It Was Written "Illmatic", the album contains a more detailed and elaborate production, while it shares similarity to the G-funk sound, relying heavily on sampled and looped funk grooves. "It Was Written" has Nas experimenting with a theatrical mafioso concept under the alias of "Nas Escobar" (inspired by the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar). The album's subject matter has been noted for its focus on materialistic excess and other mafioso lyrical themes. Jon Pareles of "The New York Times" wrote of Nas's shift in lyrical themes from "Illmatic", stating he "repeatedly cites the Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and drops brand names of
Pablo Escobar in the book "Escobar"). Roberto Escobar also claimed that, in addition to using planes, his brother employed two small submarines to transport the massive loads. In 1982 Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia, as part of a small movement called "Liberal Alternative". Earlier in the campaign he was a candidate for the "Liberal Renewal Movement", but had to leave it because of the firm opposition of Luis Carlos Galán, whose presidential campaign was supported by the "Liberal Renewal Movement". Escobar was the official representative of the Colombian government for the swearing-in of