PBS Shares Clip Ahead Of GREAT PERFORMANCES - NAS LIVE FROM THE KENNEDY CENTER: CLASSICAL HIP-HOP Premiere

Nas reflects on partnering with the Kennedy Center to perform a symphonic version of "Illmatic" with the National Symphony Orchestra. Steven Reineke discusses branching out into hip-hop and rap for the first time as a classical orchestra conductor. Great Performances - Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop premieres Friday, February 2 at 9/8c on PBS (check local listings).

Since its premiere in 1972, GREAT PERFORMANCES has presented an international roster of renowned artists and performing art companies of all genres. From new productions of timeless classics to innovative performances by emerging artists, GREAT PERFORMANCES is proud to carry on its legacy of bringing the best of the performing arts to an American public television audience. To date, the series has been awarded 67 Emmy Awards and four George Foster Peabody Awards.

Released in 1994, Illmatic is the seminal debut album by influential hip-hop artist Nas, and has long been considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time. The album is a densely textured, deeply lyrical portrait of life in largest public housing project in North America, the Queensbridge Houses, located in the Long Island City area of New York City, home to nearly 7,000 people. Two decades after the album's critically-acclaimed release, Nas teamed with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC to stage a once in a lifetime symphonic rendition of one of the most revered albums in hip-hop history.

Watch the preview here: