Nas Set to Perform ‘Illmatic’ Live with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in One-Night-Only Event

Hip-hop meets high art in a major way this summer as Nas takes the stage with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for a one-night-only performance of his legendary debut album, Illmatic.

Set for Wednesday, July 23 at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Nas: Illmatic Live with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about musical events.

This concert will mark 30 years since the release of Illmatic, an album widely hailed as one of the most important and influential in hip-hop history. For one night only, fans will experience Nas’s classic lyricism backed by the full force of a live orchestra, with Steven Reineke conducting.

Tracks like “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The World Is Yours,” “Memory Lane,” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” will get a grand new life through orchestral arrangements that merge hip-hop’s raw storytelling with classical music’s emotional depth.

With 14 albums, a Grammy, and a lasting cultural impact, Nas remains one of the genre’s most iconic voices. His recent work alongside Hit-Boy on the King’s Disease and Magic series shows his continued evolution and relevance.

Tickets range from $75 to $299 and are on sale now through the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s website and the Meyerhoff box office.