Comment on Nas Documentary Time Is Illmatic Opens Tribeca Film Festival

“Who woulda thunk it?” rapper Nasir “Nas” Jones asks early on in the documentary Time Is Illmatic, which opened the 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday night at New York City’s Beacon Theater. MoreFive Movies You’ll Be Hearing About from This Year’s Cannes Film FestivalA Mrs. Doubtfire Sequel Could Be On the Way, DearMen Charged With Toppling Ancient Rock Formation Avoid Jail Time Huffington PostHere's An Updated Tally Of All The People Who Have Ever Died From A Marijuana Overdose Huffington PostMan Named Edward Cocaine Arrested for Drug Possession in Florida PeopleThe unlikely story of how Nas went from eighth-grade dropout to one of hip-hop’s most celebrated and intellectual rappers is the subject of the new documentary, which weaves together archival footage, family photos, and interviews with hip-hop legends to explore the behind-the-scenes making of Nas’ landmark debut, Illmatic, which turns 20 years old this week. Popular Among Subscribers Barbara Brown Taylor Faces the Darkness Subscribe The Rise of Fake PotRock With Michael Jackson (Again)Festival co-founder Robert De Niro, who Nas joked “plays me in all his movies,” helped introduce the film, calling it a story “about the making of an artist here in our hometown.” Directed by One9, Time Is Illmatic marks the second time in a row the festival has kicked off with a musical documentary — following last year’s Mistaken for Strangers, about the band The National. Since its release in 1994, Illmatic has sold more than a million copies and been the subject of multiple books and scholarly works.