Next week, Nas celebrates the 20th anniversary of his iconic debut, Illmatic, with a deluxe reissue featuring previously unreleased demos and remixes. With the occasion fast approaching, not only has Nas himself reflected on the LP two decades later, but many of hip-hop’s major players have also weighed in.
Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Sir Michael Rocks, Jay Rock, and others are among those who recently took a look back on the release in a new video retrospective by Google Play. Here, they discuss their favorite Illmatic tracks and note how the rap legend has influenced — and will continue to influence — their own music. Nas, too, offers up additional commentary.
“I’ll always be a fan and student of his work, period,” Lamar comments in the clip.
Watch it below:
