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Nas vs. Jay Z |
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By Midas |
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Who’s talking to you, who’s talking to me? |
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| I usually don’t get much around this time of the year. My mom celebrates Three King’s Day with more love than the 25th, but that could be because I was born on the 24th. Nevertheless, my man LX hooked it up this year. Let me begin with an explanation. I’ve taken a vacation from hip-hop; from this game that I grew up on and watched fade into talentless imitators showcasing a lifestyle that I will never understand. But there are exceptions to every rule… | |
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I waited a couple of months before picking up The Blueprint. I heard all the hype, but I’ve seen it and heard it before. But Jay put it down for real. He created a masterpiece and I thought that was going to be it. But then the package came with Stillmatic and I heard about all the beef, all the drama between clearly the two best in the game right now. It raised a question in my mind - who’s the best? Since I couldn’t sit down with the two combatants, I tried the next best thing. I put Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, Stillmatic and Unplugged in my CD changer, hit Random and started my cassette deck (Yes, I’m old school). Here are the results… |
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Nas – You Da Man Produced by Large Professor “I seen it comin’, soon as I popped my first bottle. I spotted my enemies trying to do what I do. Came in with my style so I fathered you. I kept changing on the world since Barbeque.” Live at the Barbeque is where I was first introduced to Nasty Nas, rapping about killing Christ. He was nasty and hungry and that didn’t change on Illmatic. But he gave warnings; he gave hints to the rapper he would become. I just didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want to believe. It Was Written is a natural progression for a street kid that just got paid. When all the fast cars and dirty hoes that are dreams as a snot-nosed kid become a reality, everything changes. But it’s funny, the same shit that I hated on Written is what today’s rap star has developed from. Nas put down the foundations to all the crap that pollutes the airways today. I’m just not sure if that’s a credit or a crime… Jay-Z – Can I Get A… (Unplugged) Produced by Irv Gotti & Lil Rob This is a perfect example of Nas’ influence. Jigga might give BIG the credit, but to ignore Nas is to see with a blind eye. Jay proved to me on Reasonable that he’s talented, talented enough to stay away from commercial tracks like this. You can’t tell me this is some of his best lyrics and I’m sure he’d say the same. But you don’t need lyrics in today’s game, all you need is a hot beat or… |
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Nas – Braveheart Party (featuring Mary J. Blige) Produced by Swizz BeatsThe Queen. On this track, Nas gets both. Well, I’m not impressed with the beat, but I’m sure it will bounce in the club, which is what everyone seems to write to these days. Anyone else remember Expose and the other Latin-sound groups that held down spots in the late 80s? I hear this and think Nas just wanted to show everyone that he could still do the crossover hit. I don’t think this one will blow, but it does have Mary on it and I have no idea what will bump nowadays… |
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Jay-Z – Izzo (H.O.V.A.) Produced by Kanye West But even I know Jay will bump. I first heard this track over another beat that wasn’t the Jackson 5 sample. These lyrics are slightly above average for Jay, but today, they’re gold. That and they come from his mouth. I must say this; there is no one in the game today that creates for the cash like Jay. He knows what will sell and whether all the court cases are a puppet show, it’s a play that MTV will run until the tape wears thin. The one thing that allows me to truly hear Jay is I know he’s a true fan of hip-hop. Like Boogie Down Production hip-hop, like Video Music Box hip-hop… Nas – The World Is Yours
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Jay-Z – Brooklyn’s
Finest (featuring Notorious B.I.G.) Produced by Clark Kent This is one of the best tracks ever, period. Can you name me a better duo, a better combination of solo artists coming together? It’s little things like the 2Pac reference and the seamless transition between the two. One thing I noticed on this listening was the piano loop. It adds that touch of class associated with the finest things… |
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Nas – Destroy & Rebuild Produced by Baby Paul I’ve noticed that cats are showing their age, giving respect to the pioneers. Nas gives Slick Rick dap for no apparent reason besides the whole ruler line. But let me get back… Has anyone heard from Mega lately? I’m sure all y’all cats that eat, sleep and breathe this game will tell me he’s trapped between deals, furiously working on the album that will push him to the forefront. As far as I’m concerned, he had his shot. The Firm was such a brilliant idea that never truly came to fruition. Nature was a nice replacement and he definitely proved to me that he deserved to be there, but that was Mega’s spot. They set it up on Written and it went down, they all went down. Speaking of down, you can look back to past reviews to know I’m a huge Mobb Deep fan. Well, I might say was a huge fan. I gave P the benefit of the doubt on H.N.I.C, but I couldn’t make it through Infamy and that’s not a good sign… Nas – Halftime Produced by Large Professor This is the track that got me into rap, into hip-hop or whatever you want to call it. I had tapes before and obviously I’ve had tapes after, but this is my keystone, the foundation. Here’s a trivia question for ya: What movie soundtrack was Halftime on and who was the movie’s star? Nas – Represent Produced by DJ Premier “Somehow the rap game reminds me of the crack game, used to sport Bally’s and Gazelle’s with black frames. Now I’m into fat chains, sex and techs, fly new chicks and new kicks, Heinie and Beck’s” This is the foundations of the next eight years of hip-hop. Here are the roots, I’m only hoping they’re not too deep to be pulled up… Nas – Every Ghetto Produced by ??? I heard there are Stillmatic versions with four bonus tracks, but mine only got one. That’s cool cuz this track is enough. The last couple of lines, his progression of hate, is a final reminder of his skills, that’s he’s still and will always be one of the best… Jay-Z – Holla Hovito Produced by Timberland “My music bangin’ like vatos locos, got rap in a choke hold and I won’t surrender it with beats by Timberland.” I’m nobody, but I’ve never heard of Kayne West or Just Blaze. My boy LX has a theory that goes along with my own. Jay’s got producer credits on Blueprint because he paid for the samples. He paid for the samples because that’s what rap’s sound is founded on, sampling - Just ask Primo. Jay paid for the samples cuz he’s got the loot and I must believe a vision as to what this album should sound like. Hey, he did right cuz I’m… *(SNICKA's NOTE:
