Live Review: Nas, Dusk

Celebrating 20 years since the release of what is often regarded as the most important rap album in the history of the genre, Nas has brought his sold-out global Illmatic tour to Australian shores. Audiences that managed to snatch up a ticket are blessed with a complete live rendition of his 1994 classic debut by that title from start to finish, in addition to a tidy selection of some of his more recent works. Illmatic’s unparalleled influence in hip hop music can be attributed to its inventive sampling and slick jazzy production as well its intelligent lyricism and Nas’ peerless delivery. The narrative predominately centres around Nas’ inner-city experiences in Queensbridge,  New York City, focusing on previously unexplored themes in relation to its grave lifestyles, including gang rivalries, desolation and urban poverty. Music critic Marc Lamont Hill of PopMatters commented that “Nas’ complex rhyme patterns, clever word play, and impressive vocab took the art of rapping to previously unprecedented heights.”

Accompanied tonight by Queensland electronic producer DJ Butcher, NSW-born and Los Angeles-based female rapper Dusk provided a brief and energetic support slot for the night, which included some impressive new material from her upcoming Key Of The Sun EP. Opening track, The Genesis, trickled out through the venue’s intimidating speaker set-up, garnering a wail of applause and cheers from the eager crowd.  A giant visual of a countdown that tumbled from 2014 back down to 1994, interwoven with pictures of Nas’ increasingly more babyish face was played out, eventually greeting us with the first real beat-driven track of the album, the illustrious N.Y. State Of Mind. The performance included mid-track vinyl signings and passionate anecdotes, including an account of the glory days of the cassette, paying homage to some of the pioneers of the genre including De La Soul, Public Enemy and Slick Rick. “Ladies and gentleman, that concludes my first fucking record ever,” Nas exclaimed with a cool air of pride at the close of an extended live interpretation of It Ain’t Hard To Tell. The crowd’s unbridled enthusiasm remained steadfast even as Nasty Nas delved into his less critically acclaimed material. Few artists will come close to the impact Nas had on the direction of an entire music scene, but it sure is exciting when it happens.