Illmatic or Ready to Die?

[dalyricalbandit]

Ready to Die for me i can throw that on whenever cant do the same with illmatic

 

[HipHopFiend91]

Ready to die theres more tracks.

 

[NuffRespect]

illmatic but i fuck wit both

 

[stealthbomber]

It's tough for me but I gotta say Illmatic. Ready to Die is still in my top 5, but there's nothing better than smoking a fat J, gettin a bj and listening to Illmatic hahaha

 

[siqnih da rapper]

mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn illmatic

 

[Jonas.dini]

illmatic but i fuck wit both

.....................

 

[The Compton Symphony]

I dont know if I really need to sit back and listen to illmatic again or what.... but Honestly, I dont seewhere all of the hype comes from..

maybe I was to young to really appreciate the album the last time i listened to it..DOnt get me wrong Nas is one of the best lyricists to walk this planet in my opinion

But as of right now

Ready to die > Illmatic

 

[shootemwon]

I dont know if I really need to sit back and listen to illmatic again or what.... but Honestly, I dont seewhere all of the hype comes from..

maybe I was to young to really appreciate the album the last time i listened to it..DOnt get me wrong Nas is one of the best lyricists to walk this planet in my opinion

But as of right now

Ready to die > Illmatic

Illmatic is the best hip hop album ever, and one of the best albums of any genre ever. And I don't like Nas.

 

[@My_nameaintearl]

Illmatic is like getting high with a nigga from Queensbridge.

Ready To Die is like getting drunk with a nigga from Brooklyn.

Nahmsayin?

There's more to it, though. Illmatic is about being immersed in the worldview of the artist without being setup to understand it first. You're diving headlong into these themes without preparation and you're not necessarily expected to adapt, either. You just swim through it and if you have a good time, that's great! If you don't enjoy it, that's okay. Come back another time.

Read to Die is presented from start to finish in crystal clear terms that any English-speaking adult can understand. We can attribute this to the fact that BIG was formally educated and Nas was not. That's not a knock on either guy. It's just history. Biggie learned cross-cultural clarity and Nas never did.

Anyway, as far as pitting the authorial emcees against each other goes: AZ has the best verse on Illmatic. Biggie obviously has the best verse on RTD. Take that (take that take that) for what you will.

 

[shootemwon]

Nas Lost?

 

[Neva_Change]

Illmatic is the better album in my opinion, but it gets way overrated on here sometimes. For me though, The Purple Tape >>>>>>>>>>>> both Illmatic and Ready To Die.

 

[RayLY]

It's so funny to me when people say that AZ had the best verse on Illmatic, but to each his own I guess but the thing not one of them hasn't still explained to me is what the fuck does schwepervesence means???

 

[MrCrafty]

RTD...Illmatic ain't far behind

 

[The Compton Symphony]

Illmatic is the best hip hop album ever, and one of the best albums of any genre ever. And I don't like Nas.

What makes it the best hip hop ever?

thats one bold ass statement...One of the best albums of any genre????

elaborate please

 

[RuffDraft]

What makes it the best hip hop ever?

thats one bold ass statement...One of the best albums of any genre????

elaborate please

It's perceived (and rightly so, IMO) as the best hip hop album of all time for many reasons...

Firstly, production. The producers crafted a soundscape that was perfect for Nas, but at the same time, NY hip hop at that time had a certain sound. Q-Tip to Pete Rock, Large Professor to Premier (not forgetting L.E.S and Nas who co-produced Life's a Bitch).

It takes a great ear to select beats that will create a succinct album if you look at albums in the mainstream, they usually sound a bit 'all-over-the-place' unless the production is handled by a sole producer.

Lyrically, I remember a poster referring to Illmatic many years ago as the greatest album lyrically because "Nas never wasted a single line on that album," after re-listening many times, I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with that quote. There are few emcee's who can stay on one extremely high plateau for 40+ minutes on an album.

The topics, the social commentary, the lyricism shown, Nas created that album over a 5 year period, yet released it when he was 20. Nas was so far ahead of his time, both in terms of wisdom and in hip hop.

