WNET in New York’s Great Performances is presenting “Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop” for PBS on Feb. The special performance sees Nas celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut album Illmatic with a live rendition backed by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Nas + The National Symphony Orchestra: Live from the Kennedy Center (Full Album). Live from the Kennedy Center (Full Album) YouTube; Nas illmatic live in concert Full Show HQ 2014 - Duration. GREAT PERFORMANCES Presents Nas Performing “Illmatic” With the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center on February 2 on PBS Two decades after the album’s critically acclaimed.

1. Nas Illmatic Album

Nothing wrong with the discs themselves. Silent play, no clicks or pops (I was initially cringing when I deciphered the deadwax etchings and saw it's pressed at Rainbo. But it passed, somehow.) The recording of the concert itself sounds amateurish. Orchestra is way too quiet, has no presence, no depth, no imaging. The vocals are boomy, and twice as loud as the music. Defeats the purpose of the entire event if the instruments never shine through.

May as well have been recorded in a crappy sounding arena, because you would never believe it was done in an acoustically sound amphitheatre, as it was. Cool to have, fun to play. I do like the original vibe that each track has thanks to the live music, but I don't think it was pulled off by the right engineers.

Those who think it sounds great have not heard the potential of a proper live album. THE CROWD IS LOUDER THAN THE ORCHESTRA.

What a complete EQ joke. Who mic'd this up and mixed it? Because they should never have a job in the field again. Fuckin amateur hour.

Nas Illmatic Album

“It’s crazy, you know, I wrote this in the projects in New York City.” Nas says in the trailer. “Here we are in the capital of America, Washington, DC, and, you know, a bunch of white people with strings and all that, playing this album, and they feeling it.” The new concert film, Great Performances — Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop, is directed by Jason Goldwatch and executive produced by Nas, Anthony Saleh and Peter Bittenbender. Produced by Mass Appeal, the film premieres nationwide on Friday, February 2 at 9PM EST on PBS. Watch the trailer above.