Illmatic : Where Are They Now?

Nas's debut was backed by an all-star lineup.

Nas - “The Genesis,” Illmatic (1994) - Illmatic introduces us to one of hip hop’s most cinematic rappers with an intro that contains audio clips from Wild Style, a movie that inaugurated hip hop into film.(Photo: Columbia Records)
"Life's a B---h" - Nas and AZ traded rhymes brilliantly on Illmatic's third cut, and The Visualiza also cemented himself in history with arguably one of the best 16s of all time. Unfortunately, the gritty survival tale was never supplied with a visual canvas.(Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Conducting the Berklee Symphony Orchestra (2011) - For the music video series Re-Generation, Preem steps out of his hip hop DJ comfort zone. Not only does he conduct the renown Berklee Symphony Orchestra, but mixes down the recorded performance into a beat, which iconic rapper Nas blesses with a rhyme. Olu Dara - Nas's father is a renowned free-jazz trumpeter and coronet player who'd already recorded and toured the world with Art Blakely, Jack McDuff and Cassandra Wilson by the time he recorded the gorgeous, understated solo that closes out "Life's a B---h." The song introduced Olu Dara to a new generation of fans, and he released his first albums as band leader in 1998 and 2001. Dara continues to perform and record today, and has been featured on several subsequent Nas tracks, including 2004's "Bridging the Gap." (Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

Next Gallery

Women's History Month: The Most Iconic Fashion Moments by Black Women

13 Photos

1 / 11

Illmatic: Where Are They Now? - Twenty years ago, on April 19, 1994, a 20-year-old Queens rapper named Nas unleashed his debut album, Illmatic. From front to back, song to song, it's arguably the best hip hop album of all time, and immediately established Nas as a Hall of Fame great. But Illmatic wasn't a one-man show. Unlike most hip hop albums at the time, Nas worked with an all-star lineup of super producers and collaborators. Many rappers followed suit in the years to follow, but few, if any, have ever matched the near flawless results that Nas's dream team achieved. Read on to see where these legends are now. —Alex Gale(Photo: Courtesy Columbia Records)

ADVERTISEMENT