Human Nature" a slow song because the kick and snare happen on the 1 and 3 respectively. Then Large Pro flips it and I'm like, "Oh, it's actually mid-tempo."

  • @MetalSonic420
    @MetalSonic420 28 дней назад +53

    Happy 30 to Illmatic. The Hip-Hop Bible.

  • @undrgrouknight
    @undrgrouknight 28 дней назад +23

    This is the song that made me fall in love with this album and ultimately call it the Greatest Album of All Times.

  • @theonlycaamz
    @theonlycaamz 28 дней назад +31

    common digging the greats w

  • @GregPopabich
    @GregPopabich 28 дней назад +44

    The remix has the greatest vocal sample of ALL TIME! Extra P made Biz Markie saying "recognized" sound like he's saying "Nas"!

    • @IAuMatu
      @IAuMatu 27 дней назад +8

      That was DJ Premier scratching that into Nas is Like, right

    • @rustymixer2886
      @rustymixer2886 25 дней назад +4

      ​@IAuMatu there is 4 versions, demo, rough, lp, remix

  • @CurtisBond
    @CurtisBond 28 дней назад +11

    The perfect outro to the perfect album. I love the progression of this record: it goes from dark, dour, gritty (NY State of Mind) to light, playful, maybe even a little optimistic (It Ain’t Hard to Tell). I genuinely think it’s the best hip-hop album ever recorded and it actually gets *better* with time. 10/10

  • @nanner_B
    @nanner_B 28 дней назад +9

    Large Pro is so underrated. Breaking Atoms is one of the best hip hop albums of all time. It’s aged so well over the years

    • @Mr.Dobalina113
      @Mr.Dobalina113 27 дней назад

      When it came out, I couldn’t get any of my friends into that album. I don’t know what it was. But several years after it came out, I started to notice people listening to it. Maybe it was just ahead of its time or it took a bit to settle in with people or something.

    • @redsimmons6791
      @redsimmons6791 27 дней назад +1

      @@Mr.Dobalina113it was Mature Grown Up East Coast Rap Music when it dropped. So Proud to Say I Loved and Respected. There Sound when Breaking Atoms Dropped.
      Looking At The Front 🚪 ✨…..is Crazy, and One of the Best Rap Songs ever Made✅

    • @simon9146
      @simon9146 26 дней назад

      Large Professor is the foundation of the New York Boom Bap sound, you can hear it in his earlier production for Rakim, which sadly he was never officially credited for.

  • @KSoloLoso
    @KSoloLoso 28 дней назад +10

    Happy 30th Illmatic 💐

  • @edwinruiz7569
    @edwinruiz7569 28 дней назад +23

    Best rap album ever. Period

  • @Scuba_steve0487
    @Scuba_steve0487 28 дней назад +7

    The way Large Pro flipped that MJ beat… maaaannnnnn!! He was definitely on another level when he made that beat 🙌🏼🙌🏼

  • @MugenBoy
    @MugenBoy 28 дней назад +12

    When I first heard this I was 16 painting fences outside. It was middle of the whole pandemic and I make it sound like a long time ago but to me listening to this with sweat off my back in a really bad neighborhood it felt like the music was speaking to me. Forever grateful for Illmatic and ofc Digging The Greats 🙏🏼

  • @BENWORKIN89
    @BENWORKIN89 28 дней назад +18

    Large Professor was definitely inspired by Grandmaster Vic (veteran and creator of the blend tape) when he made this beat.

  • @steve_santiago
    @steve_santiago 28 дней назад +16

    Gotta give a shout out to the Large Professor. Thought I lost his number but I left it on my dresser.

  • @123theprodigy5
    @123theprodigy5 28 дней назад +28

    Man, I just finished listening to the album, and I can’t believe it’s 30 years old today.

  • @aaronconner6562
    @aaronconner6562 27 дней назад +5

    Dj premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Large professor, and LES one hell of a production team for a debut album

    • @terrenceliburd8655
      @terrenceliburd8655 25 дней назад

      @aaronconner6562: Some would say his album was the first that prioritized "super producers".

