10 Reasons Why Nas Is Better Than Jay-Z (by Complex)

[King Lance]

It's now a tired discussion, but one that hasn't been definitively answered: Who's better: Queensbridge's prodigal son or Marcy's ambassador? The two have been at odds with one another since Nas reportedly flaked on a Reasonable Doubt recording session. They then entered into a back-and-forth that culminated in one of rap's greatest on-record beefs. A beef that produced some of each rapper's best work. It's also a beef that, according to Hot 97 listeners in 2001, Nas won. But when determining who's the better MC, we should start in 1994.

It was two years before Jay Z would drop his debut. It was the year when the Notorious B.I.G. would drop the highly anticipated Ready to Die. But, more importantly, it's the year when Nasir Jones dropped Illmatic, the culmination of his work with his mentor Large Professor and a bevy of the best producers available at the time: Q-Tip, DJ Premier, and Pete Rock. Lean, expertly produced, and preternaturally rapped, the 10-track project was given the then highly coveted five mic rating in The Source and would go down in history as the greatest rap album ever recorded. Despite himself releasing two albums that have been declared "classic" (Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint), Jay Z has not released an album as good as Nas' debut.

It's not too difficult to surmise why: Jay Z has openly admitted to dumbing down his content to reach more listeners. Hov is a ruthless capitalist, a man who first sees bottom-lines and works backward in order to achieve his desired result. His goal, as he stated on record many times, was to become a multimillionaire many times over ("I'm raping Def Jam 'til I'm the Hundred-Million Man"). In order to accomplish that goal, Jay Z has trend-hopped his way through the years, adopting new flows, sounds, and styles from fresh talent. He hones his marketing acumen, figuring out new ways to bank off his image, even going so far as to fake retire.

Nas, for the most part, stayed true to himself. Sure, there was the whole Nastradamus fiasco, but everyone's allowed a misstep. Instead of borrowing flows, he refined the one he came in with. His flow is held in such high regard that newer rappers bragged about approximating it. Remember the opening to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy? There's a new NYC rapper who, though nice with the pen, is getting massive shine because people thought he was Nas. And at a time when older rappers are trying to figure out a way to gracefully age while staying hip to the new sh*t, Nas, as displayed on Life Is Good, is comfortable doing what feels comfortable to him. There's no Drake hook. No Hit-Boy beat. No European fashion on the cover. Just Nas. In 2014, that sounds like a win.

For more evidence of why Nas trumps Jay Z, watch the video for 10 Reasons Nas Is Better Than Jay Z.

http://www.complex.com/tv/music/jay-...H9UEWWnzZOvh47 (click the link for the video)

1.) Nas early releases sparked Frenzy, Hov's was ignored
2.) Illmatic is better than every Jay-Z album
3.) Nas has stayed consistent, instead of trend hopping
4.) Nas has remained loyal to his mentor (LP) instead of Hov (Jaz-O)
5.) Nas doesn't "quote" other artists like Jay does
6.) Nas's "pure state of mind" > Jay's
7.) Nas never made a song with coldplay or linking park
8.) Ether
9.) Nas never faked retired
10.) Nas has aged more gracefully as a rapper

[Chazi]

True but some of these facts are ridiculous

[Raul]

Reason 7 is idiotic.

[Music_box]

some of these facts are ridiculous

[ShadyxEminem]

[quote="Chazi"]True but some of these facts are ridiculous[/quote)
I agree.

"Nas doesn't "quote" other artists like Jay does"
"Nas never made a song with coldplay or linking park"
"Nas never faked retired" like, what?

[King Lance]

1st page.

This spot is for sales

[classthe_king]

1.) Nas early releases sparked Frenzy, Hov's was ignored

Every subsequent Nas album was ignored and Jay's sparked frenzy

2.) Illmatic is better than every Jay-Z album

Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint and The Black Album are better than every other Nas album

3.) Nas has stayed consistent, instead of trend hopping

aka Nas is stuck in the 90s and hasn't been able to adapt with the times.

4.) Nas has remained loyal to his mentor (LP) instead of Hov (Jaz-O)

has nothing to do with rapping

5.) Nas doesn't "quote" other artists like Jay does

has nothing to do with rapping

6.) Nas's "pure state of mind" > Jay's

"one Nas song from his prime is better than one Jay song from well out of his prime"
meaningless

7.) Nas never made a song with coldplay or linking park

Jay-Z has never made a song with Jennifer Lopez or Kelis

8.) Ether

Take over

9.) Nas never faked retired

nothing to do with rapping

10.) Nas has aged more gracefully as a rapper

says complex?

[Mr Change]

lol wat

[6PRDMD9]

Stupid reasons. Stupid debate that's been done to death then preserved with formaldehyde to be done more.

[Mr Change]

1.) Nas early releases sparked Frenzy, Hov's was ignored

Every subsequent Nas album was ignored and Jay's sparked frenzy

2.) Illmatic is better than every Jay-Z album

Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint and The Black Album are better than every other Nas album

3.) Nas has stayed consistent, instead of trend hopping

aka Nas is stuck in the 90s and hasn't been able to adapt with the times.

4.) Nas has remained loyal to his mentor (LP) instead of Hov (Jaz-O)

has nothing to do with rapping

5.) Nas doesn't "quote" other artists like Jay does

has nothing to do with rapping

6.) Nas's "pure state of mind" > Jay's

"one Nas song from his prime is better than one Jay song from well out of his prime"
meaningless

7.) Nas never made a song with coldplay or linking park

Jay-Z has never made a song with Jennifer Lopez or Kelis

8.) Ether

Take over

9.) Nas never faked retired

nothing to do with rapping

10.) Nas has aged more gracefully as a rapper

says complex?

ethered tbh

[Trimss]

The quoting part actually implies Jay bites other rappers which has everything to do with rapping.

[TheBoss123]

Reason 7 is idiotic.

Yeah I thought so too.

[Josh]

1.) Nas early releases sparked Frenzy, Hov's was ignored

Every subsequent Nas album was ignored and Jay's sparked frenzy

2.) Illmatic is better than every Jay-Z album

Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint and The Black Album are better than every other Nas album

3.) Nas has stayed consistent, instead of trend hopping

aka Nas is stuck in the 90s and hasn't been able to adapt with the times.

4.) Nas has remained loyal to his mentor (LP) instead of Hov (Jaz-O)

has nothing to do with rapping

5.) Nas doesn't "quote" other artists like Jay does

has nothing to do with rapping

6.) Nas's "pure state of mind" > Jay's

"one Nas song from his prime is better than one Jay song from well out of his prime"
meaningless

7.) Nas never made a song with coldplay or linking park

Jay-Z has never made a song with Jennifer Lopez or Kelis

8.) Ether

Take over

9.) Nas never faked retired

nothing to do with rapping

10.) Nas has aged more gracefully as a rapper

says complex?

[Rafael]

Nas > Jay imo

But yeah, this is really stupid.

A bait list if there ever was one.

[Chazi]

RD is overrated