who says that??? B.E.T.'s fake news ass maybe... "and his manuscript just sounds stupid when KRS already made an album called blueprint first" watch?v=0ePQKD9iBfU
Illmatic beats all jay's albums albeit its run close by reasonable doubt. Theres a reason 99% of hip hop heads pretty much all unanimously agree that it its the best hip hop album of all time (Top 3 at least!) Reasonable doubt whilst classic, never makes the true top echelon. The rest of their albums can be debated till the cows come home. Blueprint 1 vs Gods son etc..
This is one of those songs and albums that when it came out, people heard it and instantly knew, "This is going to be an album my grandchildren will be listening to." Its already happening, which is just fucking crazy.
not really. I heard this in 2003 (which is earlier than a lot of people in the grand scheme of things) and I thought "wow, incredible song." That's all. Enjoy music in the moment. Replay value will tell you later if it's something your grandkids might here.
Lyricism and Knowledge with a bit of a story. He uses sick metaphors, flows nicely and paints you a picture. I feel like this song is one of the songs that is a blueprint for what Hip-Hop should be.
Nas isn't an artist I listen to all the time, it doesn't jump onto me, it doesn't get recommended. I search for it, and when I do listen to it, I do so in silence, because that really is the only way to truly appreciate this kind of music only he can make.
@@granddidit no he doesn't his rapping skills are mid, and there bad now, his production is amazing but besides his production he's not that good besides some of his earlier albums, nas is one of the legends of hip hop and is one of the best. Put some respect on his name
@@animeloverhaven nas has amazing rapping skills, but what else? theres no doubt kanye has influenced and impacted hip hop way more than nas has. kanye is already a legend of hip hop
Out of the blue this morning im in the kitchen whippin up a breakfast.. in my head all i herd was… Exhale the yellow smoke of Buddha thru righteous steps deep like the shining sparkle like a diamond sneak a uzi on the island in my army jacket linen hit the earth like a comet invasion. 🤯🤯🤯 all these years later Sooo glad i grew up in that era wouldn’t trade it for the world Like that dude Nas The Golden Child was and still is the truth they are gonna be talking about his music 100 years from now. He’s like the scribes in Egypt times its gonna last for centuries Nas’s music
Never see such an album, 9 songs and 1 intro, absolutely not a single one is bad, they are all bangers, absolute bangers or legends of rap, i never seen an album so harmonic, nah i don't give a thing about what y'all think, Illmatic is the G.O.A.T.
Illmatic is Hip Hop Perfection! Ten rap songs that are a perfection illustration that Nas paints for us. It is literally perfect genius beyond comparison. He helps you become a young hip hop street dude growing up in Queensbridge so vividly.
I love the golden era of hip hop it bring back memories of my brother & I when were kids. I miss those days when they actually made REAL music they spoke from the heart & they were not scared to speak out. Today's music is truly garbage this right here is nourishment for the mind
Ethan Hurst what you mean no today's hip hop is so trash they had to change the name to rap music because hip hop had to be individually defined as conscious music
@@gero3015 we still have great rappers out today Kendrick j cole Joyner ab-soul big krit boogie JID hopsin big Sean Kenny mason Mac Miller earl but most of these artists are not mainstream and if they are played on the radio it only happens when they have albums come out or are about to come out
I remember getting this CD... I was amazed... such skill. I mean the first verse here is hall of fame level... "...deep like The Shining, sparkle like a diamond, sneak a Uzi in the island in my army jacket linin'..."
One of the many reasons why this was truely the GOLDEN ERA of hip hop. Salute to Nas for such a contribution and continuing to contribute. #itainthard2tell
Old Greg I think u should take note to that information yourself sir as I said nothing to warrant your comment. If any one needs to chill its you. Is there a purpose for you with this??? Thought this was all in fun but u display a different agenda. Trolling is for the bored.
after about 20 listenings to a modern song it gets old. i have listened to this song probably 200 times and it is still great. real music never gets old
My first time listening to this whole album I've listen to 60% of this album before hearing the other 40 my dad would always play old songs from the 90s and 80s he would always play nas and now I understand why.
