WED NOV 12, 2025 | 7:30 PM
THU NOV 13, 2025 | 7:30 PM
Music Hall
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NAS rapper
Stuart Chafetz conductor
Thirty years after Illmatic’s critically acclaimed release, Grammy-winning hip-hop legend Nas performs the iconic album in its entirety — plus additional tracks from his illustrious career — with the Cincinnati Pops! Released in 1994, Illmatic is the groundbreaking debut from Nas and has long been considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time, with hits including “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The World is Yours,” “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in Da Park),” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.”
These concerts have no intermission.
Please do not record the concert.
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is grateful to Pops Season Presenter PNC, Leadership Sponsor The Lazarow Schwartz Family Fund, Presenting Sponsor BlaCkOWned™ and Supporter Sponsor The Voice of Your Customer.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support of the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of the Greenacres Foundation, the Nina Browne Parker Trust, and the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The CSO in-orchestra Steinway piano is made possible in part by the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust.
Classical Echoes in Modern Hip-Hop
November & December 2025 Fanfare Magazine
Dive into the rich history of where hip-hop and classical music intersect. Explore hip-hop's journey from cultural movement to global powerhouse through the lens of classical music.
Explore this story in Fanfare Magazine
The BlaCkOWned™ CSO Partnership
Two beloved Cincinnati organizations, BlaCkOWned™ and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, create a sponsor partnership built on a shared commitment to community.
