BY BANDINI • APRIL 19, 2019

Twenty-five years ago today (April 19), Nas released the album that future generations will likely use to measure Rap greatness. At the age of 20, Nasir Jones delivered Illmatic, a 10-track coming of age reflection that pulled images from Rotten Apple-era New York City, emphasized dreams of being a Rap king, and properly introduced one of the coolestREAD MORE  characters ever to grip a microphone.

Wax Poetics, Who Sampled, and DJ Chris Read celebrate Illmatic‘s birthday with care and style like no other, and they do so in audio. This 39-minute mix (the same length as the Columbia/Sony Records release) stands in a class of its own with effort, research, and understanding. Chris gives Nas’ debut all of its roses. The mix features interview clips with Nas, DJ Premier, and executive producer/A&R Faith Newman. Taking carefully chosen turns, the mix reconstructs and deconstructs an undeniably classic release in a way that is informative and pleasing to the ears at once.

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