Nas has celebrated 25 years of his classic album ‘It Was Written’ by sharing a deluxe edition of the album featuring unreleased material.
The two rare tracks, ‘Silent Murder’ and ‘Street Dreams (Bonus Verse)’, have previously been unavailable on streaming services.
As part of the celebrations, the label Get On Down are set to release limited edition physical versions of the album, including a 2LP coloured vinyl edition and 7″ of ‘The Message’ and ‘Sweet Dreams’.
The physical versions are expected to ship in September, and can be pre-ordered here.
Elsewhere, the official music videos for ‘If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)’ and ‘Street Dreams’ have been upgraded to HD to celebrate the anniversary.
Watch them and listen to the 25th anniversary edition of ‘It Was Written’ in full below.
Earlier this year, Nas was among a number of rappers to break ground on a site that will soon home the newly-funded Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM).
The UHHM has been dubbed the first-ever museum solely dedicated to rap music, chronicling the rise of the genre across the globe and highlighting its continuing DIY roots.
Elsewhere, Jay-Z has paid homage to Nas with a new playlist he has curated of the ‘Illmatic’ rapper’s songs on Tidal. Back in April, the pair teamed up on DJ Khaled’s new single ‘Sorry Not Sorry’, marking their first collaboration since 2008.
Nas also appears on DMX‘s recent posthumous album ‘Exodus’ alongside U2‘s Bono, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and many more.
“My brother X was one of the most pure and rare souls I’ve ever met,” producer Swizz Beatz said in a press release. “He lived his life dedicated to his family and music. Most of all, he was generous with his giving and loved his fans beyond measure.”
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