Nas Celebrates 'Illmatic' Anniversary with String of Live Shows in Vegas
Nas performing on the NY State of Mind Tour at Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, on September 23, 2023.
Photo Cred: April Visuals
By: Joshua Martin
Nas will continue the celebration of Illmatic’s 30th anniversary with a trio of orchestra-backed live performances in Las Vegas. Dubbed ‘Nas With the Las Vegas Philharmonic,’ the 3 day event will take place during Labor Day weekend at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas.
The Hip Hop legend gave a statement about performing in Las Vegas and how this experience will be one of the most unique performances of his career.
“Las Vegas has always served as a creative outlet for my music, and these performances will take that to the next level. I am excited to partner with the Las Vegas Philharmonic to bring this first-of-its-kind performance to Encore Theater and to showcase my music to my fans in Las Vegas in a whole new way.”
Nas’ debut album was released on April 19, 1994. Illmatic is widely regarded amongst hip-hop scholars and fans alike as one of the most significant bodies of work Hip Hop has ever produced. The impactfulness of this album led to its induction into the Library of Congress in 2021, one of only a handful of rap albums to earn that distinction. The rapper and businessman’s seminal album was credited with ushering in a new era of gritty New York street smart lyricism.
In April, the 50-year-old lyrical icon took to instagram to salute his collaborators on the album while also sharing a pair of vintage photos looking back at its creation.
“I had a dream I could get my favorite producers to produce on my debut album. I knew exactly what I wanted and how it should be. But I didn’t know anyone except for Paul, so I asked him would he connect me to them all. The cool soul brother that he is helped me line it up. On April 19th we smashed sh*t.”
Official album commemoration activities kicked last month as well. Nas has released a slew of new exclusive merchandise including crewnecks, hoodies, T-shirts, leather jackets and more. “The World Is Yours Rapper” also announced plans for a fifteen-date tour in Europe kicking off in Finland on October 22nd and ending in London on November 15th.
Tickets for ‘Nas With the Las Vegas Philharmonic’ will go on sale Friday (May 24) at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster. Prices start at $69.95, plus applicable fees.
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