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Nas headlines the Twilight Concert on July 19.The third installment of The Twilight Concert Series features 38-year-old rapper Nas, whose debut album "Illmatic," released in 1994, is one of the best albums ever released, regardless of genre.

So it comes as a welcome surprise that Nas' new album, "The Good Life," is touted as a return to the 1990s.

With his old producer No I.D again producing much of it, the new album contains the same "magic" moments he felt on "Illmatic," Nas said in a phone interview. "I chose to make a sound I hadn't done in a long time," the New York rapper said. "It's very East Coast. For me, I was one of the main artists of the '90s. The sound on this album is my sound."

Past albums provided mixed results, Nas said, with experimentation that he never felt completely comfortable with. But this time around, he's confident. "The distractions are gone when it comes to this record," and his new song "The Don" encapsulates his thinking. "I'm feeling on top of the world," he said.

British rapper Tinie Tempah opens.

When • Thursday at 7 p.m.Where • Pioneer Park, 300 S. 300 West, Salt Lake CityTickets • $5 at Graywhales and at gate