Nas vs. Jay-Z

[Satire]

Yesterday I was assigned a book report on who I think is the better rapper of the two. I tried Googling it but there aren't any results and I'm desperate so I figured that I can get help from my favorite TRShadians as well as bring some discussion to the HHD.

So who do you guys think is the better artist and why?

[classthe_king]

Nas. I never got into Jay-Z's music besides like 5 songs and Reasonable Doubt. His beats and subject matter annoy me. Nas on the other hand always says something worth listening to.

[Devil'sAdvocate]

Nas is more consistent and has an edge,hes the better lyricist.

even though jay excels in other aspects,he is so smart,he has some incredible lines,better metaphors,and experiments a little more with his flow,while nas barely changes his flow,but when he does he really goes in.

i prefer nas a little over jay.

after jay dropped the black album,his material became just a lil off and on for me,but i still enjoy it.

2 GOATS,imo.

[Sam.]

Nas 'cuz he always says something worth listening to

[RealSickLindley]

Jay, because i believe he is the greatest to do it.

People say Jay talks about money and material goods.. But that's his life, he came from one of the hardest parts of America, seeing people die from an early age. He hustled in the streets, being a recognised dealer, and nearly doing a lot of time in prison on more than one occasion. He hustled to make himself what he is now, and because of his business mind and attitude, he now has millions and the one of the fittest girls in the world. Then he hears these rappers talking about having more money than everyone else, whilst biting at his ankles.. What would you mention? lol I love how he deals with beef, the GOAT of wit and subliminal lines.

People say he mentions Big too much.. If you were best friends with one of the greatest of all time, who after 2 albums got shot in his prime, you'd mention him all the time too. Biggie is a God of New York, and Jay Z is New York til he dies. It's like if you were best friends with a legend of your sports team, then he died, you'd rep that dude til the end..

His discography can't be fucked with, he has so many flows, as well as 11 straight number 1 albums in the mainstream whilst making underground anthems. Now, it's only because Big L and Biggie got ended early on that he couldn't be fucked with, but regardless, he deserves his props, cos no one knows who would've gone on to flop if they'd lived.

As far as Nas, he started off speaking about the streets, which wasn't him. So despite Illmatic being a total classic, it didn't appeal to me as much as, say, Blueprint did. Jay is about his money and hustle, Nas doesn't have that, so he went more political, talking about the problems of the world. Call it taste, but i can listen Jay talking about his rise and putting down another rapper in one line, than listening to Nas sounding like a charity, despite him being very honest in his intentions.

I personally thought Ether and Takeover were even, i personally prefer Takeover as a song.. But i think there was a bigger reaction to Ether because people knew Nas was sick, but maybe didn't expect such a strong diss song from him.

[dead prez]

Anyways Nas I guess.

Nas is a much better thematic writer and has better of the English language not to mention is more "booksmart" and incorparates his knowledge into his rhymes without ever sounding like a Canibus.

Whereas Jay is more clever "wordplay" wise, with his double entendres.

Flow- I guess Jay is more versatile and consistant, but if their both at their primes than Nas' is definitely better.

Overall artist- Jay has better beats for the most apart, but his albums have stayed pretty remained the same throughout his career (road to riches story/mafioso), whereas Nas comes up with more unique concepts each album (well except for it was IWW, everyone was doing mafioso at the time).

[Master Chief]

I love Nas but I feel like he's put on a pedestal where you CANNOT say anything bad about him or you will be attacked and flamed by so called "Hip-Hop heads".

Jay-Z on this one. He's def. one of the best to ever do it. Even his weakest album BP3 isn't nearly as bad as Nastradamus or I Am.

I would go more in depth but RealSickLindley pretty much summarized what I would say.

[dead prez]

Voice and delivery are definitely not towards Jay z (flow you can make a case for) but he sounds his voice irritates the shit out of me, and sounds so hoarse.

Oh and beats are definitely towards Jay z (hell they're half the reason his albums are "classics" at times), only albums of Nas that I thought had stellar production were HHID and Illmatic.