Been listening for to this since I was 4 in 94 shit always gone hard to me cuz he flipped the human nature beat into it ain’t hard to tell. A play on observing human nature
people saying music now and days is trash or worst decades of music etc need to remember that during the times of illmatic, 94', mainstream music being weak or lame wasnt really the error that it is today lol and hiphop was hiphop .. its this foolish rap going on now that is like a disease to the airways of media. remeber that this era of music isnt trash its just the trash songs that get pushed by the trash playlist being spun on the trash radio lol
something that I wish more people would bring up is that this wasn't the golden age, at least its too early to tell. This was the tail end of the very beginning. I mean before Eminem rappers couldn't be mainstream, hell rap itself was not mainstream until 1998. Now what we have is the trickling of new branches, and yeah(murphys law) some of those branches will suck ass. Nevertheless, this old v. new school shit needs to stop, or atleast what I mean is the anger behind peoples preference. I mean plus whats gonna happen in another 20 years, are we gonna say the 2010's was the "golden era"? *IMO and food for thought folks*
Lyrics: Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) It ain't hard to tell, I excel then prevail The mic is contacted, I attract clientele My mic check is life or death, breathing a sniper's breath I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps Deep like the Shining, sparkle like a diamond Sneak a Uzi on the island in my army jacket lining Hit the Earth like a comet - invasion! Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazing Cause in my physical, I can express through song Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up Not stories by Aesop, place your loot up, parties I shoot up Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L School a fool well, you feel it like Braille, it ain't hard to tell I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pillAnnotate Vocabulary spills I'm Ill plus Matic I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik Jam like a Tec with correct techniques So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magnetize me Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me I leave 'em froze like her-on in your nose Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) This rhythmatic explosion is what your frame of mind has chosen I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggas is frozen Speak with criminal slang, begin like a violin End like Leviathan, it's deep, well let me try again Wisdom be leaking out my grapefruit, troop I dominate break loops, giving mics men-e-strual cycles Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle And groove even smoother than moves by Villanova You're still a soldier, I'm like Sly Stone in Cobra Packing like a Rasta in the weed spot, vocals'll squeeze Glocks MC's eavesdrop though they need not to sneak My poetry's deep, I never fail Nas' raps should be locked in a cell, it ain't hard to tell Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!) Da da da da da Da da da da da (yeah!)
Видеоклипы
![Eminem - Tobey (feat. Big Sean & Babytron) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9xn0OHEZZ8Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Just don't understand how people say jay z is better than nas
sam garrigan they are too stupid
sam garrigan they both rap godz
who says that??? B.E.T.'s fake news ass maybe... "and his manuscript just sounds stupid when KRS already made an album called blueprint first" watch?v=0ePQKD9iBfU
sam garrigan probably cuz jay has a better discography
Illmatic beats all jay's albums albeit its run close by reasonable doubt. Theres a reason 99% of hip hop heads pretty much all unanimously agree that it its the best hip hop album of all time (Top 3 at least!) Reasonable doubt whilst classic, never makes the true top echelon. The rest of their albums can be debated till the cows come home. Blueprint 1 vs Gods son etc..
That Human Nature sample makes this song more soulful
damn it is human nature, off the thriller album.
@@nitrohogg1488 gee ya don't say....DUH FOO
I agree. This song would be like an old school radio without batteries without the Jackson sample
I Know Right....
Dope
This is one of those songs and albums that when it came out, people heard it and instantly knew, "This is going to be an album my grandchildren will be listening to." Its already happening, which is just fucking crazy.
John Juan Moon This is timeless 💯
I'm only 16 but I'm sure I'm gonna show this album to my children and grandchildren
I’m 14 and this is way better than rap now
Best comment facts
not really. I heard this in 2003 (which is earlier than a lot of people in the grand scheme of things) and I thought "wow, incredible song." That's all. Enjoy music in the moment. Replay value will tell you later if it's something your grandkids might here.
This song is like a time capsule of NYC in the 90s
Load up on guns bring your friends.
The Whole albumm❤
I wish I coulda been there
@@kennysweet2602 it really was something else. Just magical!
The whole production squad on this album is hands down the greatest one ever to come together and make this masterpiece.
The production 🤯
Nas' rap should be locked in a cell, IT AIN'T HARD TO TELL!
Yo this track is 100 % perfect the beat takes me through my whole life. The verses OMG make me just go crazy inside
This if one hell a song.
