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Nas: Time Is Illmatic

Nas: Time Is Illmatic

Documentary · Music · 2014

Time Is Illmatic is a feature length documentary film that delves deep into the making of Nas' 1994 debut album, Illmatic, and the social conditions that influenced its creation.

Movie details

Nas: Time Is Illmatic

“The journey. The music. The legacy.”

2014 Documentary · Music 1h 14m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

Time Is Illmatic is a feature length documentary film that delves deep into the making of Nas' 1994 debut album, Illmatic, and the social conditions that influenced its creation.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Nas: Time Is Illmatic?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

One9

Written by

Erik Parker

Nas

Nas

Self

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys

Self

Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes

Self

Q-Tip

Q-Tip

Self

P

Pete Rock

Self

Fab 5 Freddy

Fab 5 Freddy

Self

M

MC Serch

Self

Court is in session

Put Nas: Time Is Illmatic on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.