It Was Written / Nastradamus (2 for 1) (Explicit)

...Humor disguises the grim subject matter while Nas' eye for minutiae lends credibility and urgency to his hip-hop short stories." - Rating: A- Entertainment Weekly (7/26/96, p.56)

Ranked #41 in NME's 1996 critic's poll. NME (12/21-28/96, pp.66-67)

6 (out of 10) - "...Over a series of stark, almost austere backing tracks, Nas' neat, considered lyrics treat the violence that surrounds him with a mixture of remorse, resignation and ebullience....he paints lurid pictures... NME (6/29/96, p.51)

...Throughout the album, Nas stays deadpan as he touts his skills, dispenses advice and places himself within a brutally competitive underworld... New York Times (7/28/96, Sec.2, p.30)

4 Stars (out of 5) - "...Downbeat funk grooves churn in a foggy wash, heavy on electric pianos and smooth strings that ooze bittersweet menace....Angry, lean and full of drive, Nas is the only rapper capable of challenging the Wu-Tang Clan's dominance. Q (9/96, p.118)

...This joint features the essence of what rap is supposed to be jampacked with--strictly skillz that will pay the billz... Rap Pages

...It's the production, stupid. Choruses you remember; grainy, pop-savvy loops: When Nas manifests `sleep is the cousin of death,' a line also on ILLMATIC, the sentiment now sounds majestic--worthy of all his Don Corleone street fantasies... Spin (10/96, p.139)

4 Mics (out of 5) - "...Nas reveals himself not only as a rhymer, but also as a thinker....[He] explores the realm of ideas through stories, using example as a device to show rather than tell....IT WAS WRITTEN is an audio anthology of ghetto stories told by one of hip-hop's most prolific writers. If ever there was a straight up genius in hip-hop... The Source (8/96, p.95)