It Was Written is the second studio album from rapper Nas. Primarily produced by Poke and Tone of Trackmasters Entertainment, It Was Written was a departure from the underground tone of Illmatic, towards a more mainstream, mafioso oriented sound. Although critical reaction to it was divided upon its release, the album's standing has improved considerably over time. It debuted on the Billboard 200 charts at #1 and remained there for 4 consecutive weeks. The album remains Nas' best-selling album to date.