Nas: Time Is Illmatic, The Story of a Hip Hop Visionary MC

Photo of One9, Jane Rosenthal, Nas and Erik Parker on red carpet at Tribecca Film Festival.

One 9, Jane Rosenthal, Nas and Erik Parker on the red carpet at the Tribecca Film Festival.
Photo courtesy of Liquid Soul

Twenty years ago hip-hop artist Nas released his groundbreaking debut album Illmatic. Fast-forward to 2014, Nas: Time Is Illmatic, the documentary premieres in theaters in limited release October 1-10, 2014. It will be on demand October 3 on iTunes. It is also available for download on iTunes

The film stars Nas, his father Olu Dara, Alicia Keys, Busta Rhymes, Swizz Beatz, Q-Tip, Pharrell Williams. It features interviews with Nas’ Illmatic album producers Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and DJ Premier.

Nas: Time is Illmatic chronicles Nas’ life from his Queensbrige, NY upbringing, through the New York City hip hop scene of the 80s and 90s, to Nas, the a hip hop visionary MC we see today. It captures Nas’ creative process of the Illmatic album and how he navigated the New York hip-hop scene before he landed his first record deal. Nas’ 20th anniversary concert tour is making stops across the nation to coincide with the release of the film.

The film’s director/producer Erik Parker and writer/producer One 9 share how the documentary started as a fascination with the Illmatic album and evolved into a 74-minute walk down hip hop memory lane. Take a listen to the interview and hear more.

Lin. Woods

Lin. Woods is a veteran faith based entertainment writer, editor, voice over talent and children's book author. As a writer and editor, she's written for Urban Network, urbannetwork.com, ABC Radio Networks. SHe is the author. of two children's books, Kenny Can: Don't Judge Me and See Me Not My Color: Another Kenny Can Life Lesson Story. Her work history includes positions at Warner Bros. Records, Ice Capades and Lorimar Telepictures/Warner Brothers Television. Woods is also a former radio personality and current voice over artist who has worked at iHeart Radio St. Louis and as a syndicated radio host and producer for Lee Bailey Communications' international syndicated Inside Gospel Entertainment News radio show. Woods is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Fisk University-Nashville, TN. She earned a Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University.