There are only a few albums that stand the test of time. On April 19, 1994, Nas released what is considered the greatest album in hip-hop history with Illmatic. Thirty-one years later, the album continues to resonate with fans who were raised on his music and a new generation.
Nas teamed up with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra to perform Illmatic in its entirety at Synovus Bank Amphitheater Chastain Park in Atlanta. Dressed in a tux, Nas entered the stage saying the collaboration is like, “If Mozart had a radio and some Hennessy.”
He opened with “New York State of Mind” before going into jazz-inspired hits, “The World Is Yours,” and “Life’s a B—.” On the latter, Nas told the story of his father, musician Olu Dara, playing the trumpet on the song. The solo effort was influenced by Dara’s recollection of Nas’ childhood.
Nas would also perform “One Love” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” which features a sample of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.”
The rapper-turned-entrepreneur would also take fans on a journey beyond Illmatic, rapping songs such as “The Message,” and “Street Dreams” from his sophomore effort It Was Written. He also performed the party hits “Spicy,” “You Owe Me,” and club anthem “Oochie Wally.”
Nas closed his set with the inspirational “If I Ruled The World,” and contemplative hit “One Mic.”
Overall, Nas and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra proved that hip-hop and classical music can create magic when both art forms coexist.
