Pete Rock, screening: “Time Is Illmatic”

Pete Rock was born in the birthplace of hip hop—the Boogie Down Bronx, and raised in Money Earnin’ Mount Vernon. Music was a constant for the young man who would get his start supporting Marley Marl in the mix on WBLS at the age of 16. Inspired by the Godfather of Soul. Driven to put his own soul on record. Destined to nourish the souls of any and all within earshot. When a Pete Rock production comes on, it doesn’t matter if you’re Kanye West or an everyday fan in Amsterdam: you will be changed.


Twenty years after the release of Nas’s groundbreaking debut album ‘Illmatic,’ NAS: TIME IS ILLMATIC takes us into the heart of his creative process. Returning to his childhood home in Queensbridge, Nas shares stories of his upbringing, his influences — from the music of his jazz musician father Olu Dara to the burgeoning hip-hop scene in New York City — and the obstacles he faced before his major label signing at age 20. Featuring interviews with his ‘Illmatic’ producers (Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and DJ Premier) and musical peers (including Pharrell Williams and Alicia Keys), NAS: TIME IS ILLMATIC is a thrilling account of Nas’s evolution from a young street poet to a visionary MC.