The jersey’s design was made to reflect Nas’ New York City roots and the global impact Illmatic has had on music, as cited by Hybebeast. Aesthetically, the jersey boasts a relaxed silhouette that blends design elements from sports, music, and fashion while celebrating Nas’ iconography through his logo, the signature Illmatic font, and the No. 94, paying homage to the year the album was released.
The limited-edition release seeks to highlight Umbro and Daley’s style and aesthetic and their approach to heritage-inspired fashion.
“The collaboration is a celebration of hip-hop and the legacy of Illmatic whilst incorporating the heritage of Umbro in a collection which I wanted to feel both classic and forward-looking.”
Columbia Records released Illmatic on April 19, 1994. It was recorded between 1992 and 1993 at several studios across New York City. DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself oversaw the album’s production. A cornerstone of hardcore hip-hop, Illmatic is revered for Nas’ complex, unmatched lyricism and vivid inner-city narratives drawn from the rapper’s experiences growing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York.
“There’s just nine songs on it, and it’s straight to the point, the music on it. I wouldn’t change nothing,” he said.
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Source: Black Enterprise
