Maps of Music

It Was Written (1996)

Where the lyrics of It Was Written take you, and where it was really made.

This second album was built to sound more mainstream than the raw debut, and it became Nas's best-selling record.

Key places

Soundtrack Studios, New York City (1996)

Recording site Soundtrack Studios — Tracks 3, 6 and 15 of the album were recorded at Soundtrack Studios in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

D&D Studios, New York City (1996)

Recording site D&D Studios — Track 4 was recorded and mixed at D&D Studios in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Hit Factory, New York City (1996)

Recording site The Hit Factory — Tracks 8 and 9 were recorded and mixed at The Hit Factory in New York City, and several other tracks were mixed there. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sony Music Studios, New York City (1996)

Recording site Sony Music Studios — Track 10 was recorded partly at Sony Music Studios in New York City, with Soundtrack Studios also used for that track. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Chung King Studios, New York City (1996)

Recording site Chung King Studios — Tracks 11, 12 and 13 were recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Bearsville Studios (1996)

Recording site Bearsville Studios — Track 5 was recorded at Bearsville Studios, which the source lists under New York. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Westlake Studios, Los Angeles (1996)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — Track 14 was recorded partly at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, with the rest done at Hit Factory in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• It Was Written: second studio album by American rapper Nas
• Released July 2, 1996, by Columbia Records
• Produced largely by Trackmasters
• Moved away from the raw, underground tone of the debut toward mafioso and gangsta themes
• Nas's best-selling album to date
• Certified triple platinum by the RIAA on June 24, 2021

Background

• Followed Illmatic (1994), which won critical acclaim but did not sell as much as major hip hop releases of the time
• Illmatic's modest sales were partly blamed on Nas's shy personality and his limited promotion of the record
• Nas appeared on other artists' work, including Kool G Rap's "Fast Life" and Raekwon's "Verbal Intercourse" on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
• On these guest appearances he began calling himself Nas Escobar
• Steve "The Commissioner" Stoute was hired as manager and pushed Nas toward a commercial direction for the second album
• Trackmasters were enlisted for their mainstream success
• Other producers included DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Havoc of Mobb Deep, L.E.S., Live Squad, with MC Serch as executive producer

Recording

• Sessions were spread across studios in New York City, Los Angeles and Bearsville
• Dr. Dre's house in Los Angeles was used for recording and mixing one track
• Mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound in New York City

Cover

• Cover designed by the artist Aimée Macauley
• Danny Clinch took the photos for the packaging

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City; raised in the Queensbridge Houses, Queens.
• Son of jazz and blues musician Olu Dara; began as "Nasty Nas" in 1989 and recorded demos under Large Professor.
• Made his recording debut on Main Source's 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque"; signed with Columbia Records in 1992.

Career

• Debut album Illmatic (April 19, 1994) is regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums; selected for the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
• It Was Written (1996) debuted atop the Billboard 200; single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill brought mainstream success.
• Feud with Jay-Z (2001–2005) via the diss track "Ether"; Stillmatic and God's Son helped restore his critical standing.
• Released Hip Hop Is Dead (2006) and Distant Relatives (2010) with Damian Marley, whose royalties went to African charities.
• King's Disease (2020) won his first Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
• Released King's Disease II, Magic, King's Disease III, Magic 2 and Magic 3, all produced by Hit-Boy.
• Announced Light-Years with DJ Premier, a 2025 collaborative album.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Vibe's Kris Ex criticized the album's consistently aggressive attempts at pop music but wrote that Nas shines through
• Ex called the album adequate but concluded it isn't nearly as satisfying as the debut
• NME's Andy Crysell wrote that Nas's lyrics treat surrounding violence with remorse, resignation and ebullience
• Time's Christopher John Farley said the lyrics could be sharper while the energetic music drives the message home
• Q magazine called Nas's performance angry, lean and full of drive
• Los Angeles Times writer Cheo Hodari Coker called the album poetic
• Rolling Stone's Mark Coleman wrote negatively of Nas's themes and called the album trashy tough-guy talk
• The New York Times's Jon Pareles said it reads as late-stage gangsta rap starting to buckle under its own contradictions
• The Village Voice's Robert Christgau gave the album a neither rating

Reappraisal

• AllMusic's Leo Stanley later praised Nas's lyricism, ghetto-themed vignettes and detailed production
• Stylus Magazine's Brett Berliner called it one of the first hip-hop albums to straddle the critical and commercial divide
• Later reviewers still criticized the violent, fantastical mafioso stories for lacking the emotional authenticity of the debut
• Royce da 5'9" and Schoolboy Q said it is superior to Illmatic

Records

• Debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 270,000 copies in its first week
• Remained at number one on the Billboard 200 for four consecutive weeks and spent 34 weeks in the top 200
• RIAA double platinum on September 6, 1996, for 2 million US shipments
• RIAA triple platinum on June 24, 2021
• Billboard named it one of the 100 Greatest Rap Albums of All Time in 2024

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The opening Album Intro features the sound of a slave rebellion
• I Gave You Power is narrated from the perspective of a gun, with a jazz fusion sound and a DJ Premier production credit
• Tupac Shakur took offense at the opening line of The Message and insulted Nas on Against All Odds, which Nas later confirmed was aimed at The Notorious B.I.G.
• Lupe Fiasco has named It Was Written as his favorite album and says he based his debut Food & Liquor on its mood
• Matisyahu has cited the album's introduction as a major influence on him

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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