Nas breaks down “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” for Poetry in America
Prof. Elisa New sat down with hip hop legend Nas to do a close-reading at “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” a track from his iconic 1994 album Illmatic.
Watch the video to see Nas explain rhymes like “wisdom be leakin’ out my grapefruit, troop,” and to hear Professor New connect Nas’s verse to the tradition of American poetic form.
Featured Guest
Nas
“Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman
“It Ain’t Hard to Tell” by Nas
“N.Y. State of Mind” by Nas