First published 2009
Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai gather leading academics to dissect Illmatic, the 1994 debut that transformed hip-hop when Nasir "Nas" Jones was just nineteen. Each contributor takes on a single track from the album, analyzing how Nas captured urban poverty through precise beats and lyrics. Mark Anthony Neal, Marc Lamont Hill, Eddie S. Glaude Jr., and other writers explore how these songs documented isolation and hardship in American cities. The collection moves song by song through an album that shifted the genre's direction. Each essay confronts how Nas built his narratives and chose his sounds. The book reveals how one young artist's vision became a template for hip-hop storytelling.
Genres: african-american, non-fiction, music, hip-hop
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-analysis, cultural-commentary
Setting: American Cities, Urban Areas
Period: 1994
256 pages · Unknown Binding · Perseus Books