#317: NAS - TIME IS ILLMATIC

2014

Directed by One9

Music Documentary

Dogwoof seems to be churning out some of the highest quality and most fascinating documentaries of recent times, and here is another great one for music lovers to enjoy. Time Is Illmatic looks at the genesis of one of contemporary music's greatest masterpieces. Nas' 1994 debut LP "Illmatic", still praised as one of the greatest Hip Hop releases of all time. Rather than taking the route of the "Classic Albums" documentary series, Time Is Illmatic gets behind the events surrounding the creation of the album, rather than going too deep into the recording and writing process. Nas was in his late teens when he was writing and recording his masterpiece. His lyrics tell graphic descriptions of life in the Queensbridge projects, where drug dealing, gunfire, incarceration and death are all normal daily occurrences. Determined not to fall into the trap of dropping out of school and becoming a street hustler, a young Nas focused on his art and poetry instead. The true turning point was when Nas' best friend Ill Will (who is frequently referenced on the album) was shot dead, with Nas' own brother escaping wounded, right outside his block of flats. Nas had the smarts to turn his pain and tragedy into a great work of art.

I enjoyed the whole of this documentary, that focuses solely on the debut album, rather than the whole of Nas' career. It's true that Hip Hop die hard fans can easily spot a lack of depth in the making process of the album, but it does cover the basics very well, including interviews with producers Pete Rock, Large Professor, DJ Premier, Q-Tip and LES. You get to see some of his early guest spots, including fabulous footage of him performing "Live at the BBQ" with Main Source. But I think the things that stand out most in this film are the things that aren't heard on the album. A look into Nas' upbringing, his school days and his parents separation. But most importantly it gets behind how black Americans were living at the time, and life in the projects, getting under the skin of how that correlated with Nas' music. Nas himself said he was an observer rather than a participator. If "Illmatic" was a perfect snapshot of life in the projects back in 1994, then Time Is Illmatic is a great extension of this snapshot, putting images to Nas' words. 8/10.