  • @beatsbybigjoe6222
    @beatsbybigjoe6222 28 дней назад +9

    Been in my Nas bag all day, you're right on time! 30 year anniversary + a new Nas and Preemo track today + a digging the greats Nas drop?! LFG!

  • @ENDORSHORES
    @ENDORSHORES 28 дней назад +6

    Just got my Illmatic Cd in the mail. Gonna watch this and bump it. Happy 30th🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

  • @steve_santiago
    @steve_santiago 28 дней назад +9

    Shout out to everyone who had the cassette single like I did.

  • @zshakur
    @zshakur 28 дней назад +5

    Kool G Rap also has that horn break sample in his song "Truly Yours".

  • @morreddie717
    @morreddie717 28 дней назад +6

    10/10 video! Q-tip also used N.T. on his remix of the world is yours

    • @diggingthegreats
      @diggingthegreats  28 дней назад +5

      Another chef cooking 🔥

    • @deana3449
      @deana3449 26 дней назад

      @@diggingthegreats And for Breath and Stop as well

  • @ROB6873
    @ROB6873 28 дней назад

    Another fantastic video as always, thanks!! 🎶🎹🥁🎷🎺🪇😊

  • @N-spireyourbeats
    @N-spireyourbeats 26 дней назад +2

    The stories you tell are entertaining. Thanks for the work you do. ❤

  • @JayFingers
    @JayFingers 28 дней назад +4

    I love videos like this. 😅 Like, I know all the trivia, all the samples and everything. But the way you tie it all together - the “Chopped” analogy is brilliant! Dare I say, it’s “chef’s kiss!”👨🏾‍🍳🤌🏾 Great video. Thanks for sharing!

  • @JFAK1967
    @JFAK1967 26 дней назад

    You’re the man! Thanks for sharing your insight on what these geniuses created. Really makes me appreciate the craft on a deeper level

  • @cloudbloom
    @cloudbloom 28 дней назад +1

    Good shit man! Always love what you're doing on the channel. Can't wait for some Outkast breakdowns😁

  • @SalaahudDiyn
    @SalaahudDiyn 28 дней назад

    I look forward to seeing your videos and I get hyped every time you drop a new one! I thought I was well informed about music but you always dig deep for real and I always learn something new from you. Even if I happen to know everything you’re talking about, your metaphors and analogies are top tier! I always use analogies when I talk to people about music to help streamline the information to them but your analogies make me go “WOW…..that summed it up perfectly!” And side note, I actually liked when you would freeze pose and point to another video. The way you would connect one topic to a previous video you did was a brilliant way to keep people engaged with your videos. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rewatched videos of yours just because it was connected to the latest upload you posted. You created a fun rabbit hole of binge watching your videos. Keep up the great work, you are hands down one of the best content creators on RUclips!

  • @Sinosure
    @Sinosure 28 дней назад +1

    Much respect to your work bruh! You truly get it in!! I always look forward to your videos!! This was another solid upload!! This was one of MJ's hottest songs & my favorite Producer's have done it justice!! Incredible work!! We the hip hop, boom bap & beat maker sample heads truly enjoy it!
    🔥🔥🔥👊🏾💯

  • @broderickmayeux
    @broderickmayeux 5 дней назад

    Excellent presentation. Guys like you are doing great work in the art.

  • @tahajfirst6836
    @tahajfirst6836 28 дней назад +4

    Large pro also used that NT horn sample in "just hangin out"...I think..I'm pretty sure...I feel like it's in there somewhere

  • @RobertLJ11
    @RobertLJ11 23 дня назад

    Thanks for the Video and thanks for the link to the extended version! 👍👍🎁🎁

  • @crimson6323
    @crimson6323 28 дней назад +2

    fav channel of all time

  • @hustlehustlehustle
    @hustlehustlehustle 26 дней назад +1

    "Human Nature" was produced by Quincy Jones, who produced the albums "Off the Wall", "Thriller" and "Bad". "Right Here" was produced by Teddy Riley, who was one of the main producers on "Dangerous".