[Master Chief]

I also believe that because Nas won the beef that people will go for him, just for that reason as if it matters at all when determining who's better.

[FreeSpeech]

Jay-Z

-He has much better beats, in general
-I like his voice/delivery better
-Nas has tons of amazing songs, but he also has tons of boring stuff. Jay's "boring" stuff like Kingdom Come is still good listening music to me.
-Jay is more creative, artistically.
-Anyone who criticizes Jay for talking money and hos just needs to listen to Moment of Clarity.
-Nas is a better technical lyricist, but I prefer Jay's quotables. And Jay's still a sick rapper...
-Jay's persona and mic presence is far better
-Nas is incappable of making a huge radio song. I don't usually judge rappers off their radio success, but since Jay can make both radio hits and lyrical songs, he is much more versatile.
-Jay is much more interesting of a person. I love his work ethic, he's built an empire.
-100% irrelevant to this discussion, but Beyone >>>>>>> Kelis in BOTH personality and looks.

[Sla]

My vote goes to Jay-Z, know more good songs of him.


99 problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one - hit me

[slimshadylappin]

Nas by far because of his consistent discography and he always finds new things to talk about.

Jay is one of the most overrated ever IMO

[Xray]

Lyrics: Nas
Beats: Tie
Flow: Jay-Z
Delivery: Jay-Z
Albums: Nas
Classics: Illmatic
Disses: Nas

Jay's flow is nice, but Nas is the overall better artist.

[stillmatic]

Jay-Z

-He has much better beats, in general
]

Jay does have better beats with the exception of Illmatic and It was written. However, Jay's beats have constantly outshined him for the entirety of his career, and that's not a good look at all.

Nas has tons of amazing songs, but he also has tons of boring stuff. Jay's "boring" stuff like Kingdom Come is still good listening music to me

I'd rather listen to "boring" songs about different aspects of the world and societies troubles then listen to easy flowing music about selling crack 20 years a go and now sitting on a yacht endlessly.

-Jay is more creative, artistically.

Lol. Are you serious? I doubt Hov would be able to say that with a straight face.

Anyone who criticizes Jay for talking money and hos just needs to listen to Moment of Clarity.

I've listened to that song about a hundred times....I fail to see what you're getting at. One moment of clarity doesn't outweigh a decade of inconsistencies.

-Jay's persona and mic presence is far better

What persona would that be exactly? There's not that many MC's who when they get on a track with another artist, that listeners listen to every word. Nas is one of them, more so than Jay.

Nas is incappable of making a huge radio song. I don't usually judge rappers off their radio success, but since Jay can make both radio hits and lyrical songs, he is much more versatile.

Crossover potential doesn't mean more versatile. There's a massive difference here, and Jay isn't even close to Nas' versatility.

-Jay is much more interesting of a person. I love his work ethic, he's built an empire.

Lol @ Jay building an empire. Jay admittedly screwed over close friends repeatedly to get to where he is. He practically stole and did dealings behind his best friends to get a competitive advantage on his own business partners. Where I come from that doesn't make you more interesting, that makes you a rat.

]100% irrelevant to this discussion, but Beyone >>>>>>> Kelis in BOTH personality and looks.

You're right, it is irrelevant. But if you get off on your favourite artists banging hot girls, then understand that Nas had Beyonce first, and has been through the likes of MJB too.

[MikeNUFC]

Jay-Z on this one. He's def. one of the best to ever do it. Even his weakest album BP3 isn't nearly as bad as Nastradamus or I Am

Blueprint 3 is Encore level.

Nastradamus is really bad but not BP3 level.

I Am.. is actaully pretty decent. The original version of that would have been amazing (some of the original songs ended up on Lost Tapes) and Nas would have had 3 classics in a row (4 if you include Stillmatic to follow)

Shame Nas decided to go down the double album route and scrap his original idea.

Also, I Am... >>>> Street's Disciple