Seeing as how 2014 stands as the 20th anniversary of the release of the now classic Illmatic, rapper Nas is giving his 1994 masterwork the big anniversary remastered expanded edition, with a host of remixes and live tracks, along with the remastered original album.
The new version of the disc will be called Illmatic XX, and you can stream a new song “It Ain’t Hard to Tell (Stink Mix)” here.
Further, a documentary about how Illmatic came to be, Time is Illmatic, is set to be released this year at a later date. And Nas will also be launching a tour in which Illmatic is played in its entirety live. Check out the few announced dates (and the remastered Illmatic tracklist) below, via The AV Club.
Disc 1: Remastered original album
1. The Genesis
2. N.Y. State Of Mind
3. Life’s A Bitch
4. The World Is Yours
5. Halftime
6. Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)
7. One Love
8. One Time 4 Your Mind
9. Represent
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell
Disc 2: Demos, Remixes & Live Radio
1. I’m A Villain (previously unreleased)
2. The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993 (previously unreleased freestyle)
3. Halftime (Butcher Remix)
4. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Remix)(promo single)
5. One Love (LG Main Mix)
6. Life’s A Bitch (Arsenal Mix)(promo single)
7. One Love (One L Main Mix)
8. The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)
9. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix)(UK single)
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Laidback Remix)(UK single)
Illmatic XX tour 2014
March 29—John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts—Washington, D.C.
April 12—Coachella—Indio, California
April 19—Coachella—Indio, California
What do you think of the Nas news?