Review of Nas: Time Is Illmatic (2014) by Facebook U — 06 Oct 2014
Last night, I had the incredible pleasure of screening "Time is Illmatic" as part of Nas' 20th Anniversary Tour. This is not your average music documentary, people. It's not just for album fan boys or hip hop genre lovers--this piece really brings it.
"Time is Illmatic" weaves gorgeous on-location cinematography with intimate commentary from Nas, his family, friends, and all-star contemporaries. The narrative is as deep as it is wide--touching on everything from the strength of family bonds to cross-neighborhood beef and from the epidemic of gun violence to the mass incarceration of black men.
The music documentary genre has been waiting for a film like this for a long time. Behind all the greatest hip hop albums, there lies countless stories to be shared, the inspiration, the craft, the climb and fall of success--but I venture to say that none before has captured the collective voice of a genre more than this very film.
..and it's so important that they did.
This review of Nas: Time Is Illmatic (2014) was written by Facebook U on 06 Oct 2014.
Nas: Time Is Illmatic has generally received positive reviews.
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