30 Years Later: Is Nas'' 'It Was Written' Actually Better Than 'Illmatic?'

Thirty years ago, It Was Written changed the conversation around what a hip-hop classic could be.

Released on July 2, 1996, Nas faced one of the toughest challenges in music: following a masterpiece. Two years earlier, he had released Illmatic, an album widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever made. Rather than trying to recreate that sound, Nas expanded his vision.

It Was Written was cinematic. It introduced the world to the "Nas Escobar" persona, blending vivid street storytelling with mafioso imagery, polished production, and mainstream appeal without abandoning lyrical excellence. Led by production powerhouse Trackmasters and Executive Produced by Steve Stoute, the group enlisted heavyweights outside of themselves for the project including Dr. Dre, DJ Premier and L.E.S., the album delivered timeless records like "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill, "Street Dreams," "The Message," "I Gave You Power," and "The Message" and "Affirmative Action."

Commercially, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, sold more than two million copies in the United States, and proved that elite lyricism and commercial success could coexist. It also helped redefine East Coast rap during an era when hip-hop was becoming increasingly global and commercially dominant.

It Was Written all but crowned Nas the reigning King of New York title as he had a new Bed Stuy breed by the name of Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G. nipping away at his heels with his own superstar breakout. Not to mention another fellow Brooklynite named Jay-Z was also waiting in the wings with his eyes laser focused on the crown.

Aside from the brilliant display of lyrical exercise at the highest level delivered from Nasir, the QB MC introduced his supergroup, The Firm, featuring Foxy Brown, AZ, Cormega and then Nature, exclusively produced by Dr. Dre, paving the way for a new era of hip hop cliques. It Was Written also served as a launching pad for Rapper N.O.R.E.'s solo career. Everything around Nas turned into gold.

Its influence can still be heard today. The album's cinematic writing, layered storytelling, and organized-crime aesthetics became a blueprint for countless artists who followed. Songs like "I Gave You Power," told from the perspective of a gun, remain some of the most innovative storytelling in rap history, while "The Message" and "Affirmative Action" helped establish one of the most influential eras of New York hip-hop.

Three decades later, It Was Written has aged remarkably well. What was once criticized by some for being "commercial" is now celebrated as one of the defining albums of the 1990s and an essential chapter in Nas' legendary catalog.

But here's the debate that has never gone away:

Is It Was Written actually better than Illmatic?

Illmatic is the consensus masterpiece, raw, concise, and arguably the greatest debut album in hip-hop history. It Was Written, however, is more ambitious, more expansive and showcases a more mature artist willing to evolve instead of repeating himself.

Some fans will always choose the flawless minimalism of Illmatic. Others argue that It Was Written represents Nas at his creative peak, delivering bigger records, broader storytelling, and a vision that influenced generations of artists.

Thirty years later, the question remains just as compelling: Which album deserves the crown: Illmatic or It Was Written?