Andrew Korenchkin
Member
Nas overall, but Jay-Z, when he isn't phoning it in, is a force on the mic. Lyrically, he can be as impressive and outstanding, and those who disagree don't know shit about Hip Hop.
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Who do you prefer, Nas or Jay Z?
- Thread starter Bounceounce
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lightskintwin
Banned
Talk to 'em.
Vaudeville Villain
Member
Nas. Illmatic is just too good an album.
Nas by a long shot. I wasn't a big fan of Illmatic but IWW was amazing. I'm glad that album seems to get its due now a days because back then it was hated. Mostly due to the fact that people were dissapointed that Nas went the gansta/mobster route instead of sticking to the kid reporting on the hood.
Honestly I can't choose a preference between the two, they're just that good to me. When they're in the zone, their flow/wordplay/lyricism is impeccable. They still got it in 2016 too, loved Jay-Z's verse on Drug Dealer's Anonymous & Nas was great on Nas Album Done.
Nasir with ease. I'm a huge Jay fan and he has numerous classic albums/tracks, but he's completely washed up. AG was a long time ago now...
Nas is like 25 years in the game and still at the top. He's the GOAT
Just as an example.
Nas in 1992 with Halftime
Nas in late 2015 with One of us . 2016 with Nas Album Done
Anyone going with Jigga is a stan, plan and simple.
Nas is like 25 years in the game and still at the top. He's the GOAT
Just as an example.
Nas in 1992 with Halftime
Nas in late 2015 with One of us . 2016 with Nas Album Done
Anyone going with Jigga is a stan, plan and simple.
Andrew Korenchkin
Member
How so? Peope care about Nas's new material?
TheTylerRob
Member
Life is good was dope
Considering he has a Khaled single out simply called Nas album done? What the fuck do you think? He's been killing every feature he's been on for the past year and Life is Good was amazing adult shit. Unlike Jay, who can really only really rap about the dope game/how rich and amazing he is, Nas has figured out how to be relevant and have something meaningful to share and to say. Something like Bye Baby, where he raps about his divorce to Kelis is material that Jay isn't capable of at all anymore.
I mean, forget illmatic/Stillmatic/IWW/Distant Relatives, just something like Lost Tapes honestly shits all over most of what Jay has put out out. Poppa was a player? Purple? No Idea's Original? When you put it all together, like all his vast unreleased material and all his features (Eye for an Eye), (Verbal Intercourse) it's not even close. He came into the game with arguably one of, if not the best Rap albums of all time and he's still consistently great to this day.
And again, I'm saying this as someone who is a huge Jay fan. But he hasn't made any good music since American Gangster and that was nine years ago. In the end, that's what wildly separates the two in my mind. Longevity/consistency/ability/influence. You may have had an argument for either 15 years ago when Ether/Takeover were out there, but that's ancient history now.
In fact, that's what makes Nas the arguable GOAT because Rap is inherently a young person's game and it's easy to be labeled with that Larry Holmes status. Avoiding that and still being talked about with considerable respect/reverence is a remarkable achievement.
Nas. To me, Nas is the better rapper and artist. Illmatic is one of the best rap albums ever and Jay has never come close to topping it. Nas also has Stillmatic, God's Son, and The Lost Tapes all as classics. Untitled,It was written, and Life is Good are also very good albums. Jay has Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album as classics. He also has Hard Knock Life, Life and Times of S. Carter, The Dynasty, and American Gangster as very good albums. So really they are very close in terms of the quality of work they have put out. I think where they differ is Illmatic is one of the greatest rap ablums ever and honesty Jay has fallen off. He really has only had one good album since The Black Album came out in 2001(American Gangster) while Nas has had 3 or 4 good albums since then. I think Jay has been better at keeping himself relevant even though he's fallen off while Nas has gotten better at being a better and more consistent artist. If you ask me this question in 2001, I probably say Jay because his consistency up to that point.
the alleged original I am double album was godlike though.
the_batman
Banned
i'm going to go with Common
Byakuya769
Member
Jay.
But I'm not really checking for either in the year 2016. Andre 3000, though... I'd give up ten years of life for a full rap album from him today.
But I'm not really checking for either in the year 2016. Andre 3000, though... I'd give up ten years of life for a full rap album from him today.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Nas all the way. He's had some shit albums, but his good ones are at the top of the rap game.
While with Jay-Z he's at a consistent level of "its alright".
While with Jay-Z he's at a consistent level of "its alright".
3 stacks is bigfoot status. You might hear about a possible sighting but unless it's on tape you don't believe it
Paid in Full was Eric B. & Rakim's debut and it's one of the best albums of all time. Their other albums are really good too but I'd start at the beginning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TN-kDEKxF0
LookAtMeGo
Member
Illmatic and Reasonable doubt are 2 of my favorite albums of all time. If I'm being honest I like Reasonable Doubt better if only slightly, but I'd have to go with NAS as the better rapper. Hova IMO has been more consistent but I just like The Message NAS brings.
Overall I have to go with NAS.
Overall I have to go with NAS.