Jay Z got writer's credit, not producer's credit) |
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Nas – One Love Produced by Q-Tip This is what made Nas different from all the rest, his ability to tell a story, to take you someplace else with his lyrics. This is a letter that you can see be written, see be read to someone on the inside. His words, his descriptions force you to visual the scene. He shows his journalistic roots because that’s what he is, that’s what he was back then at least. He saw it so many times, sitting on the park bench. But only a true wordsmith can take that scene, that vision and speak through music, speak through his lyrics. He’s always going to have a place in my heart only because I can relate to him on that level, on that sense. |
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Nas – Life’s a b!tch featuring AZ Produced by L.E.S. Can you hear the hunger in AZ’s voice? That’s why this track blows, he sets it up and then Nas just finishes. Gotta love the trumpet solo at the end, but I still have mixed feelings because every track with these two afterwards, including ‘The Flyest’ has been average at best. What’s with the porno underloop on that track, what are they flowin’ in the middle of a scene? Where’s Janet Jackme and Ron Jeremy when you need em’…
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Jay-Z – Heart in the City – Unplugged Produced by Kayne West This is my favorite song on Blueprint. He’s got a point; he gets no love for someone who’s held down rap for the last six summers. Didn’t matter where you were, you heard Jigga and I’ve been around the country, that shit is true. He’s ocean-to-ocean, for real. I don’t think this track will be released, but enough people have the album and with the Internet, everyone should be able to enjoy this. Whether they’ll appreciate it is another question… |
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Nas – Ether Produced by Ron Browz Jay-Z – Takeover Produced by Kayne West OK, what can I say that I haven’t already referenced to. The results, my results are that I have no idea who to believe and I really don’t care anymore. Nas makes references to him being asleep when he heard cats were coming for ‘his’ throne. He says the king is back, but I don’t know that either of them are or deserve to be the King of New York. I’m not saying it’s not good that they both want the job, but it died in a hailstorm of bullets in Cali a couple of years back. Have any of you seen ‘King of New York’ with Chris Walken? That’s how he went out, so the immortal Frank White name had a history with it. I must say this though; Nas shouldn’t criticize Jay for keeping Big’s name alive. If he didn’t, who would? Think about the attention span of the average American music listener. They jump from trend to trend like a 13-year-old girl looking for a new nail polish. I don’t know how it is in NYC, but I know they’re not playing Biggie anymore. When was the last time you heard Juicy on the radio? Radio stations have a ‘What have you done for me lately?’ mentality and urban legends don’t live long. Takeover opens the door for what should be an entertaining battle that could last a couple of years. But a couple of things should be made clear. First off, Jay can put Nas away whenever he wants because he controls the everyday, MTV listener. You get them; the urban radio stations will fall soon enough. But Jay needs Nas around, it’s like Nas says, you have to prove yourself against the best. Otherwise, you’re the best on the block because there is no one else. The fact that J tried to bring Prodigy into the shuffle was nice, but truly that was for another battle. Not supremacy in the overall rap game, but the battle for the fans that both Jay and Nas say they are writing for - the thugged out prisoner, street runner, drug pusher on the street. That’s who they want and I can only assume it’s a heated battle. I was born and raised in Northern New Jersey, close enough to NYC to see the skyline, but I’m a suburb Kid and have no problem admitting to that. I was clean all through high school, watching others drink and smoke while I just looked in curious wonder, but with no real want to join in. When I got to college, everything changed. I started drinking 40’s and actually smoked weed and beedies (Indian cigarettes) before I smoked Newport’s. I still went to class, but the weekends, shit, after class was a different story. I started to learn about ‘the game’. How to play, what brings in what, who to trust and who to fool. I waited a year before I dipped my foot into the pool and got wet real quick. Anyone who knew me then knows I’m not lying when I say: I had my opportunities to turn to the dark side. I could have been that gangster that they all talk about. I had my little piece of the pie and could have asked for more. I went out of state and the same shit happened, except this time it was much more real. I saw the options and that path and choose the road well traveled. I saw enough to understand, but also enough to know that that wasn’t the route I wanted to go. The point is and I guess, my point for this entire diatribe is this: I’m an educated man that grew up on hip hop, that remembers the Fat Boys, K-9 Posse, Leaders of the New and Kwame. I’m not a gangster by choice and I’m not from the ghetto. Who is making hip-hop for me, who am I supposed to relate to?
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