We look back on Nas' legendary debut. By Rob Markman and Adam Fleischer Nas Photo: Getty Images It's stunning to think that Nas' debut album, Illmatic, was released 20 years ago. Not only is Nasty himself still a relevant and revered MC, but the body of work is universally viewed as a classic, still influencing rappers and fans to this day. It's understandable, then, that it's been a week of celebration for both Nas and the album.