  • @im_avg_joe
    @im_avg_joe 22 дня назад

    Yoooooooo, you made me laugh at the very end. Props!

  • @antjblige_4744
    @antjblige_4744 23 дня назад

    Love the metaphor 🔥

  • @jamesosei6888
    @jamesosei6888 27 дней назад

    My favorite channel for hip-hop songs breakdown

  • @mcallarse
    @mcallarse 26 дней назад +1

    Always liked the SWV remix but didn’t realize it‘s role in this classic. Both beats ended up on the songs they belonged to. The It Ain’t Hard to Tell beat is timeless.

  • @XavierCoolDude
    @XavierCoolDude 28 дней назад

    Incredible song-had both the original and the Biz Mark sample remix taped off radio early 94. Illmatic is timeless. Another great video

  • @DJMOS
    @DJMOS 26 дней назад

    your youtube page is amazing brother.

  • @BoofHoover
    @BoofHoover 28 дней назад +2

    haven't finished the video yet but I know it's gonna be dope.

  • @SpiderDan2099
    @SpiderDan2099 26 дней назад

    Definitely signing up for the Patreon asap, so tired of the RUclips copyright nonsense. Kudos to you for trimming these videos just right to fly under the algorithms radar 😂
    Wow Illmatic was 30 years ago so crazy!
    I have a question on 'New York State of Mind' in one of the bars Nas has a line where he says 'I'm an addict for sneakers' ... I wondered if that was the lyric that spurned Raekwon's track 'Sneakers' from the 1999 'Immobilarity' album? Anyway these are just crazy curiosities that enter my brain sometimes years later. 😅 Guess we would have to ask the Chef ... in keeping with your cooking analogy 😊

  • @kirbyaugustine761
    @kirbyaugustine761 26 дней назад

    Man I’ve always loved the creativity of real hip hop and this is why it’ll never die.

  • @EaseVision
    @EaseVision 23 дня назад +2

    FYI Nas & Michael Jackson weren't labelmates they were on 2 different labels under Sony music & still it was easy to make it possible to clear the sample.

  • @RexMundi_UTC
    @RexMundi_UTC 26 дней назад

    Large Pro content, yes please ❤️❤️❤️

  • @cmoulden78
    @cmoulden78 27 дней назад

    I love this shit. Just found this channel. New subscriber indeed

  • @iShredStreets
    @iShredStreets 28 дней назад

    This song is crazy good! 🔥

  • @ryan_3113
    @ryan_3113 27 дней назад

    THE GOAT HAS POSTED

  • @ossiejon-nwakalo8644
    @ossiejon-nwakalo8644 28 дней назад +1

    I’m so happy you talk about how you used to freeze, that was so weird 😂. But, every RUclipsr does something offbeat when they’re just starting.

  • @diamond_cutter
    @diamond_cutter 28 дней назад +1

    Salute to you brother. You are literally breaking it down for real.
    Respectfully request a break down of song if possible?
    New York State of mind remix by Nas.

  • @Aus10sims
    @Aus10sims 28 дней назад +2

    I don’t know Mayne,that 5 second freeze pose was kind of cool.
    Now if it went to a minute, now we’re entering Doctor Evil awkward villain laughing scene territory.☕️🤭

  • @jashanestone
    @jashanestone 22 дня назад +2

    *"When I was 12, I went to hell for snuffing Jesus"* was one of the most epic lyrics in Hip-Hop history. It had everyone in NYC, hearing it for the first time, slapping, then holding thier cheeks like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. 😂😂😂😂

    • @supremesoundz
      @supremesoundz 20 дней назад +1

      I said the same thing for years on end. Nas delivering lines like that and “my thoughts react like Stephen Spielberg” in 1990-91 was a staple in Hip Hop. The God was always Bold and confident.

