04/22/2024 - 6 Degrees of Illmatic (Special) - Episode 009

On today's special XL episode, we celebrated the 30 years of Illmatic, the classic debut album by Queensbridge rapper Nas, by connecting across all 9 tracks via the producers, samples, featured artists that shaped the album. I hope you enjoyed this journey across one of the most revered and influential albums in hip hop history- "[Illmatic is] the meticulously crafted essence of everything that makes hip-hop music great; it's practically a sonic strand of the genre's DNA."

Episode Links

• Youtube (Link Coming Soon)
• Soundcloud
• MP3 Download
• Spotify Playlist

Bonus Track

Donald Byrd- Think Twice - Original version of Think Twice that was sampled by Main Source and covered by J. Dilla!

This Week's notes and mentions

• The Blackbyrds- Rock Creek Park- a cross over smash hit by a band led by jazz great Donald Byrd
• Nas & DJ Premier's new track, Define my Name

Full Playlist:

1. Nas - One Time 4 Your Mind (Illmatic-1994)
2. A Tribe Called Quest (Feat. Large Professor) - Keep It Rollin' (Midnight Marauders-1993)
   Connection: Large Professor produced "One Time 4 Your Mind"
3. Deee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart (World Clique-1990)
   Connection: Q-Tip (from A Tribe Called Quest) was a featured artist on this song
4. George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic - Atomic Dog (Computer Games-1982)
   Connection: Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, and Bootsy Collins of Parliament Funkadelic played on Groove is in the Heart
5. Nas - Represent (Illmatic-1994)
   Connection: Samples a George Clinton song
6. Common - The 6th Sense (Like Water for Chocolate-2000)
   Connection: Also Produced by DJ Premier
7. D'Angelo - Devil's Pie (Voodoo-2000)
   Connection: Also Produced by DJ Premier
8. Nas - Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park) (Illmatic-1994)
   Connection: Also Produced by DJ Premier
9. Marley Marl (feat. Craig G) - Droppin' Science (In Control Volume 1-1988)
   Connection: Sampled in Memory Lane
10. Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half-Steppin (Long Live The Kane-1988)
    Connection: Also produced by Marley Marl
11. EDG - U.F.O. (The Moody EP-1981)
    Connection: Sampled in Ain't No Half Steppin'
12. Q-Tip - Let's Ride (Amplified-1999)
    Connection: Also sampled U.F.O.
13. Nas - One Love (feat. Q-Tip) (Illmatic-1994)
    Connection: Produced by Q-Tip
14. A Tribe Called Quest - Check the Rhime (The Low End Theory-1991)
    Connection: Q-Tip is a member of A Tribe Called Quest
15. Average White Band - Love Your Life (Soul Searching-1976)
    Connection: Sampled in Check the Rhime
16. Average White Band - School Boy Crush (Cut the Cake-1975)
    Connection: Another AWB track
17. Nas - Halftime (Illmatic-1994)
    Connection: Samples School Boy Crush
18. Main Source (feat. Nas) - Live at the Barbeque (Breaking Atoms-1991)
    Connection: Halftime was produced by Large Professor, a member of Main Source
19. Bob James - Nautilus (One-1974)
    Connection: Sampled in Live at the Barbeque
20. Bob James - Sign Of The Times (Sign of The Times-1981)
    Connection: Another Bob James Song
21. Warren G. & Nate Dogg - Regulate (Regulate... G Funk Era-1994)
    Connection: Samples Sign of The Times
22. Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgettin' (Every TIme You're Near) (If That's What It Takes-1982)
    Connection: Sampled in Regulate
23. Michael Jackson - Human Nature (Thriller-1982)
    Connection: Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro of Toto played on both "I Keep Forgettin" and "Human Nature" (which Porcaro also wrote!)
24. Nas - It Ain't Hard to Tell (Illmatic-1994)
    Connection: Samples Human Nature
25. Jeru the Damaja - Me or the Papes (Wrath of the Math-1996)
    Connection: Also produced by DJ Premier
26. Donald Byrd - Flight Time (Blackbyrd-1973)
    Connection: Think Twice was originally by Donald Byrd
27. Jay Dee - Think Twice (Welcome 2 Detroit-2001)
    Connection: Cover of Donald Byrd's song (which was sampled in Looking at the Front Door)
28. Ahmad Jamal Trio - I Love Music (The Awakening-1970)
    Connection: Sampled in Me or the Papes
29. Nas - NY State of Mind (Illmatic-1994)
    Connection: Samples Flight Time
30. Main Source - Looking at the Front Door (Breaking Atoms-1991)
    Connection: It Ain't Hart to Tell was produced by Large Professor, a member of Main Source
31. Nas - The World is Yours (Illmatic-1994)
    Connection: Samples I Love Music
32. AZ - Rather Unique (Doe or Die-1995)
    Connection: Also produced by Pete Rock
33. Nas (feat. AZ & Olu Dara) - Life's a Bitch (Illmatic-1994)
    Connection: Features AZ