Why compare "Stillmatic" to "Illmatic"? They're different albums from different years, and each deserves to be experienced on its own terms. I listened to "Still" before I bought "Ill", so I was able to enjoy it fully without having to compare it to its illustrious predecessor. And I loved it...

Nas is an amazingly talented rapper. His lyrics are the meat and his beats are the bones of his music. It's fun (and pretty rare) to listen to a catchy rap that actually says something besides merely celebrating ho's, dope, and guns. Blazing tracks like "One Mic", "My Country", and "What Goes Around" testify to that. "Rewind" is one of the most cleverly structured raps I've ever heard (a musical "Memento"?), and Nas slings some dirt on Jay-Z, Prodigy, and others on "Ether" and "Destroy and Rebuild", which would be a tiring conceit if it didn't sound so damn good.

Get this album. Nas has made some missteps ("Nastradamus" anyone?), but he's stepped back on his throne with this one.

After a disappointing album loaded with watered down commercialized tracks, Nas has set out to prove he still has what it takes to be crowned the King of New York. And with Stillmatic, he proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The album kicks off with a hot intro, laced with a nice beat and solid flow. From there, we find ourselves listening to Nas verbally tear apart Jay-Z on the viscious "Ether," which features enough hot punches to make Ali cringe.
The album's first single, "Got Ur Self A...." is another banger that you cant help but nod your head to. Far from "Nastradamus," the title track and lead single off his last album, "Got Ur Self A..." maintains a feel that's radio-friendly yet still raw.
The hits never let up after that: bangers like "You're Da Man," the ridiculously original "Rewind," and "Destroy & Rebuild," (which throws lyrical darts at Prodigy, Cormega, and Nature), never lose an ounce of replay value.
"Rule" is reminiscent of "If I Ruled The World," another very nice track. And dont think for a second that Nas has sacrificed any street credibility on this album. Vivid tracks like "2nd Childhood," "My Country," and "Every Ghetto" among others will no doubt resurrect memories of the street poet we grew to love in 1994.
But the albums highlight is the beautifully-constructed "One Mic," which showcases a Nas we havent heard before. On each verse, he flawlessly flows gradually from a silky smooth tempo to a fierce, emotionally charged lyrical onslaught. An incredible track.
The album's only slight slip-up comes on the lackluster "Braveheart Party," which features a less than enthusiastic appearance by Mary J. Blige as well as a typical beat made for the clubs and watered-down lyrics. But this is literally the only mishap on the album, so it can be easily overlooked.
Overall, Stillmatic is the hands down Hip-Hop album of the year. Great production and masterful lyrics make this an album that not only reaffirms Nas's spot among hip-hop's elite, but also brings a breath of fresh air from some of the garbage thats been released in the genre lately. Every true HIP-HOP fan should own this album.

This album is a true masterpiece, mainly because Nas (aka the best rapper alive) exposes Jigga aka Jay Z aka Hova aka Mr. Wackness for being a fake bling-bling rapper who put out garbage albums from 1996-2003. The truth is that Nas ripped Jay so bad on this album that Jay Z had to retire!

Sorry, folks. But whoever compares ANY rap CD to Illmatic would be in for some major disappointment. I'm tired of hearing people say, "He'll never be as good as he was on Illmatic." Newsflash, people. Illmatic is a classic. Nas is no longer hungry. But he's one of the few remaining rappers who can still deliver quality albums (at least when he deems it necessary. Nastradamus was garbage).

I'm suprised at rap purists who don't like this CD. Aren't you all tired of hearing the same bling-bling crap over and over again? Are you aware of how rare it is for a mainstream rapper to try somthing experimental? Take one listen to "Rewind" or "One Mic" and tell me that Nas still doesn't have what it takes to be remembered as one of the best. Whoever doesn't think this is at the very least a DECENT album fall into one of the three following groups -

1. People who don't like rap
2. TRL lovers who think Ja Rule is the epitome of good hip-hop
3. Morons

So with all the praise I've given this album so far, why didn't I give it a five star rating? Two words: Braveheart Party. This is such a terrible song and it ruins the flow of the album as a whole. Of course, for all you TRL worshippers out there, this may strike you as the best song on the album.

Every other song is extremely listenable. Aside from "One Mic" and "Rewind," I'd recommend paying close attention to the lyrics in "Rule." This is a very positive song with a controversial topic and a great beat. Another good one is "Ether," which I'm sure you've heard before. I just love dis tracks. They're a lot of fun to listen to and I think Nas destroys Jay-Z on this one. But have no fear, people. ...It's all about who's the better emcee. Nas wins.

I've heard rumors that Nas plans to retire from the rap game after about three more albums. If he stays focused and keeps up with what he did on "Stillmatic," rap lovers will be BEGGING him to come back. Who knows? He may even out-do himself on his next effort. And if his future CD's become red hot sellers, maybe other so-called rappers will finally get the clue and realize that hip-hop isn't all about cars, women and money. Maybe Nas has the potential to change the face of rap music as we know it.

This is by far my favorite Nas album to date. Yeah, Illmatic is certified as a "classic" and I believe it is too. and It Was Written is definitly one of the best follow-up albums in all of hip-hop. But I think that Stillmatic outshines the 4 previous solo cuts by Nasty Nas.

This CD was mainly produced as a diss album in response to Jay-Z's Blueprint. As you may recall, Jay-Z (or in Nas's words, Gay-Z) dissed Mobb Deep and Nas in "Takeover". However, "Ether" is Nas's response, and it is a much better song and really left Jay-Z speechless. (You would know this if you heard "Superugly".)

Jay-Z isn't Nas's only target. Cormega is another main focus of one of the greatest lyricists/poets of all-time. In "Destroy & Rebuild", Nas talks about how he needs to get tha weak cats out of QB. He names Prodigy, Cormega & Nature in this song. Prodigy has no beef wit Nas, but Nature and Cormega have responded.

Stillmatic is a hot album altogether. The other tracks have nothing to do with disses, but that makes this album more diverse.

You probably have heard two of the better songs Got Ur Self A... & One Mic. One Mic is one of the best songs ever made, explaining how Nas needs one mic to survive. This can be appreciated by true hip-hop heads. You know Nas ain't in this for the money.

Rewind is a hot song with a new style. Nas literally "spits a story backwards, it starts at the ending." I have never heard a song like this one in my lifetime.

The Flyest is a classic Nas & AZ collabo. It's probably my favorite track on the album. Braveheart Party is a party/club song that I personally like, but many dont.

Here is my track rating (1-5):
1. Stillmatic (The Intro) - 3
2. Ether - 5++
3. Got Ur Self A... - 5++
4. Smokin' - 5
5. You're Da Man - 4
6. Rewind - 5++
7. One Mic - 5++
8. 2nd Childhood - 4.5
9. Destroy & Rebuild - 5
10. The Flyest - 5++
11. Rule - 5
12. My Country - 5+
13. What Goes Around - 4.5
14. Every Ghetto - 4.5