SO ANALYZE ME
SURPRISE ME
BUT CAN'T MAGNETIZE ME
SCANNIN WHILE YOU PLANNING
WAYS TO A SABOTAGE ME
yes. the last time I listened to this was months ago. it feels refreshing to listen to this after a while
Lyricism and Knowledge with a bit of a story. He uses sick metaphors, flows nicely and paints you a picture. I feel like this song is one of the songs that is a blueprint for what Hip-Hop should be.
I couldn't agree more brother
Happy 25th Anniversary to this MASTERPIECE 🙏💪🔥🔥🔥🔥
This song transports me to NYC in the 90s on a breezy day.
this song should literally be the standard that all hip hop records are graded against
large pro & nas are fuggin geniuses for this gem
I admit it, this album almost made me cry. Not sure if it was happiness or sadness. But whatever it was moved me.
Nas isn't an artist I listen to all the time, it doesn't jump onto me, it doesn't get recommended. I search for it, and when I do listen to it, I do so in silence, because that really is the only way to truly appreciate this kind of music only he can make.
You pay attention to every line
One of the greatest beats/lyrics of all time
This album made history, in so many ways.
"i excel then prevail..." that says it all
One of Nas’s best songs.Nas is easily one of the best rappers ever and it’s crazy that he’s still rapping even today just like em
kanye is better
@@granddidit not even close your buggin bro
@@animeloverhaven how? kanye has endless 10/10 albums
@@granddidit no he doesn't his rapping skills are mid, and there bad now, his production is amazing but besides his production he's not that good besides some of his earlier albums, nas is one of the legends of hip hop and is one of the best. Put some respect on his name
@@animeloverhaven nas has amazing rapping skills, but what else? theres no doubt kanye has influenced and impacted hip hop way more than nas has. kanye is already a legend of hip hop
"I drink Moet with Medusa give her shotguns in hell from the spliff that I lift and inhale, it aint hard to tell" .... This was incredible.
It aint hard to tell that nas is one of the best rappers ever.
GOAT it ain't hard to tell
Nas is absolutely amazing. Illmatic formed the foundation of hip hop. Respect.
No….Paid In Full by Eric B. & Rakim did that. Nas would tell you that.
thank you
If anyone laid the foundation for hip hop it was DJ Kool Herc.
Illmatic is the evolution and continuation of hip-hop (at that time, mid '90's). The foundation started in the early '70s.
One of the illest songs Nas has ever done! #TrueTalent
Proof of Nas’ genius… Nas-Rewind. You’re welcome.
Never old
Out of the blue this morning im in the kitchen whippin up a breakfast..
in my head all i herd was…
Exhale the yellow smoke of Buddha thru righteous steps deep like the shining sparkle like a diamond sneak a uzi on the island in my army jacket linen hit the earth like a comet invasion.
🤯🤯🤯 all these years later
Sooo glad i grew up in that era wouldn’t trade it for the world
Like that dude Nas The Golden Child was and still is the truth they are gonna be talking about his music 100 years from now. He’s like the scribes in Egypt times its gonna last for centuries Nas’s music
This track is pure lyrical magic
And he did this when he was 17.
Facts
Never see such an album, 9 songs and 1 intro, absolutely not a single one is bad, they are all bangers, absolute bangers or legends of rap, i never seen an album so harmonic, nah i don't give a thing about what y'all think, Illmatic is the G.O.A.T.
100%
to say the least u gotta be bangin if you wanna compete with this
The Infamous is even more perfect
@@bigchungus5327 infamous was classic, with some big hits to say the least, illmatic was a front to back masterpiece though
This album's "worst" song is others one hit wonder 💯🔥
Illmatic is Hip Hop Perfection! Ten rap songs that are a perfection illustration that Nas paints for us. It is literally perfect genius beyond comparison. He helps you become a young hip hop street dude growing up in Queensbridge so vividly.
This period of time is gone forever But the music lives on forever. Reminiscing
Absolutely love the notorious B.I.G.,but NAS is the best to come out of NY!!Hands Down.
