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"N.Y. State of Mind", commonly referred to as "New York State of Mind", is the second track and first song track from Nas' debut album Illmatic. It is produced by DJ Premier who samples two jazz songs for the track's beat: "Mind Rain" by Joe Chambers and "Flight Time" by Donald Byrd.[1][2] Premier additionally scratches vocals from Eric B. & Rakim's "Mahogany" for the song's chorus.[3] Nas raps two verses on the song in which he brags about his rapping talent and describes the dangerous environment he lives in, the first verse with 40 lines, and the second with 36. A sequel to "N.Y. State of Mind" can be found on Nas' 1999 album I Am.... An early version of the song can be found on Nas' demo tape under the name "I'm a Villain."
[edit] Acclaim
"N.Y. State of Mind" is highly regarded amongst Nas' songs, ranking #74 on The 100 Greatest Rap Songs. Marc L. Hill of PopMatters describes it as a standout track on Illmatic claiming that it "provides as clear a depiction of ghetto life as a Gordon Park photograph or a Langston Hughes poem."[4] It is featured on Nas' 2007 greatest hits album and the 1999 compilation Best of D&D Studios, Vol. 1. Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews.com states:
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"[Illmatic] was to be an album steeped in the rich traditions of hip-hop history, mixed with the most advanced verbal styles and fat beats that could be put on wax. And if it couldn't be set off any more right already, the DJ Premier produced "N.Y. State of Mind" was designed to knock you right off your feet. Primo's knack for finding the illest piano loops and matching them to pounding beats was perfected in this track, and paired with a Rakim sample on the chorus that.[5] |
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