    • @andrewkeller2842
      @andrewkeller2842 19 дней назад +1

      I was always partial to “…slamming MCs on cement… ‘cause verbally, I'm iller than a AIDS patient”. It was like, ‘daaaaaamn! No he didn’t!’. Nas’s whole part in Live at the Barbecue is just untouchable. Listening to it back in the day with my boy’s was like receiving sacrament to us… it was a religious experience!

  • @WhangaFish
    @WhangaFish 26 дней назад

    Do American'a call the main meal the entrée and the entrée the appetizer?
    Love the video man, just that appetizer entrée thing tripped me out

  • @ROB6873
    @ROB6873 28 дней назад +2

    30 years is crazy 😮

  • @davidriley1702
    @davidriley1702 28 дней назад +2

    4:29 Teddy Riley did the remix, The actual producer is Brian Alexander Morgan

    • @diggingthegreats
      @diggingthegreats  28 дней назад

      Yes, and actually, as someone corrected in another comment - Teddy Riley is credited, but he didn't actually do it!

  • @truestprophecy
    @truestprophecy 28 дней назад +2

    coincidentally premo and nas just dropped a song to tease their new album today

  • @lRlMlGl
    @lRlMlGl 28 дней назад

    Yes, FINALLY!

  • @hawk1392
    @hawk1392 27 дней назад

    Happy 30th to Illmatic 🔥🔥

  • @babamolapisi5716
    @babamolapisi5716 24 дня назад

    My favourite Nas song of All Time.

  • @edgar8316
    @edgar8316 27 дней назад

    “Nas will prevail” is my favorite song of his

  • @EaseVision
    @EaseVision 23 дня назад

    Nas got that title from a Main Source track off "Breaking Atoms". I forget what track but in it theres a part where LP says "it ain't hard to tell".

  • @WigleyClimbs
    @WigleyClimbs 28 дней назад

    Great video

  • @KvngLxo
    @KvngLxo 27 дней назад

    Theres actually another version of It Aint Hard To Tell from 1993 with different drums and slightly different verse/hook structure with a spoken outro too.

  • @anthonywalker4211
    @anthonywalker4211 27 дней назад

    I used to hysterically laugh whenever you froze at the end of videos. It was a guilty pleasure. Simpler times lol

  • @vWayvy
    @vWayvy 28 дней назад

    Biggie‘s „Ready to Die“ is also celebrating it‘s 30th anniversary this year. I‘d love to see a video on one of it‘s songs, that would be awesome dude. Thanks for the great work!

  • @haskeymorrison
    @haskeymorrison 28 дней назад

    Hi! Fan of your channel!

  • @andremack1580
    @andremack1580 27 дней назад

    Dude. I agree with you about how you end your videos. Walking off is so much better than you freezing waiting for us to click on the video. “Drop the mic” 🎤 😂

  • @Somnivore7
    @Somnivore7 27 дней назад

    The first time I ever heard this beat was like a lightning bolt struck me. One of the best of all time

  • @loccaleus1
    @loccaleus1 27 дней назад

    this is still my favorite Nas song of all time.

  • @babybambi8389
    @babybambi8389 28 дней назад

    I love your videos

  • @ManualsRBetter
    @ManualsRBetter 28 дней назад +1

    Greatest album of all time.

  • @MATALOMUSIC
    @MATALOMUSIC 28 дней назад +1

    IT AIN'T HARD TO TELL
    that Digging the Greats is the GOAT

  • @chrismorale_
    @chrismorale_ 26 дней назад

    I must have CTE because I also hear the drums from "Vibrant Thing" sampled from NT. I hear a lot of songs just buried in my mind from these samples mentioned 🥺

  • @djnamedslash3210
    @djnamedslash3210 27 дней назад

    SWV’s Right Here was produced by Brian Alexander Morgan and Allen Gordon Jr. AKA Allstar. Teddy Riley added additional Keys.

