One of the standout tracks on the album was "Rapsta", a dark and moody song that featured a haunting beat produced by DJ Premier. The song's lyrics were a scathing critique of the hip-hop industry, with Nas railing against the commercialization of rap and the fake personas that many artists adopted. "Rapsta" was a bold statement from Nas, who was clearly determined to speak his mind and tell the truth, no matter how unpopular it might be.

It was the summer of 1996, and the hip-hop world was buzzing with excitement. Nas, the young lyricist from Queens, had just dropped his sophomore album, "It Was Written", and it was already making waves. The album was a follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut, "Illmatic", which had introduced the world to Nas's poetic flow and vivid storytelling.

But "It Was Written" was more than just a showcase for Nas's lyrical prowess. The album was also notable for its more polished production, which was handled by a range of producers, including DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and N.Y. State of Mind. The result was an album that sounded more expansive and ambitious than Nas's debut, with lush beats and atmospheric soundscapes that added depth and complexity to his lyrics.

But for fans who couldn't get their hands on a physical copy of the album, there was another way to get access to Nas's masterpiece: torrents.

On June 4, 1996, "It Was Written" hit shelves, and it quickly became clear that Nas was on a mission to prove himself as more than just a one-hit wonder. The album's lead single, "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)", was a sprawling epic that showcased Nas's ability to craft intricate rhyme schemes and paint vivid pictures with his words.