| It Was Written | |
|---|---|
 Studio album by Nas | |
|
Released |
2 July 1996 |
|
Recorded |
July 1995 - March 1996 |
|
Studio |
Soundtrack Studios (NYC), D&D Studios (NYC), Bearsville Studios (NY), Dr. Dre's House (LA), Hit Factory Studios (NYC), Sony Music Studios (NYC), Chung King Studios (NYC) and Westlake Studios (LA) |
|
Genre |
|
|
Length |
58:29 |
|
Label |
Columbia |
|
Producer(s) |
Dave Atkinson, DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Havoc, L.E.S., Live Squad, Lo Ground, MC Serch (exec.), Rashad Smith, Top General Sounds, Trackmasters |
| Nas chronology | |
|---|---|
|
Previous |
Illmatic (1994) |
|
Next |
I Am... (1999) |
It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, released in 1996 on Columbia Records. Following the moderate commercial success of his acclaimed 1994 debut album Illmatic, Nas chose to focus his efforts in a more mainstream direction. Predominantly produced by Trackmasters, it is a departure from the raw, underground tone of his debut album towards a more polished, mainstream sound. The album features mafioso and gangsta themes, and marks the first appearance of Nas' short-lived supergroup The Firm, which included rappers Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega.
The album proved to be Nas' most commercially successful release, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It also heralded Nas' mainstream popularity, and followed the success of other mafioso rap albums such as Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995 and Reasonable Doubt in 1996. However, his stylistic changes and increased mainstream success created accusations of selling out within the hip hop community. It has been viewed by music writers as one of Nas' best works and remains Nas' best-selling release, with over two million copies sold in the United States alone.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Album Intro" | - | Jones | Nas, Trackmasters | 2:25 |
| 2. | "The Message" | Nas | Barnes, Jones | Trackmasters | 3:54 |
| 3. | "Street Dreams" | Nas | Barnes, Jones, Lennox, Stewart | Trackmasters | 4:40 |
| 4. | "I Gave You Power" | Nas | Jones, Martin | DJ Premier | 3:53 |
| 5. | "Watch Dem N*@!#s" | Nas, Foxy Brown | Barnes, Jones | Trackmasters | 4:05 |
| 6. | "Take It in Blood" | Nas | Childs, Epps, Horne, Jones, Pruitt, Walker | Live Squad, Top General Sounds, Lo Ground | 4:48 |
| 7. | "Nas Is Coming" | Nas | Jones, Young | Dr. Dre | 5:41 |
| 8. | "Affirmative Action" | Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, Cormega | Barnes, Cruz, Jones, Marchand, McKay, Olivier | Dave Atkinson, Trackmasters | 4:20 |
| 9. | "The Set Up" | Nas, Havoc | Jones, Muchita | Havoc | 4:02 |
| 10. | "Black Girl Lost" | Nas | Jones, Lewis. Lucas, Mtume | L.E.S., Trackmasters (add.) | 4:23 |
| 11. | "Suspect" | Nas | Jones, Lewis | L.E.S. | 4:12 |
| 12. | "Shootouts" | Nas | Barnes, Jones, Olivier | Trackmasters | 3:46 |
| 13. | "Live N*%@# Rap" | Nas, Prodigy, Havoc | Jones, Muchita | Havoc | 3:45 |
| 14. | "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" | Nas , Lauryn Hill | Barnes, Jones, Olivier, Walker | Trackmasters, Rashad Smith (add.) | 4:42 |
Notes
- Track 2 features scratches performed by Kid Capri
- Track 3 features keyboards performed by Delight
- Track 5 features keyboards performed by Delight
- Track 8 features keyboards performed by Dave Atkinson
- Track 10 features background vocals performed by JoJo Hailey
- Track 14 features keyboards performed by Delight
Samples
Album Intro
- "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
- "The Sly, The Slick and The Wicked" by The Lost Generation
The Message
- "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers
- "Shape of My Heart" by Sting
Street Dreams
- "Never Gonna Stop" by Linda Clifford
- "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics
I Gave You Power
- "Forecast" by Eric Gale
- "Repent Walpurgis" by Procol Harum
- "Theme Bahamas" by Ahmad Jamal
Watch Dem N!*%#@
- "The Sponge" by Bob James and Earl Klugh
Take It in Blood
- "Mixed Up Moods and Attitudes" by The Fantastic Four
- "Ease Back" by Ultramagnetic MC's
Nas Is Coming
- "Synopsis Two: Mother's Day" by 24-Carat Black
Affirmative Action
- "Poetas Andaluces" by Aguaviva
Black Girl Lost
- "Starlight" by Stephanie Mills
Suspect
- "El Gato Triste" by Chuck Mangione
- "Kitty With the Bent Frame" by Quincy Jones
Shootouts
- "Theme from the Avengers" by Laurie Johnson
- "I Wish You Were Here" by Al Green
If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)
- "Friends" by Whodini
- "If I Ruled the World" by Kurtis Blow
- "Walk Right Up to the Sun" by The Delfonics