Illmatic or Ready to Die?

[RuffDraft]

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

Even with the bias of it being the definitive album for you, it's a good argument that would hold up well against another poster's. It's difficult to decide the definitive hip hop album. Illmatic doesn't have a concept, yet some of the greatest hip hop records are concept records.

For instance, Masta Ace's 'A Long Hot Summer' which is poetic in its delivery and form. But not really messin' with Illmatic lyrically, even though it's far from average.

 

[a_list]

illmatic.......

 

[DMTxTHC]

I would say Illmatic...it's my favorite Hip-Hop album

 

[Neva_Change]

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.

Illmatic sounds pretty dated too. Especially Halftime and One Time For Your Mind.

 

[bmoreeast]

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:

Another thing thats lost in these comparisons is that alot of poster's on here are young and didnt really get to grasp what the music scene was like when these 2 albums came out. To some people they may hear the albums yr's later after Jay and other rappers may have came along and then look back on Illmatic or RTD and think well whats so special about this album. What dudes dont understand is that both these albums but especially Illmatic changed the landscape of music when it dropped.

I can remember the type of music that was out around that time and nothing was on the level lyrically as Illmatic. The Westcoast had rap on lock and their production was top notch. I can remember everybody saying Snoop Dogg was the best rapper out imagine somebody saying that shit now. When those albums dropped just to get the whole feel of what older poster's be saying you would have had to really been in that atmosphere to have been able to really appreciate it.

 

[bmoreeast]

Illmatic sounds pretty dated too. Especially Halftime and One Time For Your Mind.

Yeah your def right but both of those songs sounded dated then too, lol.

 

[jdmack20]

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.

Damn, talk about a break down, but you pretty much hit it head on.

www.digluciano.com

 

[jdmack20]

I dig biggie's delivery more than Nas, but that's probably just because Biggie is a more confrontational and outspoken dude. I think Ready to Die is better to me, but not necessarily better in general. I still think It Was Written was a 5 Mic album, but a lot of people thought he went a little commercial on it. I thought it was cool.

www.digluciano.com

 

[thecomebacklegend]

illmatic...............

 

[Jdilla26]

illmatic.........nuff said

 

[RayLY]

Illmatic, without a doubt for me.

 

[RuffDraft]

Another thing thats lost in these comparisons is that alot of poster's on here are young and didnt really get to grasp what the music scene was like when these 2 albums came out. To some people they may hear the albums yr's later after Jay and other rappers may have came along and then look back on Illmatic or RTD and think well whats so special about this album. What dudes dont understand is that both these albums but especially Illmatic changed the landscape of music when it dropped.

I can remember the type of music that was out around that time and nothing was on the level lyrically as Illmatic. The Westcoast had rap on lock and their production was top notch. I can remember everybody saying Snoop Dogg was the best rapper out imagine somebody saying that shit now. When those albums dropped just to get the whole feel of what older poster's be saying you would have had to really been in that atmosphere to have been able to really appreciate it.

Whilst you're completely right about this (and I too, only heard both these albums some years later), Illmatic didn't sell very well and it only really sounds (from historical reading) like it set NY alight, it didn't take over America the way that the Westcoast sound did with the Chronic for instance.

Either way, I think albums like Illmatic and Ready to Die are very easily interpreted by the late listener as great albums. They're albums that will stand the test of time quite easily... I disagree that RTD sounds old because it has Juicy on it for instance, a song that will always sound fresh and is arguably one of the best 'feel good tracks' to come out of this genre.

A person could also make the argument for early 90's Snoop as being one of the greatest rappers to bless the game, you could appreciate and understand that because the way he crafted and delivered his names was mind boggling. Dr. Dre even said it, I remember in an interview with him, he said 'I didn't know how talented he was, the way he put his rhymes together'. But then at the same time Snoop always said that 'Dre helped me with my delivery and he would make me say it in different ways.' That's when you know that you're on the right lines in terms of a team/duo.

 

[bmoreeast]

Whilst you're completely right about this (and I too, only heard both these albums some years later), Illmatic didn't sell very well and it only really sounds (from historical reading) like it set NY alight, it didn't take over America the way that the Westcoast sound did with the Chronic for instance.

Either way, I think albums like Illmatic and Ready to Die are very easily interpreted by the late listener as great albums. They're albums that will stand the test of time quite easily... I disagree that RTD sounds old because it has Juicy on it for instance, a song that will always sound fresh and is arguably one of the best 'feel good tracks' to come out of this genre.

A person could also make the argument for early 90's Snoop as being one of the greatest rappers to bless the game, you could appreciate and understand that because the way he crafted and delivered his names was mind boggling. Dr. Dre even said it, I remember in an interview with him, he said 'I didn't know how talented he was, the way he put his rhymes together'. But then at the same time Snoop always said that 'Dre helped me with my delivery and he would make me say it in different ways.' That's when you know that you're on the right lines in terms of a team/duo.

See a dude like you that really listens to music can appreciate the artist but theres alot of dude's on here that just like to say "Nas Lost" or Biggie was garbage cuz they dont really listen or cant grasp what music was like back then.

Oh and as far as the Snoop/Dre thing can you imagine an artist saying that shit now, everybody would be saying how Dre wrote Snoops shit cuz Snoop said Dre helped him. I dont think that dudes realize that when you're in the studio that rappers will help eachother or give them a bar or two or help them with their delivery. Especially with a Producer because alot of times they may craft their music with a certain delivery in mind.

 

[ustreet_monsta]

Illmatic

From 2005-2007 I probably listened to it ever day.

Only complaint about Illmatic is the intro should have been longer.

 

[5th Letter]

it's a toss up depending on how i'm feeling on a certain day

 

[Ibex]

Ready to Die shits on Illmatic...that album is like 9 songs and I skip at least 3.

 

[turqiun]

I gotta go with RTD. I can listen to that straight through and any time. Illmatic is a classic but RTD has a better vibe to it that makes listening to it during any mood that I'm in enjoyable.

 

[stealthbomber]

Ready to Die shits on Illmatic...that album is like 9 songs and I skip at least 3.

How the fuck u gonna skip anything on Illmatic, and Ready to Die deffff don't shit on it, its just longer

 

[StoneColdMikey]

I was gonna make this thread but ima pick Ready To Die

 

[Say What]

Ready To Die is better I don't like many songs on Illmatic