Ravinia is the longest running and most programmatically diverse outdoor music festival in North America, welcoming about 400,000 guests to over 100 events each year. Passenger trains stop at our historic entrance during the summer, serviced by Metra’s Union Pacific North Line—a tie to our origin from a railroad company. Ravinia is the only private train stop in Illinois!

Schedule of Events

7:30pm: Nas - with Chicago Philharmonic + Stuart Chafetz, conductor

Experience hip-hop history reimagined as Nas makes his Ravinia debut, joining forces with the Chicago Philharmonic for a powerful symphonic performance of his groundbreaking debut album, Illmatic. More than three decades after its release, this genre-defining masterpiece—ranked by Billboard as the #1 Greatest Rap Album of All Time—takes on a new life with lush orchestration, elevating Nas’ poetic lyricism and raw storytelling to epic proportions.

Since his 1994 debut, Nas has shaped the sound and soul of hip-hop, releasing 14 subsequent albums—8 of which have gone platinum or multi-platinum, including Nastradamus, Stillmatic, God’s Son, and Street’s Disciple. A 16-time GRAMMY nominee, he secured his first win with King’s Disease in 2020 for Best Rap Album, followed by two sequels and his Magic trilogy, produced alongside Hit-Boy. His most recent release, Magic 3, marks the final chapter of this prolific creative partnership, closing an extraordinary era of innovation and influence.

Beyond music, Nas is a hip-hop mogul, actor, executive producer, and co-founder of Mass Appeal Records, whose impact on the culture is immeasurable. Now, this one-night-only collaboration with the Chicago Philharmonic brings his legacy to the concert stage like never before—an unforgettable fusion of hip-hop and symphony that honors one of the most influential albums of all time.

Don’t miss this monumental musical event—a rare chance to witness Nas and the Chicago Philharmonic unite for a live orchestral performance of Illmatic.

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