Stillmatic’ is the rebirth of ‘Illmatic,’ my first debut album to come out in 1994. ‘Stillmatic’ is me coming full circle in my career and with everything, and just bringing pure hip-hop back.
I’ve been called everything. Gangsta rap. I’ve been called conscious rap. You know, everything. Whoever feels like calling it whatever they want to call it, that’s on them.
I see N.Y. hip-hop like I see N.Y. streets. N.Y. streets are grimy; it’s a grind. N.Y. rappers are hustlers – whatever sound is in, we can adapt to that; there’s nothing wrong with that.
There comes a time when things can work out and everybody can be happy. And that’s what it’s all about in the end – everybody being happy and working it out.
Hip-hop lasted and survived all these years that you have to give it credit. Even though it’s not up to people’s expectations anymore, its still here, and that’s says a lot.