People said he was the person who took hip hop to that next level lyrically, after Rakim had done it previously taking the front role over the DJ with his rhymes.

I think that it all comes down to personal taste, a Westcoast fan wouldn't necessarily look at an album like Illmatic and think it's the greatest. Albums like the Chronic and co. may have the head nod over it for it's production. But overall (and from an outsider looking in), I tend to agree that Illmatic is the greatest hip hop album ever made. It's seamless brilliance in every way... one feature too. And it tends to be in agreement in terms of the media, magazines that cover all genres always have it in their top 100 albums of all time.

 

[JokerzWyld]

It all depends on what kind of mood you're in. Biggie was more focused on telling stories whereas Nas was just rapping about life in general on a lot of tracks (with exception to One Love). Ready To Die Vs. It Was Written would give a better comparison in my opinion.

Illmatic is classic but i don't think it's the best album in hip hop, nor is it the best album in his catalog (waits for haters). If I had to choose between RTD and IM it would be Illmatic.

 

[The Compton Symphony]

It's perceived (and rightly so, IMO) as the best hip hop album of all time for many reasons...

Firstly, production. The producers crafted a soundscape that was perfect for Nas, but at the same time, NY hip hop at that time had a certain sound. Q-Tip to Pete Rock, Large Professor to Premier (not forgetting L.E.S and Nas who co-produced Life's a Bitch).

It takes a great ear to select beats that will create a succinct album if you look at albums in the mainstream, they usually sound a bit 'all-over-the-place' unless the production is handled by a sole producer.

Lyrically, I remember a poster referring to Illmatic many years ago as the greatest album lyrically because "Nas never wasted a single line on that album," after re-listening many times, I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with that quote. There are few emcee's who can stay on one extremely high plateau for 40+ minutes on an album.

The topics, the social commentary, the lyricism shown, Nas created that album over a 5 year period, yet released it when he was 20. Nas was so far ahead of his time, both in terms of wisdom and in hip hop.

People said he was the person who took hip hop to that next level lyrically, after Rakim had done it previously taking the front role over the DJ with his rhymes.

I think that it all comes down to personal taste, a Westcoast fan wouldn't necessarily look at an album like Illmatic and think it's the greatest. Albums like the Chronic and co. may have the head nod over it for it's production. But overall (and from an outsider looking in), I tend to agree that Illmatic is the greatest hip hop album ever made. It's seamless brilliance in every way... one feature too. And it tends to be in agreement in terms of the media, magazines that cover all genres always have it in their top 100 albums of all time.

Well said man.

If everything you said is true, then without a shadow of a doubt I will become a fan of this album. Back when i gave it a listen i only skimmed through it looking for something that stood out to me, now that i think about it that takes away from the album as a whole. Im from the west coast but in no way am I biased, I love Nas and his contributions to hip-hop, I just don't love Illmatic.

This album has been put on a godly-like pedestal, it's seems as if its at a unattainable level as far as Being the greatest hip hop cd is concerned.. I never got the reasoning behind it but After i listen to it this weekend, I hope I finally Get what it seems i've been missing all of these years. Now that im older im sure it would be alot easier to grow appreciation for this album as well.

 

[RuffDraft]

It all depends on what kind of mood you're in. Biggie was more focused on telling stories whereas Nas was just rapping about life in general on a lot of tracks (with exception to One Love). Ready To Die Vs. It Was Written would give a better comparison in my opinion.

Illmatic is classic but i don't think it's the best album in hip hop, nor is it the best album in his catalog (waits for haters). If I had to choose between RTD and IM it would be Illmatic.

That's not something to hate on though, it's something that's been commonly said throughout the years, but one that I can't really understand from a personal perspective and fan of both albums. Each person is validated an opinion that is well thought out though :tu

And I agree, there are definitely moments where I'll want to hear RTD over Illmatic, but that's not to say it's a better album. I do think Ready To Die is an incredible album though and really creative as well, which I don't think it gets its props for.

