Today in Hip-hop commemorates the release of Nas' 1992 debut single, “Halftime”, which featured his original Nasty Nas persona. The song was initially released under Ruffhouse Records off the Zebrahead soundtrack collective, and later inserted onto Nas' ground-breaking debut record, Illmatic.
Produced by Large Professor, the single contained samples from Average White Band's “Schoolboy Crush”, Gary Byrd's “Soul Traveling”, and “Dead End” by Japanese Hair. Large Professor's sampling presented the song's iconic up-tempo blend, and, reinforced over percussion and trumpets, became the perfect stage for the Illmatic star to dish out his hard-hitting hooks.
“You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer/ That's like Malcolm X, catchin' the Jungle Fever/ King poetic; too much flavor, I'm major/ Atlanta ain't Brave-r, I'll pull a number, like a pager/ 'Cause I'm an ace when I face the bass/ I'm as ill as a convict who kills for phone time.” The song showcased Nas' introspect lyricism flowing through his iconic, unfiltered rhymes, which carried on throughout the rapper's career.
“Halftime” came to be known as Nas' breakout hit, often alluded significantly to the single's inclusion to the Zebraheadsoundtrack, which eventually scored him a deal with Columbia Records. The song showcased Nas' formidability as a stand-out rapper, and quickly gained him notoriety as “the new Rakim”. The Vibe magazine applauded that the song “created a niche that only Illmatic could fill”.
By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com