DeSo
Banned
Definitely Nas. Illmatic is one of my favourite albums and Lost tapes is dope too.
Love Jay Z though, Reasonable Doubt and Blueprint are so good.
Nas - Illmatic, It Was Written, Lost Tapes, Stillmatic, God's Son
Jay Z - Reasonable Doubt, Blueprint, Black Album, American Gangster
Hmm, Nas has more good albums, never really wrote it out like that.
Love Jay Z though, Reasonable Doubt and Blueprint are so good.
Nas - Illmatic, It Was Written, Lost Tapes, Stillmatic, God's Son
Jay Z - Reasonable Doubt, Blueprint, Black Album, American Gangster
Hmm, Nas has more good albums, never really wrote it out like that.
Bounceounce
Member
Was just listening to Nuthin To Do and It's Your World, Common is amazing.
People who say Jay "doesn't rap about adult shit" are people who wilfully forget his entire post Black Album discography.
It's entirely reasonable to argue that Jay doesn't rap about any topic nearly as well as he raps about braggadocio and drug related things, most people would and so would I.
But the vast majority of Kingdome Come, Blueprint 3, and Magna Carta Holy Grail deal with a wide variety of topics, and any references to his previous life are just that, references he can't avoid.
Personally, the only thing I come back to Life Is Good for is the production, otherwise it has the same (imo) meandering storytelling and awkward rhymes that I feel people excuse just because they're amid dense multis.
I cringe everytime I listen to Accidental Murderers, and I don't care how "adult" Daughters is, when I feel as though the style Nas is using seems more concerned with the message of the track rather than the track itself and has a very awkward chorus lead in, feel the same about Cherry Wine.
I'd sooner listen to Blue from Jay (which I also have issues with so I'm not exempting Jay), or Beach Chair (I also don't think this is that great), or New Day, or Glory.
And out of those albums you listed I really only hold Lost Tapes and Illmatic in high esteem, I listen to the Stillmatic intro, Ether, and then cut it off, just a slew of unlistenable songs and dense awkward rhymes follow imo, also I really can't stand activist/kufi Nas the majority of the time, I'd rather listen to Jay's social commentary rhymes when he writes them (the majority of the time).
Poppa Was A Player is dope yes, but it falls into the same trap of awkward sounding raps to me,I'd rather play Soon You'll Understand or This Can't Be Life.
I'd have to relisten to those other tracks to get a clear picture as I can only comment on Doo Rags and Poppa off top.
I think Jay's made plenty of good music since American Gangster, his features are consistently dope, he has quality loosies, WTT (no it's just not braggadocio rap, it's a good mixture and Jay has some great verses, though you probably have to count the bonuses), and contrary to popular belief, I think there are certain things to value on Magna Carta holy grail, despite my many criticisms of it.
(Also whenever I talk about Jay's current standing I'm only talking music, not longevity, or influence, or how old he is, or whatever, so make no mistake as to where I'm coming from)
Herbspiceguy
Member
This is how I feel about them as well and I used to be all about Nas over Jay-Z back in the day.
The Abominable Snowman
Member
Never really been a fan of Jay Z, but Nas' Lost Tapes I and Illmatic are two of my favorite albums ever.
sixteen-bit
Member
No poll?
Head of Vengarl
Banned
Nas had higher highs, but Jay-Z has a much wider body of good work.
I don't know if I could choose between Biggie and Pac. I'd probably have to go with Pac, though.
But between Nas and Jay-Z? Nas hands down.
This is one of the greatest gifs I've ever seen in my life.
Smooth Operator
Member
It's not even a contest. Jay is a smart business man tho'.
bobbychalkers
Member
I would say at their peaks, Nas is the better rapper but I think that Jay Z puts out better bodies of work.
SamuelSupreme
Banned
Hmm this is tough. I think Peak Jay-Z just edges Peak Nas out for me. But in terms of now? Nas no contest. He still gives a fuck, Nas album soon done was incredible.
I'd say Jay Z. I think Jay at his best (Blueprint) is better than any of Nas' work. His beat selection is way better than Nas'. Plus he found the perfect balance between being commercial and still being lyrical. Plus he's been the most consistent rapper in the past decade. The only albums that are garbage from Jay in my opinion is that magma carta and blueprint 2.
SamuelSupreme
Banned
Bruh Jay-Z's The Watcher 2 verse, Pray and Lyrical Exercise can not be fucked with
Syphon Filter
Member
All Nas albums are good. You didn't even include stillmatic which is arguably his best album ever.
Captainbojanglesiii
Banned
Nas
RocketRacoon
Member
Street Jay from around 99-01 is my favourite rapper. Lots of anger and swagger.
But Nas is the GOAT.
Jay and Nas both had a song on the new Khaled CD. One is a classic new school track that shows a legend is still going. The other is the Jay-z record.
But Nas is the GOAT.
Jay and Nas both had a song on the new Khaled CD. One is a classic new school track that shows a legend is still going. The other is the Jay-z record.
Syphon Filter
Member
What's wrong?
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