Thirty years after It Was Written changed the trajectory of Nas’ career, the debate over whether it surpassed Illmatic is still raging. Here’s why the album remains one of Hip-Hop’s defining masterpieces.
On July 2, 1996, Nas completely silenced any talk of a sophomore slump with the release of his second album, It Was Written. Not only did it serve as a worthy follow-up to the groundbreaking Illmatic, it carved out its own legacy—one that has stood the test of time for three decades. Personally, I’d rank It Was Written among the top three albums in Nas’ catalog.
With It Was Written, Nas took a more cinematic and ambitious approach, blending braggadocious rhymes, mafioso storytelling, vivid imagery and layered concepts into a cohesive body of work. While his persona evolved, his intricate lyricism never wavered. In fact, there’s a strong argument that his writing surpassed even Illmatic in terms of technical skill and storytelling. What most distinguishes It Was Written from its predecessor, however, is its more polished and expansive production.
Executive producer Steve Stoute, alongside Trackmasters—who produced seven songs—helped shape an album that balanced gritty East Coast street records with more accessible, radio-ready singles. The production lineup also included Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Havoc, L.E.S., Live Squad and Trackmasters, giving the project a diverse sonic palette that expanded Nas’ audience without abandoning his core identity.
I remember that, in 1996, some fans were divided over the album’s commercial direction. The success of singles like “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” and “Street Dreams” led some critics to question whether Nas was moving too far from the raw aesthetic of Illmatic. But one thing was never up for debate: his lyricism. From beginning to end, Nas delivered some of the sharpest writing of his career.
Ironically, those more accessible records helped make It Was Written the biggest commercial success of Nas’ career. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified triple platinum by the RIAA. If Illmaticmade Nas a Hip-Hop legend, It Was Written made him a superstar.
Thirty years later, It Was Written remains one of those rare albums that continues to spark passionate debate. From barber shops and message boards to podcasts and social media, Hip-Hop fans still argue over which Nas masterpiece deserves the crown: Illmatic or It Was Written.
For me, while I believe Nas was lyrically sharper and had evolved into a more complete MC on It Was Written, I still give a slight edge to Illmatic. The unmatched chemistry between Nas’ poetic lyricism and the timeless production from DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S. and Large Professor remains nearly impossible to top. Still, the fact that this debate continues 30 years later says everything about the enduring brilliance of It Was Written.
Looking back, It Was Written ranks among my five favorite Hip-Hop albums of 1996, alongside Redman’s Muddy Waters, Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, De La Soul’s Stakes Is High and The Roots’ Illadelph Halflife. More importantly, it cemented Nas as one of Hip-Hop’s greatest lyricists and proved beyond any doubt that Illmatic was no fluke.
Three decades later, It Was Written remains a landmark achievement—an album that balanced lyrical excellence, conceptual ambition and commercial appeal without sacrificing authenticity. Few sophomore albums have aged this gracefully, and even fewer continue to inspire the admiration, discussion and debate that surround this one.
That’s the mark of a true classic.
Happy 30th Anniversary to It Was Written.
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