Is Illmatic a perfect record?

sneed · Post by **sneed** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:42 am

I was having an arguement with people who are saying Illmatic is FAR from perfect...**cough cough**solo.45**cough**cough

I honestly can't find one slightest thing wrong with this cd...

every beat is just right
the lone guest appearance was classic
the timing was perfect

I can't even find ONE lyric that I don't like...

only thing people can argue was that it was only 9 tracks...but then again back then cds weren't 25 tracks like they are today...

(i know this thread is kind of petty, because the illmatic/classic thing is beaten like a dead horse, but I'm just curious on peoples thoughts about this)

Balzac · Post by **Balzac** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:58 am

its probably the album i've listened to the most out of all my albums.

i can't see anything wrong with it at all.

StormShadow · Post by **StormShadow** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:21 am

I say no, but only because I can't think of any album that's absolutely perfect. Uh... the intro could have been better. Shit, I don't know, Illmatic is a 5/5, but perfect is a strong word.

clark bent · Post by **clark bent** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:25 am

MD · Post by MD » Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:57 am

He should've used more multis.

MCBwatdown · Post by **MCBwatdown** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:05 am

The one thing I can always think of is that the beat for "World is Yours" stands out as the worst beat on the album and is pretty average even without considering the other tracks.

Los · Post by **Los** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:19 am

the world is yours is all around amazing

mud · Post by **mud** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:20 am

MCBwatdown wrote: the beat for "World is Yours" is pretty average

mud · Post by **mud** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:21 am

Russian wrote:the world is yours is all around amazing

Los · Post by **Los** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:29 am

Russian wrote:the world is yours is all around amazing

Go damn, I am listening to it right now. I just love that piano loop, what a beautiful creation.

Moolah · Post by **Moolah** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:58 am

Perfect record, I don't think so. I mean, if Illmatic is perfect, why bother with anything else?

Personally I don't think the subject matter is anything amazing, just keep it real type stuff, nothing really blows my mind.

Can't you just be happy that it's very good?

Solo45 · Post by **Solo45** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:34 am

[quote="Cable"]I was having an arguement with people who are saying Illmatic is FAR from perfect...**cough cough**solo.45**cough**cough
quote]

So because I dont like the beat for "Lifes A Bitch" and that personally = a flaw in my ears, I called the album FAR from perfect?

Thats just my personal taste, It was always a pet peeve Ive had about that album.

Poolside Loungin' · Post by **Poolside Loungin'** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:36 am

I prefer the original Buckwild version of "lifes a bitch" these days really, although the album version is undeniably classic.

blastmaster · Post by **blastmaster** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:49 am

If it's not then its the closest thing to it.

Poolside Loungin' · Post by **Poolside Loungin'** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:50 am

"Only built 4 cuban linx" is better than "illmatic".

Funk Docta Bombay · Post by **Funk Docta Bombay** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:51 am

As far as I'm concerned it's as good as any album will be. If it is'nt "perfect" then I don't think much on earth is. it's like sayin the Mona Lisa has flaws: possible, but why even bother pointing them out?

boogieshoes · Post by **boogieshoes** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:01 pm

Illmatic

I felt it was a let down . I wanted to hear the same Nas from live at the barbeque instead he changed up and watered down his material. After a pretty long wait he delivered something i didnt think was that "Ill". I guess if you grew up on him you feel different but i didnt. I grew up on rakim and g rap i dont even think they made perfect albums.

blastmaster · Post by **blastmaster** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:24 pm

If you were lucky enough to have been into hiphop at the time Illmatic came out (I was young, but had an older brother who was a big hiphop head) you couldnt help but have been blown away by it. It had "that feeling" that I dont think anything after Rakim hit had, and nothing has since.

36 Chambers comes the closest for me.

shopvack · Post by **shopvack** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:16 pm

Funk Docta Bombay wrote:As far as I'm concerned it's as good as any album will be. If it is'nt "perfect" then I don't think much on earth is. it's like sayin the Mona Lisa has flaws: possible, but why even bother pointing them out?

well said

KaeoFLUX · Post by **KaeoFLUX** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:37 pm

No. Not perfect.

But I've never felt the need to jock Nas and Illmatic like most do. I'm not a huge fan of "Lifes a Bitch" and "The World is Yours".

Personally I think Midnight Marauders, and Liquid Swords are both front to back classic 5/5's and closer to perfect than anything I can think of.

Nowell's Soul · Post by **Nowell's Soul** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:48 pm

Cable wrote:the illmatic/classic thing is beaten like a dead horse

ardamus · Post by **ardamus** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 2:03 pm

Nowell's Soul wrote:
Cable wrote:the illmatic/classic thing is beaten like a dead horse

true indeed

I've met people who don't like illmatic but still say its a classic. Calling it a perfect album? Not sure. I can say its damn near perfect....

Mindbender Futurama · Post by **Mindbender Futurama** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 3:25 pm

MCBwatdown wrote:The one thing I can always think of is that the beat for "World is Yours" stands out as the worst beat on the album and is pretty average even without considering the other tracks.

oh my god, i can't believe a human brain holds this thought. what kind of crack have you OD'ed on???

I would NOT call Illmatic perfect, but I would say it's definitely Top 10 hip hop albums EVER.

I am one of the people who think it's too short. It's like 8 tracks long, Halftime was out on the Zebrahead soundtrack, and the intro isn't a song, so the album is too short to me. It is awesome though.

it's length is my only complaint, it's almost like an EP. I also wish it was longer, cause he was IN THE ZONE and anything he wrote at that point in time would have been just as ill as Represent or One Love so there should have been like 2 or 3 more songs, and it would be THEEEE best album ever made.

Nas still is the Greatest Rapper to Ever Come From New York City. Thank you and good night.

AWAE · Post by **AWAE** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 4:43 pm

it's just one album for fucks sake.

i can't believe people still talk about it.

The ILLatino · Post by **The ILLatino** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 4:47 pm

clark bent wrote:yes

ceecee · Post by **ceecee** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:26 pm

MD wrote:He should've used more multis.

hahahahahahaha

blastmaster · Post by **blastmaster** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:43 pm

AWAE wrote:it's just one album for fucks sake.

i can't believe people still talk about it.

Just like World War I was just "one war"

The fact that people still talk about speaks volumes of how important Illmatic was/is.

AWAE · Post by **AWAE** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:56 pm

blastmaster wrote:
AWAE wrote:it's just one album for fucks sake.

i can't believe people still talk about it.
Just like World War I was just "one war"

The fact that people still talk about speaks volumes of how important Illmatic was/is.

what's so important about it?

blastmaster · Post by **blastmaster** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:58 pm

The fact that nothing before it sounded like it and everything for 5 years after it was released was trying to play catch up.

Doogs · Post by **Doogs** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:58 pm

Well, a lot more than half of us consider it "perfect."

That's pretty important, ya know?