I love the golden era of hip hop it bring back memories of my brother & I when were kids. I miss those days when they actually made REAL music they spoke from the heart & they were not scared to speak out. Today's music is truly garbage this right here is nourishment for the mind
FreshArt23 no
Ethan Hurst what you mean no today's hip hop is so trash they had to change the name to rap music because hip hop had to be individually defined as conscious music
@@kbCKWE well that's the majority but there's a few good rap album's in this generation like good kid MAAD city,MBDTF,IGOR,No Pressure, Doris
@@kbCKWE but most of the popular rap nowadays isn't all that good
@@gero3015 we still have great rappers out today Kendrick j cole Joyner ab-soul big krit boogie JID hopsin big Sean Kenny mason Mac Miller earl but most of these artists are not mainstream and if they are played on the radio it only happens when they have albums come out or are about to come out
This baseline is so awesome
I remember getting this CD... I was amazed... such skill. I mean the first verse here is hall of fame level... "...deep like The Shining, sparkle like a diamond, sneak a Uzi in the island in my army jacket linin'..."
One of the many reasons why this was truely the GOLDEN ERA of hip hop. Salute to Nas for such a contribution and continuing to contribute. #itainthard2tell
calm down please...
Old Greg Did my comment make u feel some type of way that much to where u say calm down lol???
TTHOMAS821 sweetheart, if you don't calm down you'll get a haemorrhoid...im just looking out for you, please chill
Old Greg lol ok, I guess your name says it all. I have no idea what you are talking about. Have a nice day.
Old Greg I think u should take note to that information yourself sir as I said nothing to warrant your comment. If any one needs to chill its you. Is there a purpose for you with this??? Thought this was all in fun but u display a different agenda. Trolling is for the bored.
This sample crazy!!! That boy went hard!!!
1993 and 1994 was a good yet sad years for music.
Why sad? I still remember those years with a huge smile on my face!
@@garbonomics They're saying it's sad because Justin Bieber was born in 1994
@@greyfearon394 bieber aint even bad
I think it was sad because NWA started popping and gangsta rap became the new big thing
Kurt Cobain died
Nas's raps should be locked in a cell
it aint hard to tell...
the G.O.A.T
Sounds so illustrative! 😂 nas is amazing
Nas saved the best song for last on the albulm.
"Nas raps should be locked in a cell, IT AIN'T HARD TO TELL" 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🫡
Nas is the best lyricist of all time point blank period. No one can touch him not even close
Godamm Nas Lyrics are crazy, now i see what the hype is abt.
So lyrical and the beat IS FIRE!
One of the hardest tracks of all time
My mic check,
Is life or death,
Breathin a snipers breath.
I exhale the yellow smoke of budda,
Through righteous steps 🔥🔥🔥🔥
My mother had this album when I was 8 I used to listen to this album everyday. This album is what made me get into rhyming
THIS WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE JOINT!! ILLMATIC WILL ALWAYS BE MY TOP FIVE HIP HOP ALBUMS EVER!!!!
Half Man, Half Amazing.... ...
illmatic = Greatest hip hop album of all time!
The GOAT
Real music.
Nas convinced me with this song
Classic. Always.
This album is in the Library Of Congress.
G.O.A.T.
amazing track by Nas
SO ANALYSED ME...SUPRISE ME...BUT CAN'T MAGNATISE ME...SCANNING WHILE PLANNING WAYS TOO SABOTAGE ME!!!🔥🔥🔥💪💪✌💯
The absolute holy Bible of rap. Flows, lyrics...certain standards were set with this album and they haven't been met since
They’ll be playin this forever. love it
Back in the time where musicality was more important than bullshit like, how expensive the microphone is.
^^^
Nas is soooo underated!!! 🔥 📛 👨🚒 🚒 🧯 🎆
Magic
nice how he used human nature and twisted it.. sick song
1 of my fav songs
Great times. Miss these days.
illmatic is the best album....
Delete stress like Motrin.... One of my fav lines of all time.
I love this song.❤
Im from Cali and love our west coast music..but i still listened to east coast rap..nas, big, wu-tang, rakim are my favorites.
King of hip hop
20 years later, it still aint hard to tell.
nitrous36 and still....24 years later
This song has a sample from human nature by Micheal Jackson. Gold.
best rapper
i love this song
It is NOT hard to tell. Respect.
"Sneak an uzi on the island in my army jacket lining"
Illmatic & Infinite, Favourite two albums.
naaaaaaaaaaaas is king of hip hop haaamie
After a long day I still like to put my feet up and listen to this.
