Nas It Was Written

Following one of the most celebrated debut albums in hip-hop history was never going to be easy, but with 1996's It Was Written, Nas took a dramatically different path from Illmatic and created another enormously influential record — as well as the most commercially successful album of his career.

Where Illmatic captured the stark street-level reality of New York, It Was Written expanded Nas' world into something more cinematic. Drawing heavily on the emerging mafioso rap aesthetic, Nas constructs intricate narratives of organised crime, gang warfare, drug deals, ambition and survival while retaining the remarkable storytelling and lyrical detail that had established his reputation.

The album assembled an exceptional production team, including Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, L.E.S., Havoc of Mobb Deep and DJ Premier. Their polished but atmospheric production incorporates samples and influences from artists including Sam Cooke, Etta James, The Isley Brothers and Chuck Mangione, giving the record a richer and more expansive sound than its predecessor.

Among its defining moments is If I Ruled The World (Imagine That) featuring Lauryn Hill, which became one of Nas' signature songs and helped propel the album to a much wider audience. Street Dreams became another major single, while tracks such as The Message, I Gave You Power and Take It In Blood demonstrate Nas' extraordinary ability to move between vivid street reportage, character-driven storytelling and conceptual lyricism.

It Was Written also introduced The Firm, Nas' short-lived supergroup with AZ, Foxy Brown and Cormega, on Affirmative Action. The collaboration would lead to The Firm's own album the following year and remains one of the record's most celebrated posse cuts.

Initially viewed by some listeners as a surprising departure from the stripped-back sound of Illmatic, It Was Written has grown in stature to become recognised as a cornerstone of 1990s East Coast hip-hop and a hugely influential chapter in Nas' catalogue.

This edition presents the classic album as a 140g Vinyl 2LP repress housed in a gatefold sleeve.