Syphon Filter
Member
I dont get why people say that, he has plenty of great beats.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Who do you prefer, Nas or Jay Z?
- Thread starter Bounceounce
- Start date
- Status
I dont get why people say that, he has plenty of great beats.
neurosyphilis
Definitely not an STD, as I'm a pure.
Jay-Z. Nas is more talented, but I prefer Jay-Z. Both are top 10 all time.
Syphon Filter
Member
Nas easily.
Banana Aeon
Member
I have never heard a Jay Z track and said, "This is fresh." Jay Z is pretty much a no go for me.
Jay Z's flow is legit disturbing how shit it can be at times.
Jay Z's flow is legit disturbing how shit it can be at times.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Nas 100%. I don't really think Jay-Z is all that good. From what I heard from him there is like two songs I like from him. Nas is my personal favorite of all time so it's not really a contest for me.
FadedRevolution
Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQhy9eE8MBg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFLSOIufuhM
Nas did have the better song that came out most recently on Khaled's album. And how you get a song called "Nas album done" on somebody else album? How Sway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFLSOIufuhM
Nas did have the better song that came out most recently on Khaled's album. And how you get a song called "Nas album done" on somebody else album? How Sway.
Yaphett Kotto
Member
N a s
a
s
Yea that is the best part of the album. Announcing your album done on another person's album and having it in the song title. Nas is amazing.
a
s
Yea that is the best part of the album. Announcing your album done on another person's album and having it in the song title. Nas is amazing.
Nas hands down
Nas is still better than a lot of rappers, now
Jay z is decent at rapping but more often than not has excellent production. He is a man who surrounds himself with talents to make up for what he lacks.
Like most jay z songs I like is because is on point, rather than enjoy jay z is saying
Nas is still better than a lot of rappers, now
Jay z is decent at rapping but more often than not has excellent production. He is a man who surrounds himself with talents to make up for what he lacks.
Like most jay z songs I like is because is on point, rather than enjoy jay z is saying
illmatic22
Banned
Jay
NipplesAndToes23
Member
You liked it? I didn't really like it and found the new track he did Badu boring.
Syphon Filter
Member
You know what is weird, as a huge Nas fan and my preference is him over jay, I think Reasonable Doubt is better than Illmatic.
They're both in my top 5 (even if Jay's career is incredibly inconsistent because he's done a remarkable job of staying relevant). But, and I say this to every person I know and it drives them crazy, but I still think Nasty Nas is the greatest of all time. I may put Rakim Allah first, simply because without him or Slick Rick or G Rap or Kane, then rap as we know it would probably be a lot different, but yeah, Nas remains a titan.
But hey, I'm also the dude people start ignoring when I tell them that there were at least five to ten better rappers than Biggie or Pac while they were alive. (And two are from Shaolin.)
But hey, I'm also the dude people start ignoring when I tell them that there were at least five to ten better rappers than Biggie or Pac while they were alive. (And two are from Shaolin.)
Syphon Filter
Member
hugocésar;217921904 said:
Where to start with Rakim? I haven't heard him yet but he gets huge praise.
Bounceounce
Member
I'm gonna say that depends on what you're looking for.
If you classify the highest level of lyricism revolving around sprawling multis in tracks, then Nas is your guy.
He's able to write sprawling tracks of fluid story without breaking the flow, something like a NY State of Mind or a Doo Rags won't be found in Jay's catalog.
But that's not really all I listen for in my rap music.
I feel that Jay has an incredible level of ability with multis and internals just like Nas, but whereas Nas is focused around more straight, long, narratives in his verses, Jay has a style that tackles the more non purely syllable based, clever rhyming aspects of rap, and blends both the former and the latter into a style I can really enjoy:
"Up in the clouds, me and my spouse
Rumors on the ground gettin' too loud Please turn them shits down, can't hear myself think Turbulence, shit, almost spilled my drink."
When I listen to that I get:
"Up in the clouds, me and my spouse", which serves as them being in their private jet, but can also serve as them being in their heads, thinking, having their heads in the clouds trying to escape physically with their plane, and mentally with their mind.
"Rumors on the ground gettin' too loud Please turn them shits down"
They're trying to escape the rumors and the stress,but it still reaches them high above in their plane, and still bombards Jay when he tries to think to a different place.
Also the rumors being on the ground and Jay/Bey being above them serves as Jay being above such things/such people, as well as those people essentially being bottom feeders.
"Turbulence, shit, almost spilled my drink."
And that's turbulence on the plane, as well as turbulence in Jay's life, but he almost spills his drink, which means he manages to catch himself from all the negativity he was talking about and in the previous bars exactly after that jolt and switches back to his typical braggadocio rap showing us that it possibly just isn't that big of a deal, or that he just won't let it bother him as he smokes joints and sits next to Hillary smelling like dank.
These compartmentalized mental explanations are are something I really enjoy from Jay that I don't feel I get from Nas, at least in this way.
And that's just one example of why I enjoy him.
Edit:
I meant to conclude with Reasonable Doubt and American Gangster having a poetic, and clever type lyricism that I not only prefer, but I feel is a skill he trumps Nas in.
Syphon Filter,
I would just start with their first album. Paid in Full is really great and I think you'll immediately see the impact he had on other rappers. One of the most impressive things I always forget about most rappers' debut albums, is that they made them in their late teens/early twenties. Here I am, trying to be a writer in my mid twenties, and Rakim wrote one of the most influential albums in the genre at age sixteen/seventeen. Man...
