Nas - Illmatic

I rap for listeners, blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners
Hennessy holders and old school niggas, then I be dissin a
Unofficial that smoke woolie thai
I dropped out of Cooley High, gassed up by a cokehead cutie pie
Jungle survivor, fuck who's the liver
My man put the battery in my back, a difference from Energizer
Sentence begins indented, with formality
My duration's infinite, money-wise or physiology
Poetry, that's a part of me, retardedly bop
I drop the ancient manifested hip-hop, straight off the block
I reminisce on park jams, my man was shot for his sheep coat
Childhood lesson made me see him drop in my weed smoke
—Nas, "Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)"

Nas started his hip hop journey in April 19, 1994 by releasing his first album - Illmatic. As expected, 59000 copies were sold in the first week after the album released, but not for so long until the hip hop reviewers give positive critics on the lyrical content, production, and Nas’ lyricism. The production of Illmactic creates a new era for East Coast hip hop and also contributes to the artistic renaissance in New York with several famous groups like the N.W.A.

"The World Is Yours"

It is his third single from Illmatic. Some hip hop fans declare that this is the greatest hip hop song ever recorded. The entire song is basically critiques how the politicians, people’s leaders are no longer worth to be trusted. Dreams exist in people’s mind. People should believe in god, in themselves for help, but do not expect to get any help from the corrupted government and police. The first verse specifically expresses the circumstances of the society and how rap songs fulfill his life.

I can't call it, the beats make me falling asleepI keep falling, but never falling six feet deep

The above lyrics show how Nas will keep doing what he likes (producing hip hop song) and will never give up no matter failure or success.

I'm out for presidents to represent me (Say what?)

I'm out for presidents to represent me (Say what?)

I'm out for dead presidents to represent me

And this part shows how young adults in America (including Nas) want to change the world. They do not want the government represents them, they want to represent themselves. Nas critiques the valueless government at that time and seeks for creativities, which later he finds out hip hop can be the ultimate solution.

“One Love”

It is his fifth song released October 25, 1994 on Columbia Records. The lyrics os “One Love” are the words that Nas wants to tell his imprisoned friends in the way of combining a series of letters, which describes what happen to his friend before and after his friend’s imprisonment. “One Love” shows how uncertain people’s life is. After receiver goes into prison, his unfaithful girlfriend betrays him,  his emotional mother tortures him with her scathing words, and the failure of what he believes the underdog loyalty. The title of this song is originated from a Jamaican singer Bob Marley’s songs, which mainly describes the street loyalty and Nas, later on, uses to describe his neighborhood. The style, lyrics, and rhythm of “One Love” represents Nas’ formal inventiveness. 

Plus congratulations, you know you got a son

I heard he looks like ya, why don't your lady write ya?

Told her she should visit, that's when she got hyper

Flipping, talking 'bout he acts too rough

He didn't listen he be riffing while I'm telling him stuff

I left a half a hundred in your commissary

You was my nigga when push came to shove, one what? (One love)

The first verse is basically showing how bad the situation is for the receiver: he gets a son, but never have a chance to see him because he is in prison and his wife cheats on him with the decision of moving on to find another man; his mother never visits him when he is in the prison because she does not want to be part of his criminal actions. Too many unfortunates happen, which ironically shows the only person in the world who he can trust is Nas. At this point, their friendship really demonstrates how cruel it is for Nas' friend to face the truth that all of his relatives betray on him and Nas seems to be the only one who is still on his side.

Second and third verses are the letter that Nas wants to tell his friend his imprisonment is not the end of the world. No matter how much the world change, Nas will always be there for him.

But chill, see you on the next V-I


I gave your ma duke's loot for kicks, plus sent you flicks


Your brother's buckwilding in 4-Main, he wrote me


He might beat his case, 'til he come home, play it low key


So stay civilized, time flies


Though incarcerated your mind die, I hate it when your moms cries


It kinda wants to make me murder, for reala


I even got a mask and gloves to bust slugs but one love

Illmatic shows how people in the 90s are still treated unequally by the community and the unfortunate of people who . The society described in this album is still not stable. People still live in poverty and hip hop seems to be the only way to express their emotion and, moreover, to release their pressure. Hip hop songs make people to be heard and Illmatic will obviously be one of the contributors.