Posts Tagged ‘The Architects of Illmatic’
Presenting Danny Clinch, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
May 15, 2019
When even the photographer knows it’s a classic… it’s a classic, son. Danny Clinch, visual storyteller, speaks on another storyteller, Nas, and his seminal work “Illmatic.”
The day of Nas’ “Illmatic” shoot, photographer Danny Clinch was given a simple run of show by the teenage emcee. “Let’s just walk around my neighborhood. My friends are gonna be there. We’re gonna sit in the park, drink gin and juice and smoke blunts. And you’ll photograph it.” The resulting images are nearly as iconic as the music itself. As #IllmaticXXV approaches, Clinch himself recalls the moment.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Series, Videos | 
Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Danny Clinch, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | 
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Presenting Miss Info, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
May 1, 2019
The 5 mics was right… There’s no person that this can’t touch.
YES! Speak on it, Shortie.
“It did not feel like something that was created in a boardroom. It felt like it was happening… like a storm.” The legendary Miss Info remembers penning her storied “5 mic” Illmatic review for ‘The Source’ under her “Shortie” moniker before the album was out in ’94. That moment changed two industries forever: Hip-Hop and Hip-Hop journalism.
– Mass Appeal
You did not think she was just a blogger, did you? Naaaah, son. Miss Info was Miss ‘It Thang’ in several circles back in the day. And she called it on “Illmatic,” declaring the LP worthy of a rare rating of 5 (out of 5) mics in THE Hip-Hop magazine of the era. Shortie aka Miss Info had the ear, demonstrating that early on, and earned the juice going forward. With such stripes in the game, you need to listen to her speak on this. Kind of ‘made’ a career for herself and Nassir.
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Mass Appeal, Miss Info, Shortie, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting L.E.S., One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 30, 2019
Yeah, Nassir doing a live performance of singles from the Hip-Hop classic LP he birthed goes way beyond ‘Mass Appeal’… but the channel has it covered. Especially with post-event commentary from one the “Illmatic” LP’s architects, L.E.S.
“Man, when I heard he was performing it… I was actually like, ‘What is going on?’†L.E.S. remembers the night Nas immortalized ‘Illmatic’ in the annals of live music when he played the album at The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra as his backing band.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, L.E.S., LES, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Jungle, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 25, 2019
He was like Frank Sinatra… a modern-day Frank Sinatra… I was in awe the whole time.
Up next, we hear from another of The Architects of Illmatic – Jungle. We’ve heard Nas actually shout his brother Jungle out on a record or two. Very interesting to hear what he has to say regarding the 25th birthday of the classic “Illmatic” LP.
Nas lost a backpack full of Illmatic rhymes in the midst of the recording process on the way to DJ Premier’s studio. His biological brother and collaborator, Jungle, remembers the bizarre sequence of events that followed—and much more…
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
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Presenting Faith Newman, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 24, 2019
We certainly felt that this was a classic in the making…
Wow. An actual A&R. You see kids ‘A&R’ stands for ‘Artist & Repertoire’… a term from a bygone era of the music business when there were folks (called A&R) whose jobs were to find talent, make them commercially viable (e.g. transform raw talent into something that makes cash registers ring), and act as liaison between the label and the artist all the while. Make no mistake, A&Rs work for the music label. So, while Faith was likely enamored with Nas’ talent from the jump, she had to see DOLLAR SIGNS when she thought of his potential back in the day. She had to BELIEVE in Nas as someone who the Hip-Hop world would willing to spend money – for labels to develop as an artist and marketable ‘product’ AND for fans to buy music and tickets.
How much did she believe in Nas, even BEFORE “Illmatic” was made? Well, she went to Queensbridge to get him back in the day. And… um… you can bet she ‘stood out’ when she did. Moreover, she put herself out there and took on high risk based on her belief in the future G.O.D.M.C.
And here she is, 25 years later, talking about how glad she was that she did.
Faith Newman signed Nas to Columbia Records in the fall of 1991, but even she couldn’t predict the heights he’d be taken to after the release of “Illmatic.” Heights that “probably none of us could imagine.”
– Mass Appeal
Indeed. But the streets knew, especially the bootleggers. Turns out Faith has spoken on that before… at length (see link here).
EARLIER POST: THE MASSIVE BOOTLEGGING OF NAS’ CLASSIC “ILLMATIC” ALBUM
Posted in Business, Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Faith Newman, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Pete Rock, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 23, 2019
We all prayed that this would do well for him… We didn’t know… until it just hit people.
Pete Rock HAD to be part of “Illmatic” (because Hip-Hop history could NOT have unfolded any other way)! And fascinating to learn that Nas had to PUSH Pete to get vocals out of him for the project. Whose world is this? OURS! A Wonderfule Wide World Of Hip-Hop.
…paying homage to “The Architects of Illmatic” with exclusive interviews featuring photographers, producers, writers and members of Nas’ inner circle, including Pete Rock, the subject of today’s clip and the producer of one of the LP’s “signature” songs, “The World Is Yours.” The legendary producer remembers back to when he first heard the lyrics of the classic record. “Your heart just… you just feel it for him. This guy is ahead of his time.” Welcome to #IllmaticXXV Week.
– Mass Appeal
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Mass Appeal, Pete Rock, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting Large Professor, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic†(Video)
April 19, 2019
Yes, Large Professor is right: “Illmatic†has stood the test of time AND Nas is that god on the mic. Nas is nice!
“We’re rocking off the same energy, and it stood the test of time.”
Large Professor reflects on God’s Son’s transformation from rugged youth to internationally renowned writer… and how the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, Large Professor, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
Presenting DJ Premier, One Of The Architects of “Illmatic” (Video)
April 18, 2019
Wow. “Illmatic” turns 25 years old on April 19th. When I realized that, at first, I was like, “Damn. I’m old.” But that seminal Nas project is a classic. Therefore, I’m not old… I’m a classic! Now I can enjoy watching Preemo speak on Nas’ classic LP as one of its architects.
(Don’t come for me. That’s just how it’s gonna be. End of beef. The tips are cooked!)
“Not the one that’s on the album. The one on the album is a remix.” During the making of Illmatic, DJ Premier made one version of “Represent,” then he heard what L.E.S. and Q-Tip did on “Life’s a B*tch” and “One Love” respectively. It sent him right back into the lab.
– Mass Appeal
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, History, Interview, Producers, Series, Videos | Tags: Architects of Illmatic, DJ Premier, Mass Appeal, The Architects of Illmatic | No Comments »
