I decided to get this version of Nas' illustrious Illmatic since it was prized same as the initial version and had (in addition to the original version as the first disc) a bonus disc with remixes of some classics; Life's a Bitch, The World Is Yours, One Love and It Ain't Hard to Tell. It also contained two new previously unreleased tracks, On the Real and Star Wars, to what I honestly didn't have high expectations. Well, the result is what you would think, the extra disc doesn't come even close to the classic songs of the first. That said, the two first remixes are in my opinion well done and that's all I recommend from the extra songs. The two new songs aren't bad, but just don't suit to the 1994 songs since they're done a decade later with a different attitude and unconcerned lyrics. The real Queensbridge atmosphere that made the ten originals so haunting, is to my mind impossible to discern. But if you're one of the numerous fans of the record, you should at least give a listen to the remixes of Life's a Bitch and The World Is Yours. They're very different from the original but definitely haven't ruined them. They may be more suitable for parties in a way, adding a modern flavor to the old school beats as well as changing slightly the choruses. Fortunately Nasty Nas' verses haven't been blemished as they prove the man never lost his immense talent in the decade following his debut. However, the original version is the 'classic' one, so the second disc does in fact lower my rating by a half-star.
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