I would just start with their first album. Paid in Full is really great and I think you'll immediately see the impact he had on other rappers. One of the most impressive things I always forget about most rappers' debut albums, is that they made them in their late teens/early twenties. Here I am, trying to be a writer in my mid twenties, and Rakim wrote one of the most influential albums in the genre at age sixteen/seventeen. Man...
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
Nas has more raw talent, but I'll be honest most of his shit is fucking terrible.
Jay-Z is infinitely more listenable throughout his career.
and Reasonable Doubt >>> Illmatic
Jay-Z is infinitely more listenable throughout his career.
and Reasonable Doubt >>> Illmatic
Syphon Filter
Member
How you figure when Black Album....
righthandmouse
Banned
Jay z and keys did come out for the world series. So I'll give em that. They're honestly both good. Nas is just better. Nas is like. Nas is like.
American Gangster is fantastic, and while Watch the Throne is ultimately a Kanye album, and the critique could definitely be made that Jay is trying to catch up in some aspects (not being in his element as Jay is at his most supreme is on New York ass New York beats), I still think he has several moments of brilliance and honesty on that album (Welcome to the Jungle, Primetime, etc.).
Syphon Filter
Member
How is it terrible? All his albums are good including his most recent, cant say the same for jay z. Also what do you mean its more listenable?
Dreams-Visions
Member
true. It really depends on mood. Like there are days I can listen to Jay and Nas is too much. Or visa versa. It really just depends.
But I think it's an objective fact that Nas is the far, far, FAR superior lyricist. It's just a question of whether you're in a steak & potatoes mood or a Five Guys burger & fries mood. One can't scratch the other itch.y
Putting my biased nature aside, I think at the very least we can agree that Illmatic is the template and the standard for what a rap album, especially a debut, should be in terms of structure and content (ten tracks, an intro and one guest appearance), meaning that a solo album should be the sole representation of said artist's message and presentation. It gives me a fucking headache every time I see a rapper's debut album come out and it has eighteen tracks and sixteen of them have guest appearances.
Bounceounce
Member
I was speaking more to rapping style, as in Jay's focused on punchlines, entendres, and metaphors, just general clever stuff, while Nas is largely a storyteller with excellent, clever multisyllable rhyming.
Which is why I'm confused at all the people saying Nas is without a doubt a better rapper, as they're discounting and entire aspect of rapping.
(And I also believe Jay is an excellent multisylable rhymer, must great internals)
disappeared
Banned
Nas.
Jay. Absolutely.
Throughout Jay's career we've seen him grow, switch his style up and turn into who he is today. He went from the Mafioso hustler in the beginning to the flossing street hustler to the cool "he's that nigga running things" in the jerseys Jay to the guy who went against Nas to a legend retiring to being the man running Def Jam to coming back and still being that dude to forming RocNation to having his biggest hits in his 40s and boom, here he is today. Musically he's changed a lot too. Basically Jay adapts and he's very versatile.
Nas? I love Nas but I'll be real with you. Nas has not evolved and changed as much as Jay has. Nas has pretty much been the same dude except with more money and better clothes.
So I gotta go with Jay.
Throughout Jay's career we've seen him grow, switch his style up and turn into who he is today. He went from the Mafioso hustler in the beginning to the flossing street hustler to the cool "he's that nigga running things" in the jerseys Jay to the guy who went against Nas to a legend retiring to being the man running Def Jam to coming back and still being that dude to forming RocNation to having his biggest hits in his 40s and boom, here he is today. Musically he's changed a lot too. Basically Jay adapts and he's very versatile.
Nas? I love Nas but I'll be real with you. Nas has not evolved and changed as much as Jay has. Nas has pretty much been the same dude except with more money and better clothes.
So I gotta go with Jay.
Frustrated_me
Member
Nas
The Artisan
Member
Ill prove you lost already.
I think Jay Z's music is more entertaining but Nas's music has better content overall.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
Jigga. Nas had like a 5 year period where he wasn't doing shit.
Nas fell off the face of the Earth. I often wonder if he would have bothered dropping another album if Jigga hadn't called him out on Takeover.
Even when he came back, he lost his fire from the beef after one album. God's Son was boring outside of 2 tracks, Streets Disciple was alright but had tons of filler, and the best track from HHID has Jigga on it!
Nas fell off the face of the Earth. I often wonder if he would have bothered dropping another album if Jigga hadn't called him out on Takeover.
Even when he came back, he lost his fire from the beef after one album. God's Son was boring outside of 2 tracks, Streets Disciple was alright but had tons of filler, and the best track from HHID has Jigga on it!
Syphon Filter
Member
jay "sold out", its why nas is better. People prefer if they stay the same and consistent.
Just_myles
Member
Nas, no doubt.
I am in agreement that if it's a non-alchemist/primo beat, it's meh.
I am in agreement that if it's a non-alchemist/primo beat, it's meh.
Jay z by far
Nas has the best diss track . Nas suffered from the same thing that hurt Talib Kweli. Just never got the great beats Jay z did. When Talib Kweli team up with high tec made his greatest album.
Jay z throughout his career team up with some of the greatest beat makers and producers.
Nas has the best diss track . Nas suffered from the same thing that hurt Talib Kweli. Just never got the great beats Jay z did. When Talib Kweli team up with high tec made his greatest album.
Jay z throughout his career team up with some of the greatest beat makers and producers.
I agree Jay Z wins here, but that doesn't make him better than Nas as a rapper, which is how I viewed the question.
Bounceounce
Member
That's how I posed the question.
I think people in this thread are not giving Jay's lyricism enough credit, and aren't focusing on the wide breadth of technique in rap.
He's an excellent writer(in a rapping sense).
- Status