Bill Text: NY J02024 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Nas' Illmatic album

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 42-21)

Status: (Passed) 2024-03-26 - ADOPTED [J02024 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J02024-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 2024

BY: Senator BAILEY

        COMMEMORATING   the   30th   Anniversary  of  Nas'
        "Illmatic" album

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor  and  pay
just  tribute  to  those  musical geniuses whose commitment and creative
talents contribute to the entertainment and cultural enrichment of their
community, the State of New York, and the entire Nation; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Nas' "Illmatic" album; and

  WHEREAS, Nas' debut album "Illmatic"  is  the  crown  jewel  of  the
mid-90s  classics  that  still  define  the  genre;  unlike other albums
released in its wake,  "Illmatic"  was  the  game-changer  that  forever
transformed the landscape of East Coast hip-hop; and

  WHEREAS, Released on April 19, 1994, by Columbia Records, "Illmatic"
established Nas as the Best Rapper Alive for 1994, and raised the stakes
for hip-hop production, lyrical technique, content, and overall artistic
ambition; and

  WHEREAS,  Styled  as  a  hardcore hip-hop album, "Illmatic" features
multi-syllabic internal rhymes and inner-city narratives based  on  Nas'
experiences growing up in Queens, New York; and

  WHEREAS,  The  album  debuted  at  number 12 on the US Billboard 200
chart, selling 63,000 copies in its first week; and

  WHEREAS, Since its initial reception, "Illmatic" has been recognized
by writers and music critics as a landmark album in East Coast hip  hop;
its  influence  on subsequent hip hop artists has been attributed to the
album's production and Nas' lyricism, and contributed to the revival  of
the New York City rap scene, introducing a number of stylistic trends to
the region; and

  WHEREAS,  The  album  is  widely regarded as one of the greatest and
most influential hip hop albums of all time, appearing on numerous  best
album  lists  by  critics and publications; Billboard wrote in 2015 that
"Illmatic" is widely seen as the best hip-hop album ever; in  2020,  the
album  was  ranked  by Rolling Stone at number 44 on its list of The 500
Greatest Albums of All Time, and in the same year, it  was  selected  by
the  Library  of  Congress  for  preservation  in the National Recording
Registry  for  being   "culturally,   historically,   or   aesthetically
significant"; and

  WHEREAS,  Over  the  last 30 years, the taut ten-track meditation on
the universal struggle of a young man growing  up  in  the  Queensbridge
Houses   has  remained  resonant  and  relevant,  truly  revolutionizing
hip-hop; its precise  poetry  introduced  new  terms  and  phrases  that
infiltrated  hip-hop's  lexicon, making Nas' debut album one of the most
technically masterful rap albums of the half-century; and

  WHEREAS, A man of colossal talent, Nas is a brilliant artist and  an
inspiration to millions around the world; and

  WHEREAS,  The  arts are the building blocks of civilization, and are
central  to  human  expression;  they  enlighten  us  and  inspire   the
imagination; individuals which further such worthy purposes richly merit
the recognition and appreciation of this Legislative Body and the people
of the State of New York; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Nas' "Illmatic"  album;  and  be  it
further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Nas.