'Illmatic' has been a classic since its release, and the crowd depicted this perfectly with representatives from all generations. One of the last concerts of the tour, Usher Hall in Edinburgh called to hip-hop lovers who flocked eagerly for a chance to be a part of this music and moment. Set 1 was a rendition of the album, beginning with ‘N.Y. State of Mind’ and going on to tracks like ‘The World is Yours’ and ‘One Love’. The adoration of these songs was clear, with the crowd’s arms waving in tandem with the beats and responding to Nas’s calls as he strutted on stage armed with a mic, a DJ and a drummer.
We then took a trip down ‘Memory Lane’ to ‘Human Nature’ by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones, with Nas paying homage to the latter by projecting images of the late music legend. ‘It Ain’t Hard to Tell’ followed, with the sample of ‘Human Nature’ echoing in our minds along with thoughts of Quincy Jones. Set 2 continued with other tracks from Nas’s impressive discography, interjected with covers from The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep and Ye, ultimately leading to an impressive final rendition of ‘One Mic’ that sent the crowd roaring into the streets of Edinburgh.
It was clear that 'Illmatic' had reached many, from Nas’s mellow flows to biting lyricism, or the iconic sampling and beats spearheaded by DJ Premier. Hip-hop once again proved itself to be an effective vehicle for portraying realities of love, anger, and hope, and Nas left us with the feeling that the world is ours.