Well said man.

If everything you said is true, then without a shadow of a doubt I will become a fan of this album. Back when i gave it a listen i only skimmed through it looking for something that stood out to me, now that i think about it that takes away from the album as a whole. Im from the west coast but in no way am I biased, I love Nas and his contributions to hip-hop, I just don't love Illmatic.

This album has been put on a godly-like pedestal, it's seems as if its at a unattainable level as far as Being the greatest hip hop cd is concerned.. I never got the reasoning behind it but After i listen to it this weekend, I hope I finally Get what it seems i've been missing all of these years. Now that im older im sure it would be alot easier to grow appreciation for this album as well.

Yeah, I bought Illmatic the same day I bought Stillmatic (on its release). I'd listened to hip hop as a kid, but only radio stuff like the Fugees, 2pac and co. Nas, I'd never come across but with the beef with Jay, I had to get Ether and that release in general. When I did, I also picked up Illmatic because I'd heard about it following the media burst of the beef with Jay. After hearing it and Stillmatic side by side, there was no question to me, Stillmatic was the greater album... it wasn't until a few months later when I started to wonder whether my decision was correct... so I popped it back in and forced a few listens, once I did... there was nothing forced anymore. It was a great album and the more you get lost in his rhymes, the greater the album becomes. I can play 'It Ain't Hard to Tell' on repeat still to this day.

Yeah, just try to think of the wisdom in his rhymes that he's kicking pre-20 years old, tell me that's not a genius on the mic. The lyricism on that album is mind-boggling, the whole of It Ain't hard to Tell is pretty much a quotable as well:

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 jew-el, 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 pill
Vocabulary spills I'm +Ill+
plus +Matic+, I freak beats slam it like Iron Shiek
Jam like a tech with correct techniques
So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magmatize 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

It's hard to pick a favourite verse from that song. I'm going to make a thread about it.

 

[renagade410.]

It's perceived (and rightly so, IMO) as the best hip hop album of all time for many reasons...

Firstly, production. The producers crafted a soundscape that was perfect for Nas, but at the same time, NY hip hop at that time had a certain sound. Q-Tip to Pete Rock, Large Professor to Premier (not forgetting L.E.S and Nas who co-produced Life's a Bitch).

It takes a great ear to select beats that will create a succinct album if you look at albums in the mainstream, they usually sound a bit 'all-over-the-place' unless the production is handled by a sole producer.

Lyrically, I remember a poster referring to Illmatic many years ago as the greatest album lyrically because "Nas never wasted a single line on that album," after re-listening many times, I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with that quote. There are few emcee's who can stay on one extremely high plateau for 40+ minutes on an album.

The topics, the social commentary, the lyricism shown, Nas created that album over a 5 year period, yet released it when he was 20. Nas was so far ahead of his time, both in terms of wisdom and in hip hop.

People said he was the person who took hip hop to that next level lyrically, after Rakim had done it previously taking the front role over the DJ with his rhymes.

I think that it all comes down to personal taste, a Westcoast fan wouldn't necessarily look at an album like Illmatic and think it's the greatest. Albums like the Chronic and co. may have the head nod over it for it's production. But overall (and from an outsider looking in), I tend to agree that Illmatic is the greatest hip hop album ever made. It's seamless brilliance in every way... one feature too. And it tends to be in agreement in terms of the media, magazines that cover all genres always have it in their top 100 albums of all time.

Illmatic is the album where if someone asked me to show them hip hop in its purest form i would give to them

to me for that reason it has to be the best hip hop album of all time...now thats not saying its my favorite i can think of 10 albums off top that personally i like better than illmatic BUT i can still see the genius behind illmatic. I think alot of people cant see past what they like and prefer and whats actually there.If somebody likes ready to die better than illmatic thats fine...but by no means should you let it cloud your judgement as to which one is the better album

 

[bmoreeast]

Illmatic you can still listen to that album today. Ready to Die while being classic sounds a little dated when tryna listen to it now.