There’s always pressure to deliver when you’re working with such a classic piece of art, across every spectrum. Writer Erik Parker and director One-9 were given the task to tell the story of Nas‘ timeless opus Illmatic through a documentary, after starting the project on their own. It would take 10 years to complete the body of work, building the foundation for who Nasir Jones was through family and neighborhood surroundings rather than how Illmatic was recorded. Time Is Illmatic is about the story behind what made Nas record such a classic.
The filmmakers started with the idea —to do it for VIBE Magazine— and it became larger than what they ever intended. They interviewed everyone and anyone that had to do with the project and even those who had nothing to do with it. They got commentary from Nas’ pop Olu Dara, they talked to Q-Tip, Large Professor reminisced how he got Rakim to check out Nas, and countless other stories of the time. His elementary teacher even recalled her memories of Nas as a child.
Not only that but they explored the dichotomy of his family growing up and how that shaped him as such an early age. The fact his mother always talked to him like an adult. What his father told him when he was a mere eight years old. How different his parents were than other children in the neighborhood, because they actually had food and furniture. Nas explained that he stayed out of trouble in the early days by reading books and he wonders what would have happened if he went to art school, as opposed to public school.
Getting Nas to cosign the film they started from such humble beginnings meant the world to Erik Parker and One-9. It was a dream to them. The fact that this artist they admired respected their work and helped them finish the decade old project for the 20th anniversary of the album and they got to premiere it at the Tribeca Film Festival was special.
For those who haven’t seen Time Is Illmatic, it’s a MUST WATCH for any person that claims they’re a hip-hop head. We run through some of the best parts from the film and even bring you the soundtrack.
Time Is Illmatic is playing in select theaters and available via iTunes & OnDemand now!