Nas Has Big Plans For 20th Anniversary of 'Illmatic' ::Nas News ::antiMusic.com

Nas Has Big Plans For 20th Anniversary of 'Illmatic'

02/05/2014
. (Radio.com) Back in 2004, a young Queens emcee named Nasir Jones put out his debut alum, Illmatic and changed hip-hop forever. Now 20 years later, Nas is celebrating the anniversary of his first record by offering up an expanded edition filled with demos, remixes and live cuts.

On April 15, Nas will release Illmatic XX, which includes a remastered edition of the original album, along with a disc of rarities that includes a previously unreleased radio freestyle from 1993 and a remix of "It Ain't Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix)," which is streaming via Rap Genius. Fans will also be able to get the special edition LP on vinyl.

Nas will also be hitting the road later this year to play Illmatic from front to back for a handful of performances that will include a stop at this year's Coachella. More information about the tour will be announced in the coming weeks.

In conjunction with the anniversary, a documentary called Time Is Illmatic is slated to be released this year. Directed by One9 and Erik Parker (a former Radio.com staffer), the doc will delve into the making of the now classic album, the social conditions that created it and the role Nas' Mississippi-born father and celebrated jazz musician, Olu Dara played in his music. more on this story

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