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Artist

N.Y. State of Mind

Boom bap
Boom bap

N.Y. State of Mind is a Boom bap act. Their sound grew out of Joe Chambers, Donald Byrd, Eric B. & Rakim, Main Source and Akinyele. Those roots explain a lot about how N.Y. State of Mind arrange songs and choose their tones. Their influence carried into Rakim, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 8 connections around N.Y. State of Mind, reaching back through Joe Chambers and forward to Rakim. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.

Background

"N.Y. State of Mind" is a single by American rapper Nas from his debut studio album Illmatic (1994). The song's production was handled by DJ Premier who sampled two jazz songs: "Mind Rain" by Joe Chambers and "Flight Time" by Donald Byrd. Additionally, Premier scratched up vocal samples from "Mahogany" by Eric B. & Rakim and Nas' vocals from his appearance on "Live at the Barbeque" by Main Source co-featuring Joe Fatal and Akinyele. Nas raps two verses on the song in which he talks about his rapping talent and describes the dangerous environment that is the city of New York over a drum break sample of "N.T." by Kool & the Gang. Nas has attributed the song "Streets of New York" by Kool G Rap as one of the song's primary influences. Sequels to "N.Y. State of Mind" can be found on Nas' 1999 album I Am... and on Nas' and DJ Premier's 2025 album Light-Years. On January 28, 2019, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

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Roots — what shaped themLegacy — who they shapedKindred — same orbit
N.Y. State of MindJoe ChambersDonald ByrdEric B. & RakimMain SourceAkinyeleKool & The GangKool G RapRakim

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N.Y. State of Mind connections

N.Y. State of Mind grew out of Joe Chambers, Donald Byrd, Eric B. & Rakim and Main Source, went on to shape Rakim. 8 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.

Who influenced N.Y. State of Mind

Roots7

Sounds and acts that shaped N.Y. State of Mind.

Bands N.Y. State of Mind shaped

Legacy1

Where the influence of N.Y. State of Mind travelled next.

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