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 critic reviews

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer
Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified.
Fandango

AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
How did you buy your ticket?
- Fandango
- AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew
  
  Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info
- Cinemark Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Regal Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You haven’t finished your review yet, want to submit as-is?

You can always edit your review after.
Are you sure?

Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.
Want to submit changes to your review before closing?

Time Is Illmatic Photos

View All Photos (19)

Movie Info

Rapper Nas recalls his youth in his city's housing projects, his parents' influence and the recording of his 1994 debut album, "Illmatic."

Genre:

history, drama, biography, documentary
Original Language:

English
Director:

One9
Producer:

Anthony Saleh, One9, Erik Parker
Writer:

Erik Parker
Release Date (Streaming):

Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA):

$109.3K
Runtime:

1h 13m
Production Co:

Tribeca Film Center

Cast & Crew

Nas

Cornel West

Pharrell

Swizz Beatz

Busta Rhymes

Alicia Keys

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Time Is Illmatic

Free Movies Online: 200 Fresh Movies to Watch Online For Free

10 Definitive Hip-Hop Movies

New on DVD & Blu-Ray: John Wick, Dracula Untold, Ouija, and More

View All

Critic Reviews for Time Is Illmatic

All Critics (41) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (1)

Time Is Illmatic is well-informed but inessential, a making-of featurette barely expanded to feature length at a trim 74 minutes.

July 15, 2020 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

Charles Bramesco
Movie Mezzanine
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.

September 1, 2017 | Rating: A- | Full Review…

Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
An essential celebration of the New York rapper's groundbreaking 1994 album.

October 30, 2014 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Alex King
Little White Lies
A strikingly photographed and genuinely revealing exploration of the early influences that formed one of the most distinctive voices in rap.

October 23, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Wendy Ide
Times (UK)
Flirts with glamorising the rags-to-rap-to-riches story, but in doing so stays true to its subject.

October 23, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Henry Barnes
Guardian
Here's 74 minutes well spent.

October 20, 2014 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Nick De Semlyen
Empire Magazine
Parker and One9 deserve huge credit for treating their subject with suitable, but unusual, respect and reverence.

May 18, 2021 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Angus Batey
NME
Time Is Illmatic lovingly and honestly chronicles the making of an album that would influence many generations after its release.

July 15, 2020 | Full Review…

Toni Tileva
Brightest Young Things
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.

April 3, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Tom Watson
CineVue
Brief, informative and direct, the historical details post-Illmatic grow less interesting, yet the film's first half is electric and engaging.

February 26, 2016 | Rating: B | Full Review…

John Fink
The Film Stage
The result, directed by graffiti artist and first-time director One9 is less an ordered history of facts than an emotional snapshot of the artist's childhood and thoughts about where he is today.

January 4, 2015 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Amber Wilkinson
Eye for Film
As humbling as hagiographies come.

December 1, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Simon Miraudo
Quickflix

View All Critic Reviews (41)

Audience Reviews for Time Is Illmatic

Mar 25, 2016

An informative and revealing documentary that takes a thrilling look at an artist's life and the many factors that motivated him to create such an extremely influential album regarded ever since its birth as a seminal piece of artistic cry against social oppression.

Carlos M Super Reviewer