This documentary is about the life of New York rapper Nas around the time of the release of his first album, Illmatic.
It spans a quick and summarized 74 minutes and, while embellished by the direction of street artist One9, it remains a great snippet of recent American history. Nas’s album was a reflection of many realities that characterized his upbringing, while the movie serves to further explore those very realities.
"An essential celebration of the New York rapper's groundbreaking 1994 album."
— Alex King
"It aims small and never veers off-task. Whether or not you dig the album, the documentary offers a number of reasons to appreciate its ongoing legacy, with sufficient production values to hold the tribute together."
— Eric Kohn
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.