Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Time Is Illmatic

Play trailer Poster for Time Is Illmatic 2014 1h 13m Documentary Biography History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
98% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Rapper Nas recalls his youth in his city's housing projects, his parents' influence and the recording of his 1994 debut album, "Illmatic."

Where to Watch

Time Is Illmatic

Time Is Illmatic

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Comprehensive yet brisk, Nas: Time Is Illmatic offers an absorbing look at a hip-hop classic and the life of the artist who made it.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Charles Bramesco Movie Mezzanine 07/15/2020
C+
Time Is Illmatic is well-informed but inessential, a making-of featurette barely expanded to feature length at a trim 74 minutes. Go to Full Review
Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/01/2017
A-
Just as "Illmatic" brought people from all across the globe a little closer to Queensbridge, Nas: Time is Illmatic draws audiences closer to hip-hop. Go to Full Review
Alex King Little White Lies 10/30/2014
4/5
An essential celebration of the New York rapper's groundbreaking 1994 album. Go to Full Review
Angus Batey NME (New Musical Express) 05/18/2021
4/5
Parker and One9 deserve huge credit for treating their subject with suitable, but unusual, respect and reverence. Go to Full Review
Toni Tileva Brightest Young Things 07/15/2020
Time Is Illmatic lovingly and honestly chronicles the making of an album that would influence many generations after its release. Go to Full Review
Tom Watson CineVue 04/03/2019
4/5
One9 opts for celebration over cultural discourse. It proves a minor shortcoming when you allow yourself to revel in the raw energy of Time Is Illmatic's predictably perfect soundtrack. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
06/07/2021 As an outsider it did nothing for me See more 09/18/2020 As a huge fan of Nas and his music, I thought the film was great. Nas had a unique upbringing, that helps mold his rapping style and sound. Through this film you get to see how he rose from a kid free-styling on the sidewalk, to the throne of rap. See more 05/17/2020 A good movie to watch https://kinoferma.top/podborka-filmov/14467-25-samyh-luchshih-eroticheskih-filmov-kinoferma.html See more 05/09/2020 Overrated like the moron who attempted to "rap" back in the nineties. Waste of time. See more 03/25/2020 I LOVE IT because ITS convenient See more 08/26/2019 No lie, it may be the concentrate but I felt the chills go from my head to my toes. These songs took me back 26 years, solid documentary on the story behind the [V]AGIC and the 90's hip hop scene. The energy these guys brought during that era has never faded with ⏰! See more Read all reviews
Time Is Illmatic

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
How to Smell a Rose: A Visit With Ricky Leacock in Normandy 100% 50% How to Smell a Rose: A Visit With Ricky Leacock in Normandy Watchlist Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police 39% 64% Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police Watchlist Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary 50% 89% Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary Watchlist The Stuart Hall Project 100% 83% The Stuart Hall Project Watchlist Bill Cunningham New York 99% 92% Bill Cunningham New York Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Rapper Nas recalls his youth in his city's housing projects, his parents' influence and the recording of his 1994 debut album, "Illmatic."
Director
One9
Producer
Anthony Saleh, One9, Erik Parker
Screenwriter
Erik Parker
Production Co
Tribeca Film Center
Genre
Documentary, Biography, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 4, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$109.3K
Runtime
1h 13m
Most Popular at Home Now