It Was Written

It Was Written
Studio album ya Nas
Imetolewa	2 Julai 1996
Imerekodiwa	1995–1996
Aina	Hip hop
Urefu	58:35
Lebo	Columbia ; CK 67015
Mtayarishaji	DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Havoc, L.E.S., Live Squad, MC Serch (watayarishaji wakuu) Trackmasters
Wendo wa albamu za Nas
Single za kutoka katika albamu ya It Was Written
	"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)"; Imetolewa: 28 Mei 1996; "Street Dreams"; Imetolewa: 22 Oktoba 1996; "The Message"; Imetolewa: 1996;

It Was Written ni albamu ya pili ya rapa wa Marekani Nas. Albamu ilitolewa mnamo 2 Julai 1996 kupitia studio ya Columbia Records huko nchini Marekani. Kufuatia uwastani wa mafanikio ya kimauzo katika albamu yake ya kwanza, Illmatic (1994), Nas ameamua kujihusisha zaidi katika miondoko ile yenye mwelekeo wa kawaida. Hasa kwa kufanya kazi na Trackmasters, ambapo ni safari yake kutoka katika hali kutojulikana, toni zake akiwa kama msanii wa chini katika albamu yake ya kwanza - na kuja katika hali nyingine kabisa, msikiko wa kawaida kama wasanii wengine wakubwa. Albamu ina ladha ya mtindo wa mafioso na gangsta, jumlisha kuonekana kwake kwenye kundi bab-kubwa lililovuma kwa muda The Firm, ambalo liliunganishwa na marapa kama vile Foxy Brown, AZ, na Cormega.

Albamu imethibitisha kuwa ndiyo albamu ya Nas iliyopata mafanikio makubwa kwa kutolewa, kwa kuingia nafasi ya kwanza katika chati za Billboard 200 na kuuza nakala milioni 3 dunia nzima. Pia imepigisha mbiu kwa kuleta umaarufu mtindo anaotumia Nas, licha kukata rufaa kwake kwa kuzuiwa kimafanikio na albamu ziingine za mafiaso rap kama vile Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995) na Reasonable Doubt (1996). Hata hivyo, mabadiliko yake ya kistaili na kuongezeka kwa mafanikio na umaarufu wake imepelekea uvumi wa kwamba anatoa kitu kidogo kwa wanajumuia ya hip hop. It Was Written nayo ilipokea tahakiki mchanganyiko kutoka kwa watahakiki kadhaa kwa kutofikia uwastani wa Illmatic.

Orodha ya nyimbo

#	Jina	Urefu	Watunzi	Watayarishaji	Waimbaji	Sampuli^[1]
1	"Album Intro"	2:24	N. Jones	Nas & Trackmasters	Nas & AZ (kauza sura)	Inasampuli kutoka katika "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke Ina sampuli kutoka katika "The Sly, the Slick, and the Wicked" by The Lost Generation
2	"The Message"	3:54	N. Jones, S. Barnes	Trackmasters	Nas	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Shape of My Heart" wa Sting Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Woman" by Neneh Cherry Ina sampuli kutoka katika "NY State Of Mind" wa Nas Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Impeach the President" wa The Honey Drippers
3	"Street Dreams"	4:40	N. Jones, S. Barnes, A. Lennox, D. Stewart	Trackmasters	Nas	Imetiwa maneno yaliyomo kwenye "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" wa Eurythmics Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Never Gonna Stop" wa Linda Clifford
4	"I Gave You Power"	3:52	N. Jones, C. Martin	DJ Premier	Nas	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Theme Bahamas" by Ahmad Jamal
5	"Watch Dem Niggas"	4:04	N. Jones, S. Barnes	Trackmasters	Nas na Foxy Brown	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Sponge" wa Bob James na Earl Klugh
6	"Take It in Blood"	4:48	N. Jones, R. Walker, C. Horne, J. Pruit, J. Epps, W. Childs	Live Squad, Lo Ground & Top General Sounds	Nas	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Ease Back" wa Ultramagnetic MCs Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Mixed Up Moods & Attitudes" wa The Fantastic Four
7	"Nas Is Coming"	5:41	N. Jones, A. Young	Dr. Dre	Nas & Dr. Dre	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Synopsis Two: Mother's Day " wa 24 Carat Black
8	"Affirmative Action"	4:19	N. Jones, I. Marchand, C. McKay, A. Cruz, S. Barnes, J.C. Olivier	Dave Atkinson, Trackmasters	Nas, AZ, Cormega, Foxy Brown, (The Firm)	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Hard to Handle" by Etta James
9	"The Set Up"	4:01	N. Jones, K. Muchita	Havoc	Nas na Havoc
10	"Black Girl Lost"	4:23	N. Jones, L. Lewis, J. Mtume, Lucas	L.E.S., Trackmasters	Nas na Joel "Jo-Jo" Hailey	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Starlight" by Stephanie Mills
11	"Suspect"	4:12	N. Jones, L. Lewis	L.E.S.	Nas	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "El Gato Triste" by Chuck Mangione
12	"Shootouts"	3:46	N. Jones, S. Barnes, J.C. Olivier	Trackmasters	Nas	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "I Wish You Were Here" wa Al Green Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Theme from 'The Avengers'" wa Laurie Johnson
13	"Live Nigga Rap"	3:45	N. Jones, K. Muchita	Havoc	Nas & Mobb Deep
14	"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)"	4:42	N. Jones, S. Barnes, J.C. Olivier, K. Walker	Trackmasters & Rashad Smith	Nas & Lauryn Hill	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Friends" y Whodini Imetiwa maneno yaliyomo kwenye "If I Ruled the World" by Kurtis Blow Imetiwa maneno yaliyomo kwenye "Walk Right Up to the Sun" by The Delfonics
*15	"Silent Murder" (Japanese, European CD Versions & US Cassette Tape Version Bonus Track)	3:24	N. Jones, M. H. Browne, B. T. Romeo	Live Squad, Lo Ground na Top General Sounds	Nas	Ina sampuli kutoka katika "You're Getting a Little Too Smart" wa The Detroit Emeralds Ina sampuli kutoka katika "Get a Life" wa Soul II Soul
*16	"Affirmative Action St-Denis-Style Remix" (European CD Reedition Bonus Track)	4:04	N. Jones, I. Marchand, A. Cruz, S. Barnes, J.C. Olivier	Dave Atkinson, Trackmasters, Adapted wa Joey Starr na Kool Shen (NTM)	Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown & NTM (Joey Starr na Kool Shen)

