It Was Written (2xLP)

Following Illmatic with It Was Written in 1996 was one of the harder things Nas could have done. He widened the sound, brought in the Firm, and aimed at a larger audience without abandoning the street-level detail that made the debut matter. It debuted at number one and went platinum. The tension between those two facts is what makes it interesting.

VINYL LP — 2xLP, Black Vinyl — Get on Down, 2024 Reissue

Tracklist

LP 1 — Side A

1. I Gave You Power — prod. Q-Tip
2. Watch Dem Ni**as (feat. Mobb Deep) — prod. Dr. Dre
3. Take It in Blood — prod. DJ Premier
4. The Message — prod. Trackmasters
5. Street Dreams (feat. Mary J. Blige) — prod. Trackmasters

LP 1 — Side B

6. If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) (feat. Lauryn Hill) — prod. Trackmasters
7. The Set Up (feat. Havoc) — prod. Havoc
8. Black Girl Lost — prod. L.E.S.
9. Suspect (feat. Havoc)

LP 2 — Side C

10. Shootouts (feat. Dr. Dre) — prod. Dr. Dre
11. Affirmative Action (feat. AZ, Foxy Brown & Nature) — prod. DJ Premier
12. Chapter XIII (feat. AZ) — prod. L.E.S.
13. Nas Is Coming (feat. Dr. Dre) — prod. Dr. Dre

LP 2 — Side D

14. Quiet Ni**as — prod. Pete Rock
15. Sly Fox
16. Bridging the Gap (feat. Olu Dara) — prod. Salaam Remi
17. Favorite Sport (feat. Q-Tip)

Label: Get on Down | Original Release: 1996 | This Pressing: 2024 | Format: 2xLP, Black Vinyl | UPC: 194398825915