Parker and One9 deserve huge credit for treating their subject with suitable, but unusual, respect and reverence.

| Original Score: 4/5 | May 18, 2021

Time Is Illmatic is well-informed but inessential, a making-of featurette barely expanded to feature length at a trim 74 minutes.

| Original Score: C+ | Jul 15, 2020

Time Is Illmatic lovingly and honestly chronicles the making of an album that would influence many generations after its release.

| Jul 15, 2020

One9 opts for celebration over cultural discourse. It proves a minor shortcoming when you allow yourself to revel in the raw energy of Time Is Illmatic's predictably perfect soundtrack.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 3, 2019

Just as "Illmatic" brought people from all across the globe a little closer to Queensbridge, Nas: Time is Illmatic draws audiences closer to hip-hop.

| Original Score: A- | Sep 1, 2017

Brief, informative and direct, the historical details post-Illmatic grow less interesting, yet the film's first half is electric and engaging.

| Original Score: B | Feb 26, 2016

The result, directed by graffiti artist and first-time director One9 is less an ordered history of facts than an emotional snapshot of the artist's childhood and thoughts about where he is today.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 4, 2015

As humbling as hagiographies come.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 1, 2014

Paints a vivid portrait of all that Nas the artist and Nasir Jones the person are in a remarkably efficient 75-minute run time.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 27, 2014

You certainly don't have to be a pre-established fan to appreciate this picture, as sometimes just seeing how much something can mean to others is gratifying enough.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 19, 2014

An essential celebration of the New York rapper's groundbreaking 1994 album.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 30, 2014

A stylish portrait of groundbreaking talent, whether you care about hip-hop or not.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 30, 2014

This isn't just a walk down a troubled memory lane with the focus of this laudatory but never fawning picture later switching to the making of the album that caught the public imagination.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 24, 2014

Where Time is Illmatic soars and surprises, is in its historical approach to this portrait, and in its portrayal of another side of the artist -- his brother, Jungle.

| Oct 23, 2014

A strikingly photographed and genuinely revealing exploration of the early influences that formed one of the most distinctive voices in rap.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 23, 2014

Flirts with glamorising the rags-to-rap-to-riches story, but in doing so stays true to its subject.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 23, 2014

A wide-reaching tale locks into focus: one about hope through music, told with style, feeling and economic punch.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 22, 2014

Here's 74 minutes well spent.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 20, 2014

A well-made and well-shot companion piece to the album, telling the story of Nas' early life and the circumstances that led to his birth as a hip-hop legend.

| Original Score: B | Oct 10, 2014

Time Is Illmatic does a terrific job of weaving hip-hop history into a highly personal story.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 10, 2014