Historia ya chati

Nafasi za chati

Albamu

Chati (1996)	Nafasi iliyoshika^[2]
U.S. Billboard 200	1
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	1
UK Albums Chart	38

Single

Mwaka	Single	Nafasi zilizoshika^[3]
Mwaka	Single	Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Tracks	UK Singles Chart
1996	"If I Ruled The World"	53	17	15	12
1996	"Street Dreams"	22	18	1	12

Tanbihi

↑ Track listing and credits as per liner notes for It Was Written album
↑ Hitilafu ya kutaja: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named billboard
↑ Hitilafu ya kutaja: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named singles

Marejeo

John Borgmeyer, Holly Lang (2006). Dr. Dre: A Biography. Edition: illustrated. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33826-4.
Jake Brown (2006). Dr. Dre in the Studio. Edition: illustrated. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 0-976-77355-4.
Mickey Hess (2007). Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-31333-902-3.
Mickey Hess (2007). Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture. Edition: illustrated. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33904-X.
Todd Boyd (2004). The New H.N.I.C.: The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of Hip Hop. NYU Press. ISBN 0-814-79896-9.
Nathan Brackett, Christian Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide: Completely Revised and Updated 4th Edition. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-74320-169-8.

Viungo vya Nje

It Was Written at Discogs
It Was Written at MusicBrainz

[credits-1] Track listing and credits as per liner notes for It Was Written album

[billboard-2] Hitilafu ya kutaja: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named billboard

[singles-3] Hitilafu ya kutaja: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named singles

[1]

[2]

[3]

v d e Diskografia ya Single za Nas
Illmatic	"Halftime" "It Ain't Hard to Tell" "The World Is Yours" "Life's a Bitch" "One Love"
It Was Written	"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" "Street Dreams" "The Message"
I Am…	"Nas Is Like" "Hate Me Now"
Nastradamus	"Nastradamus" "You Owe Me"
Stillmatic	"Rule" "Got Ur Self A…" "One Mic"
God's Son	"Made You Look" "I Can" "Get Down"
Street's Disciple	"Thief's Theme" "Bridging the Gap" "Just a Moment"
Hip Hop Is Dead	"Hip Hop Is Dead" "Can't Forget About You"
Untitled album	"Hero" "Make the World Go Round"
Life Is Good	"Nasty" "The Don" "Daughters"
The Firm: The Album	"Firm Biz" "Phone Tap"
Soundtracks	"Escobar '97" "Less Than an Hour"
Kolabo	"Oochie Wally" "Thugz Mansion" "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)" "Too Many Rappers" "Ghetto Dreams"
Nyimbo zingine	"N.Y. State of Mind" "Ether" "N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)"