skinsfan07 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 So I'm sitting here listening to Illmatic, and of course every time I listen to anything by Nas, I wonder, how come so many people favor Jay-Z over Nas? Is it because he's easier to understand? More mainstream? In my opinion Nas is and has been the better rapper for years, but because he hasn't sold out like Jay did early in his career, he doesn't get as much credit. Just because you sell more doesn't automatically make you better, it just makes you more popular. Jay has to "dumb it down" for his listeners to sell, AND add to the fact that he has one of the best producers in the game (Kanye) by his side, it's no surprise how he does it. Nas cares more about his craft than his money, and more to the point, Nas seems to have more of a social awareness than jay-z. jay-z was and still remains a great lyricist, but the lyrical content is what makes nas better. does nas keep saying its the roc, hov, hovito, young hov, hova? no, he says maybe his name a couple of times, or escobar, but not in the amount jay z says. Jay rides his own jock more than any other rapper I've listened to (other than Lil Wayne smh)So my vote goes to Nas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDane Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Nas and I don't think it's close. Jay-Z, however, is light years better as a promoter (self and others). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBash Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I like Nas a lot but to me, Jay Z is the best rapper in the game and Kanye is the best producer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nostril Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Out of the set of albums that comprise Nas and Jay-Z's discography, which one is the best? Illmatic by a large margin. Could one listen to Illmatic and reasonably wonder how anyone could think Jay-Z is better than Nas? Yes, Nas on Illmatic sounds better than any rapper ever has The answer to this question lies in your answer to the broader question, which is more valuable, that which is transcendentally brilliant for a moment, or than which is good over a long period of time? (or can an accumulation of goods be better than one great?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Not a big Nas fan so I would probably go with Jay-Z. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsfan07 Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 I like Nas a lot but to me, Jay Z is the best rapper in the game and Kanye is the best producer. Exactly. Jay-Z just has the better promotion and production. However Nas' flow is so poetic and lyrically astonishing. Have you listened to Nas' new track "Daughters"? And people said that Nas fell off. smh. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Haven't heard Jay put his heart into a track like Nas did in this in years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I think Jay Z has more gravitas, and is in his own right a great lyricist, and can flow on a top 3-5 level (obviously), but I think Nas is just hands down the better storyteller, and can go deeper than Jay Z can. But Jay Z can use whatever style he wants to, because he is talented enough to pull it off, so I don't think they are separated by a mile like many others do. I honestly think that anyone who says that hasn't listened to any Jay Z albums before Kingdom Come Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Illmatic is okay. Too close to call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsfan07 Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Illmatic is okay. Too close to call lol if okay means top 3 hip-hop album ever, than year I agree with you. Even outside of that album though, Nas has been consistently great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 lol if okay means top 3 hip-hop album ever, than year I agree with you. Even outside of that album though, Nas has been consistently great. Top 3 hip-hop album EVER? Now that's a pretty bold statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Top 3 hip-hop album EVER?Now that's a pretty bold statement. illmatic is pretty widely regarded as one of the best ever, unless things have changed over the past few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Top 3 hip-hop album EVER?Now that's a pretty bold statement. Honestly, it is arguably The best ever... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I like Nas' modern works better than Illmatic. I may have to listen to Illmatic again though He absolutely tore it up with Jeezy on "My President", that to me was better than any Illmatic song. That, and his remix of "Top Down" "The Apprentice, but not Trump" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nostril Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 What are the other 2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconTheVillain Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I see I broke the tie. IMO its Nas and isn't even close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WALL-LE Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 ^ not really, unanimously top 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 What are the other 2? the low end theory is top 5 for me. i'd take illmatic, low end theory, illadelph halflife, 36 chambers and the 5th spot would be a dogfight. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 illmatic is pretty widely regarded as one of the best ever, unless things have changed over the past few years. ONE of the best..sure. But he said it was in the top 3 hip-hop albums ever.....and that's what I said was a bold statement..imo. I'm not saying he's necessarily wrong. It's his thread and his opinion....though I disagree. Full disclosure: Nas does nothing for me so I'm biased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick6 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 All I know is Illmatic is consider the best hip-hop album of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconTheVillain Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Top 3 hip-hop album EVER?Now that's a pretty bold statement. illmatic is pretty widely regarded as one of the best ever, unless things have changed over the past few years. Illmatic takes the #1 spot on most list i've seen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Lately the two rappers I've really been getting into are Nas and Jay-Z Would have to go with Nas for the reasons listed above...My President When Thousands Of People Is Riled Up To See YouThat Can Arouse Ya Ego You Got Mouths To Feed So Gotta Stay Tru To Who You Are And Where You Came From Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 What are the other 2? there are a thousand different candidates for the other 2, but going by my own personal preference, I would put "Mecca And The Soul Brother" in the 2nd slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 ONE of the best..sure.But he said it was in the top 3 hip-hop albums ever.....and that's what I said was a bold statement..imo. I'm not saying he's necessarily wrong. It's his thread and his opinion....though I disagree. Full disclosure: Nas does nothing for me so I'm biased. ok, i'll re-state... illmatic is widely regarded as one of the top 3 hip hop albums of all time. lol ---------- Post added May-28th-2012 at 11:16 PM ---------- there are a thousand different candidates for the other 2, but going by my own personal preference, I would put "Mecca And The Soul Brother" in the 2nd slot. that one is definitely in the mix. good call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Larkin Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Nas by a landslide. Illmatic is the greatest hip-hop album of all time. Jay "I dumbed down for my audience and doubled my dollars" Z can take the popular vote, but true hip hop heads will always know the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Jay-Z is not in Nas' class as far as their ceiling is concerened. Even Reasonable Doubt is just not close to Illmatic and that's Jay-Z as good as he gets. The rest is a step below. As far as being a businessman and commercial success obviously Jay-Z blows Nas away. But that stuff is extremely meh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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