Am I the only one who thinks Nas > Em?

[ThomasJ]

Just wondering...

[EminemBase]

No I doubt that you are.

I would argue Eminem is better on so many levels though. Nas can only do a few things - He does them incredibly well but Eminem can do 1,000 things.

He's so much more versatile and artistic. Nas is a great lyricist but he's not a 'big thinking artist' in the way Eminem or Kanye is. He's poetic, but not artistic.

Eminem could write Nas songs. Nas couldn't write Eminem songs.

[ThomasJ]

Not sure I quite understand...
Care to explain?

[EminemBase]

Not sure I quite understand...
Care to explain?

Well I can't be bothered to type out a huge essay, it's so consuming.

But I'll briefly try say what I mean...

Nas is more like Lennox Lewis, Eminem is more like Mike Tyson. Nas is very technical and 'proper' as a rapper, you can't deny the quality of his game.

Where as Eminem is FREAKISHLY good in so many departments. He's like a robot. I mean just in pure... technical specifics, Nas can't match Em's flow or wordplay. His quality may be to a higher standard sometimes (especially recently) but that's because he's so stern.

Nas rarely drifts outside his comfort zone. Every album you get the same deal.

Nas also isn't artistic. Eminem and Kanye consider aeshtetics and... 'ideas'. Nas is more concerned about conveying a message or asserting a point.

Nas isn't a genius storyteller, nor a deep emotional rapper. He only has a few shades to his sphere where as Em has 100. You don't see Nas writing a song like "White America" then something like "Same Song and Dance".

Eminem embodies so many mindsets in his music, he picks personas and... Man, Nas is just nowhere near the artist. I'm sure we could all pick bones about multies and other trivial things - Of which Em would still win anyway but that's not as important as the ideas.

Nothing Nas has done touches the sides of The Marshall Mathers LP. That is a MASTERPIECE. Illmatic could be considered close to (or even a) masterpiece but it's only that due to its QUALITY not its ideas. The quality of its lyricism and the execution make it that.

Where as MMLP is pure reactionary genius. Eminem literally consumed every criticism thrown at him, bottled it up into poetic rage and spewed it back out in the form of an album.

IF I COULD CAPTURE THE RAGE OF TODAY'S YOUTH AND BOTTLE IT / CRUSH THE GLASS WITH MY BARE HANDS AND SWALLOW IT...

Prime Eminem is just eons above Nas. And I am a big Nas fan. But he doesn't compare. Prime Eminem is a seriously mind-blowing artist. It's easy to forget how savvy, self-aware, poetically inclined and powerful a thinker he was at his height.

Nas hasn't taken rap close to the extremes he has and his ideas aren't anywhere near as compelling. Nor his execution and he's much more limited. But we could talk about it all day long, so I'm out of this thread, have fun debating this one lol.

[stillmatic]

I'm with you there, and I guarantee you most neutral hip hop heads would too (non-Eminem or Nas fans), however, the margin should be closer than it is.

It can be said that Eminem wouldn't be Eminem if it wasn't for Nas. Nas paved the way for Eminem to determine what type of artist he wanted to be, he let Eminem grow into himself and recognize the material he wanted to work with and how he wanted to deliver his messages through music. Nas impacted on Eminem a lot, whereas Eminem has had pretty slim to no impact on Nas.

Nas also has a better collection of music, including arguably the greatest hip hop album of all time, as well as other countless classics. Eminem by his own admission probably has 2 or 3 classics, and even that's debatable. Nas would excel in any era of hip hop, whereas Eminem seems to have hit his mark at the right time. Eminem also received a little co-sign from Dr.Dre. He had great producers for much of his career, whereas Nas' weakest area is his production, and he's still managed to overcome that weakness with incredible ease.

Where Nas widens the gap a little more is that his music is poetry for all, whereas Eminem's detailed songs often relate just to himself and his struggles. Nas is narrating street life, whereas Eminem is able to narrate only his life. Also Nas is more socially aware of the world than Eminem, it is clear he is more intelligent about the happenings around the world, this allows his music to be much more complex but at the same time smarter than someone like Eminem. Nas has made flawless albums, whereas Eminem has not.

