Illmatic, the epic debut album from Nas, was certified gold by the RIAA on this date in 1996. After the initial buzz died down, sales for Illmatic slowed and the five singles that circulated on radio didn’t receive the comercial acceptance that was predicted. Without any real chart topping success, Nas’ debut album still managed to sell 500,000 copies within its first two years and was even certified platinum not long after his fourth album and Illmatic’s succession, Stillmatic.
With harrowing tales of snitching prostitutes, crooked cops and drug deals gone bad, Nas brought his life in Queensbridge, the world’s largest housing projects, to the living rooms of all Hip Hop fans with the cadence and confidence of a veteran soldier who’d just survived a losing battle in the 10 tracks of his first album. Regarded as paossibly one of the best Hip Hop albums of all time, Illmatic has had a heavy influence on the rap game for the past two decades and will continue to carry that same influence for at least another twenty joints.
