So today, Nas‘s #IllmaticXX is released to the masses; 2o years since the release of his magnum opus. The album that brought you a breath of fresh air that spelled out alphabetically the dark tales of streetlife that went down in Queensbridge. Nas has always been an amazing storyteller, and continues to shape anything that comes to mind into a chilling, yet real-life story. His words are THAT powerful.

But what if we took a trip to the past to see how it all came to be? I’m sure that some of you guys have heard the tale of the tape. Even further, I’m sure that some of you have heard the actual tape! In the world of the internet you can find anything you like; sometimes you have to look through a bunch of haystacks just to find the needle. Welp, maybe we have found that needle for you to use.

So to celebrate the release of Illmatic XX, stream the demo tape above. If you’re digging it, grab it here.