[dR3]

Prime Em > prime Nas in my opinion.

[MikeNUFC]

Where Nas widens the gap a little more is that his music is poetry for all, whereas Eminem's detailed songs often relate just to himself and his struggles. Nas is narrating street life, whereas Eminem is able to narrate only his life. Also Nas is more socially aware of the world than Eminem, it is clear he is more intelligent about the happenings around the world, this allows his music to be much more complex but at the same time smarter than someone like Eminem. Nas has made flawless albums, whereas Eminem has not.

I tend to disagree here.

I think Eminem is incredibly socially aware - what I like about Em is he takes his own situation but uses it in broader context - I think White America is a the best example of this. I also think Rock Bottom is narrating what a lot of people are feeling. Criminal and The Real Slim Shady look at the broad issue of censroship and freedom of speech. LTYWL takes a broad look at domestic violence, Sing For The Moment looks at the effect of rap's music as a whole, despite it being personal. '97 Bonnie & Clyde and Kim are more than just killing his wife, it's about love and what it can do. That's just of the top of my head, therre are more.

You have to look at the songs in a wider context .He may narrate it as his own but it can be so easily used in a broader context. Nas makes it more obvious and that's probably why people praise him more than Em for that aspect of his game.

On topic, I think Eminem is the better emcee as well as the better artist. The way he flawlessly rhymes on the SSLP will never be touched, not even by Illmatic IMO (and I LOVE that album). I think Em is actaully more versatile. Both have huge versatility in their work but Em trumps Nas in that aspect, personally. SSLP has far more variety than Illmatic, for example. Rock Bottom to Cum On Everybody to My Name Is to Still Dont Give A Fuck to 97 Bonnie & Clyde.

Right now? Nas is better. But overall, Em's better.

I would say Nas is far more consistent, though.

[Devil'sAdvocate]

Em > Nas

in every fucking aspect of rapping.

[DƎRDYPK]

no TJ your not

[Devil'sAdvocate]

no TJ your not

DENIAL DENIAL NIKKA!

[DƎRDYPK]

no TJ your not

DENIAL DENIAL NIKKA!

[brenn]

I cant decide between them who is better.

[mcZu]

^Like Clarky mentioned, Nas is a far better storyteller than Eminem. Rewind, Undying Love, I Gave You Power >*

Nas, to me, is better. Well, I prefer Nas over Eminem. Nas has this poetical allure going in each verse he drops. I enjoy Nas' songs more than I enjoy Eminem's songs. Nas sometims rhymes words that almost nobody uses, which makes his lyrics only more appealing. Eminem does that too, but Em makes words rhyme that people usually can't make rhyme. Nas' vocabulary is unique. Plus Nas' wordplay is incredible too. It isn't a Lupe Fiasco level of wordplay, but definitely good. And, as people before me mentioned, Nas is more consistent.

[Almostlity]

say ''rapper' > Eminem and EminemBase will come and stomp you to the ground.


combine best lyricist,best punchline rapper,rapper with best flow, best producer, best story-teller etc

say his better than Eminem, EB would still disagree. coz eminemz the best ya dig?


ps. Em fell off harder than apple that hit Newton

[Devil'sAdvocate]

say ''rapper' > Eminem and EminemBase will come and stomp you to the ground.


combine best lyricist,best punchline rapper,rapper with best flow, best producer, best story-teller etc

say his better than Eminem, EB would still disagree. coz eminemz the best ya dig?


ps. Em fell off harder than apple that hit Newton

Eminembase is right man

Em is the best lyricist

Punchlines isnt an aspect of rap,not that important

Em deff has the best flows

Em is a great producer

Em is THE BEST STORY TELLER.

Em is the Best rhymer

He did not fall off,his first 3 albums are enough to prove my point.