Illmatic

Illmatic is the first studio album of American rapper Nas. It was released on April 19, 1994 by Columbia Records. Nas recorded the album during 1992 and 1993 in New York City. The producers were Nas, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and DJ Premier.
Nas raps about his life in Queensbridge, New York. Nas's lyricism features multi-syllabic internal rhyme patterns.
"Illmatic" received very good reviews from most music critics upon its release. It earnt praise for its lyrical content, production, and Nas's lyricism. Over time, music critics have recognized it as one of the greatest hip hop albums.
"Illmatic" did not sell very well at the beginning. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 2001, it earned platinum certification after shipments of one million copies in the United States.