  • @SuperSladjo
    @SuperSladjo 24 дня назад

    Babe wake up dig dropped another banger

  • @engrademafias
    @engrademafias 26 дней назад

    I noticed Chris Brown on "She ain't you" used this same sample. One of the most satisfying sounds to sample in music

  • @MMDipset_Dragon
    @MMDipset_Dragon 28 дней назад

    This is hard!!

  • @sundamusik
    @sundamusik 27 дней назад

    If im not mistaken the sample you had in purple, L.P. used for one of their own songs for main source.

  • @clanski
    @clanski 28 дней назад

    30 Years Later !! #illmatic the best album in hip hop history !! No debate 📖

  • @rustymixer2886
    @rustymixer2886 25 дней назад +1

    Nas will prevail is great

  • @judoclawplays962
    @judoclawplays962 25 дней назад

    "We're getting into the weeds of the show"
    A kitchen and 420 joke in the same line, you dog.

  • @Cicero82
    @Cicero82 28 дней назад +1

    You gotta do a breakdown on ‘Memory Lane’. Now THAT track went hard!

  • @keiththomas111
    @keiththomas111 28 дней назад

    The one version I got on a Columbia sampler cd it was sampling the Great Biz Markie from" Nobody beats the Biz" produced by the sampler master mind Marley Marl 🎤🎧💽💾🎹📀💿

  • @adamalexander5634
    @adamalexander5634 27 дней назад

    This 30th Anniversary celebration is a good time to shout out Elzhi’s tribute mixtape, Elmatic, released in 2011. Treat your sound holes!

  • @MusicFromAnotherTime
    @MusicFromAnotherTime 27 дней назад +2

    I can't say I expected a Chopped reference in an Illmatic video, but fuck me I guess.

  • @randomcharacter6501
    @randomcharacter6501 28 дней назад +1

    Swear I never clicked so fast fr.

  • @b0s0x4ever
    @b0s0x4ever 27 дней назад

    It Ain’t Hard to Tell is also a song that belongs on any 420 playlists. Happy 4/20!

  • @ttewb12
    @ttewb12 28 дней назад

    You could make a whole other video entirely about how often that long red sample is used throughout hip hop lol.

  • @coolearth7130
    @coolearth7130 24 дня назад

    What song is played in the background from 2:17 to 2:46???

  • @rustymixer2886
    @rustymixer2886 25 дней назад +1

    Why didnt you talk about 2nd version

  • @dominicanvic9
    @dominicanvic9 28 дней назад

    This album defines hip hop in its natural form before she went corporate.(POP)

  • @yomommastupid
    @yomommastupid 28 дней назад

    amazing dude

  • @lukasmaturana1946
    @lukasmaturana1946 28 дней назад

    ITS ILLMATIC’S 30 YEARS BIRTHDAY TODAY

  • @aaronquadsquad5
    @aaronquadsquad5 25 дней назад

    4:23 to 4:29 Brandon the song was produced by Pharrell Williams here the four count at the beginning of the song.

  • @tristanedhiputra3189
    @tristanedhiputra3189 28 дней назад +1

    Make a video about it was written

  • @rustymixer2886
    @rustymixer2886 25 дней назад +1

    Theres 3 versions. 4 if you count remix

  • @obrekmedia
    @obrekmedia 28 дней назад +1

    Teddy Riley didn’t really do that remix per Brian Alexander Morgan on the R&B Money podcast.

    • @citizencain01
      @citizencain01 28 дней назад

      Rumor has it the Neptunes actually made the beat while they were mentoring under Teddy Riley. You can hear Pharrell on the intro and he actually has a writing credit for the song.

    • @diggingthegreats
      @diggingthegreats  28 дней назад

      Great catch! Thank you for the correction - he is credited but it wasn't actually him

  • @JonayTrujillo
    @JonayTrujillo 28 дней назад

    I'm a Fanatic of Nas and illmatic. For me one of the Best Hip Hop Album of all Times.
    Tanks for the Video!!!!