One of my favorite albums. Can't get enough.
2023 and I’m still over here tryna figure how he got this sample cleared 🤯
it don't get much better than this
Some rappers sit back and let the beat do its thing...Nas was pushing the whole time like he was running down a mountain...a master of flow.
after about 20 listenings to a modern song it gets old. i have listened to this song probably 200 times and it is still great. real music never gets old
Corny
@@user-zb9ow6du6c saying corny is corny
@@prodsalsa how? What bro said was corny lol
I was 1 when this comment was made and its still banging today
My first time listening to this whole album I've listen to 60% of this album before hearing the other 40 my dad would always play old songs from the 90s and 80s he would always play nas and now I understand why.
10 tracks is enough for an album rappers making 20 track albums is too much 10 is just enough to enjoy especially in a classic
Solo artist yeah. Groups can sustain more tracks on an album
Depends
depends on the flow of the album. Longer cinematic albums are obviously gonna need more tracks for it
This is an album, most rappers make LPs (Long Plays)
straight classic
Lit
This the song that plays in my mind whenever I hear the name Nas or see a pic of him.
I excel than prevail
*It ain't hard to tell*
Indeed
I think you are dumb
Wow the sample game is heavy with this one!
One of my favorite songs from an extremely talented artist.
Been listening for to this since I was 4 in 94 shit always gone hard to me cuz he flipped the human nature beat into it ain’t hard to tell. A play on observing human nature
2023 🐐
people saying music now and days is trash or worst decades of music etc need to remember that during the times of illmatic, 94', mainstream music being weak or lame wasnt really the error that it is today lol and hiphop was hiphop .. its this foolish rap going on now that is like a disease to the airways of media. remeber that this era of music isnt trash its just the trash songs that get pushed by the trash playlist being spun on the trash radio lol
I agree
also rap music today is just trap music with lame rap lyrics
+Tara James but don't get me wrong the beats are dope, is just that the lyrics is trash and can't even understand what they saying nowadays😔😔😔
PNC010 auz I agree
something that I wish more people would bring up is that this wasn't the golden age, at least its too early to tell. This was the tail end of the very beginning. I mean before Eminem rappers couldn't be mainstream, hell rap itself was not mainstream until 1998. Now what we have is the trickling of new branches, and yeah(murphys law) some of those branches will suck ass. Nevertheless, this old v. new school shit needs to stop, or atleast what I mean is the anger behind peoples preference. I mean plus whats gonna happen in another 20 years, are we gonna say the 2010's was the "golden era"? *IMO and food for thought folks*
Goat album. Great flows and lyrics .10 out of 10 must recommend.
One of the coldest beats ever
Lyrics:
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
It ain't hard to tell, I excel then prevail
The mic is contacted, I attract clientele
My mic check is life or death, breathing a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps
Deep like the Shining, sparkle like a diamond
Sneak a Uzi on the island in my army jacket lining
Hit the Earth like a comet - invasion!
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazing
Cause in my physical, I can express through song
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up
Not stories by Aesop, place your loot up, parties I shoot up
Nas, I analyze, drop a jewel, inhale from the L
School a fool well, you feel it like Braille, it ain't hard to tell
I kick a skill like Shaquille holds a pillAnnotate
Vocabulary spills I'm Ill plus Matic
I freak beats, slam it like Iron Sheik
Jam like a Tec with correct techniques
So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magnetize me
Scannin' while you're plannin' ways to sabotage me
I leave 'em froze like her-on in your nose
Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
This rhythmatic explosion is what your frame of mind has chosen
I'll leave your brain stimulated, niggas is frozen
Speak with criminal slang, begin like a violin
End like Leviathan, it's deep, well let me try again
Wisdom be leaking out my grapefruit, troop
I dominate break loops, giving mics men-e-strual cycles
Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle
And groove even smoother than moves by Villanova
You're still a soldier, I'm like Sly Stone in Cobra
Packing like a Rasta in the weed spot, vocals'll squeeze Glocks
MC's eavesdrop though they need not to sneak
My poetry's deep, I never fail
Nas' raps should be locked in a cell, it ain't hard to tell
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)
Da da da da da
Da da da da da (yeah!)