POLL: “Illmatic” or “It Was Written?”

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With Nas’ 10th studio album now in stores, I think it’s a good time to bring up one of the longest running debates in the rap game.

Which was the better Nas album?

Total (42) Votes
  • (35) Votes
  • (7) Votes

I’m personally going with ‘It Was Written.’ I just think musically IWW does more for me. The production on ‘Illmatic’ sounds a little outdated and too New Yorky for me right now. Yeah, New Yorky! ‘It Was Written’ all day.

If you had to pick between the two classics, ‘Illmatic’ or ‘It Was Written’ which one would it be and why? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/william.i.torres William III Torres

    It was written

  • http://www.facebook.com/benny.onair Benny Onair

    zote kali = all are d’ headlines (in swahil)

  • http://www.facebook.com/rodger.roberts.9 Rodger Roberts

    I like Stillmatic most of all. That was a great album

  • http://twitter.com/DerodrickR Derodrick Rhodes

    It was Written… I can’t discount Illmatic but me being from Florida growing It Was Written was the album that put me on to Nas…

  • anthony mcnair

    Come on lebron…….its HalfTIMe!!!

  • http://twitter.com/pawnshoporlando Pawn Shops

    Give me a break like Lebron really wrote this

  • http://www.facebook.com/illmind Evets Leinad

    iLLMATIC 4 L8FE

  • http://www.facebook.com/illmind Evets Leinad

     ILLMATIC PERFECT JOINT

  • Deshon Wade

    1.ILLMATIC
    2.The Lost Tapes3.It Was Written

  • Gustavo-cruzjr

    I hear ya on the versatility it was written had and I do love the like tracks 9 and 12 in addition to the other great hits. I live primo and illmatic has his touches all over it. IWW wa so hyped when it came out in 96 summer that we forget the classic:)

  • sdogra24

    ‘Illmatic’ introduced hip hop to a whole new cadence and flow that threw back to the Big Daddy Kane classics. The production might be outdated, but the album still stands as one of the most important albums in hip hop history. ‘It Was Written’ was definitely amazing, but ‘Illmatic’ is a classic.

  • Tinofest1989

    illmatic was his best album 

  • Gregg

    this isn’t even debatable….ILLMATIC!!! He’s next bests are God Son and Stillmatic…..then It Was Written

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Johnson/100000490237827 Christopher Johnson

    Not even a discussion Illmatic definitely, I remember when It was Written dropped and cats was wild disappointed because it wasn’t as lyrically dope as illmatic.

  • Austin holton

    They are both great, but illamatic was just too nasty

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Johnson/100000490237827 Christopher Johnson

    1. illmatic
    2.Stillmatic
    3.It was Written
    4.Lost Tapes 1
    5.Godson

  • INsiGhtMikE78

    It was written better produced. 96 was one of those years if u was hot then its a closed case. Illmatic classic and an all time great but IWW is at tha top of my list along with that era of hip hop

  • http://twitter.com/MandyBaldwin82 Mandy Baldwin

    Illmatic – no question!  Illmatic totally captures that dope era of Hip-Hop through the rhymes, lyrics, samples, and beats of that time – yeah, it sounds “New Yorky”, but that’s what’s special about it IMO.  If this poll would’ve been between Illmatic and Stillmatic – tougher question considering Stillmatic is my favorite Nas album of all time.  Thanks for making it an easier question on my part - haha.

    • Puppetmaster6

       Know what your right!! It should be Illmatic or Stillmatic. Those 2 albums were instant classics.

  • Darthramathorn

    Lost Tapes 1 went hard too!!! Nas is the man!

  • Sourgang1

    I would have to say Illmatic brought me in but It Was Written showed more than 1 side than jus the growing up in Queensbridge Illmatic tales. Around the It Was Written time Nas was living, he was #1 in the game in my eyes!

  • stretch06

    The fact that this is debatable is disheartening.  I would lose a lot of respect for Lebron or anyone he is cool with if they had the audacity to actually think it was written was better than illmatic. Like

  • Puppetmaster6

    It Was Written was an awesome album but you have to give it to Illmatic. With Illmatic Nas was crowned the King of New York til Biggie to the throne. 

  • MsVeeSix

    This shouldn’t even be up for debate! The fact that It Was Written is in comparison with Illmatic is preposterous!! Yeah…if you can say New Yorky, I can say preposterous! LOL……Illmatic is a classic album that took rap music to another level with its “outdated sounds” and legendary lyrics….”I sip on Dom P watching Ghandi till I’m charged”! And as a Native New Yorky by way of Harlem NYC…..it’s NYC that put rap on the map so you can never escape the “New York State of Mind” when it comes to Nas.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1235232347 Thomas Anderson

    As a New Yorky New Yorker and avid Nas fan firmly believing that he’s in the top 5 lyricist of all time, I’ma have to go with Illmatic.  It Was Written, was definitely a classic, but matic was the original introduction.  The rawness of the lyrics changed the game all around. Other than Big and Pac, & Rakim, no other rapper completely changed and dismantled the game like Nas.  Illmatic forced every artist to either go back to the drawing board or throw in the towel altogether.  While It Was Written was a decent 2nd album it was confusing and almost rushed.

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