Entertainment

Film “Nas: Time is Illmatic,” More than Just Music

Published

11 years ago

September 30, 2014

Bay Area residents will have a brief opportunity this week to view the highly anticipated documentary, “Nas: Time is Illmatic,” which delves into the roots of rapper Nasir Jones’ 1994 debut album “Illmatic” that is widely considered one of the best hip hop albums of all time.

Thefilm will be showing at a special one-night-only nationwide screening on Thursday, Oct. 2 at the New Parkway Theater in Oakland.

As a reflection of his experiences in Queens, New York, the film underscores Nas’ childhood growing up in the Queensbridge Housing Projects, the musical influence of his father jazz musician Olu Dara, how he grew up in the hip-hop era and orchestrated the lyrically prophetic album 20 years ago.

The film was written by Erik Parker and directed by One9, both producers on the film with Anthony Saleh and big fans of the album. The idea to make “Nas: Time is Illmatic” started 10 years ago as Parker, then a music editor with Vibe Magazine, realized as he edited a feature on the tenth anniversary of the album that the story behind “Illmatic” could not be fully captured in just one feature article.

“The article came out, and it seemed like so much more to be told about it,” said Parker. “It related to us and our generation in no way that a prior album had. It let us know that somebody was able to express our thoughts in such a poetic and articulate way; it validated our experiences.”

The film features interviews with Olu Dara, Nas’ brother Jabari “Jungle” Jones, “Illmatic” producers Large Professor, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and other artists, including Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz and Busta Rhymes.

Parker and One9 started shooting interviews for the film before sending a trailer to Nas, to articulate the impact that “Illmatic” had on hip hop and urban culture. After continuing filming and sitting down with the rapper who was excited about the film, they received a grant from JustFilms with the Ford Foundation to help them complete the project.

The film, like “Illmatic,” is honest and explores the cultural and socioeconomic issues that played a part in the making of the album – such as the Queensbridge projects, the shooting of Nas’ friend, the crack epidemic and the prison system.

“Our approach was to look at the themes of the album,” said filmmaker One9, “the history of the housing projects, looking at a family torn apart and how did it affect the Jones’; how did it affect Nas. It looked at core issues and really wanted to address those issues in culture.”

In the film, Nas says, “I wanted to do ‘Illmatic’ to leave my voice, my opinions, my philosophies, my ideas in music form, in rap form as something that was proof that I was here.”

The documentary is not just for “Illmatic” fans but can be a “tool to educate and inspire anyone who watches it,” said One9.

When asked what today’s hip hop generation can take away from the film, Parker said, “Artists will take away raw passion; the ideal that someone could be honest and make art that will live beyond their own generation. What happens with great art is it expands over time.”

“We feel like it’s not just a film of music, but it connects to who we are as a culture and how we can move forward. Things that can bond us as opposed to tearing us apart,” said One9.

The New Parkway Theatre is located at 474 24^th St. in Oakland. Visit http://bit.ly/1BH6rtz for a list of screenings in your area. The film will also be available on iTunes and OnDemand Oct. 3.

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OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

5 days ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.