WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Illmatic’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
April 19th 1994 saw the release of one of what would go on to be recognised as one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of all time, Nas’s seminal debut, ‘Illmatic’. Following much talked about appearances on Main Source’s ‘Live at the Barbecue’, MC Serch’s ‘Back to the Grill’, and the release of the now classic soundtrack cut ‘Halftime’, Illmatic delivered on the hype with a compact 10 track offering helmed by the cream of Mid 90s Hip Hop production talent: DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Large Professor and L.E.S.. Pairing crisp head nod drums with an eclectic palate of Jazz, Funk and Soul samples, the all star line up of producers prepared a musical backdrop over which Nas delivers a no holds barred guided tour of life growing up in New York’s Queensbridge projects. Sampled cuts range from the timeless Jazz of Ahmad Jamal and Jazz Funk of Donald Byrd to the Pop of Michael Jackson via well sampled staples by the likes of Kool & the Gang. In celebration of the album’s 25th year, WhoSampled partnered once again with Wax Poetics Magazine to present an exclusive mix of album cuts, remixes, interview snippets and of course tracks sampled in the album’s making mixed by Chris Read.