Hip-Hop Theory: I think Nas always wanted AZ to stay in his shadow

[NormanConnors]

I came up around that time and from what I remember AZ was supposed to blow with that second album pieces of a man. Me and my boys heavily anticipated it but it kept getting pushed back. When that shyt dropped finally it was terrible besides a few joints. He never recovered.

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Pieces of a man was KIND of underrated though in a way, kind of..

 

[AnonymityX1000]

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Pieces of a man was KIND of underrated though in a way, kind of..

Only after 9 Lives was worse. lol
Aziatic was decent, aa noticable improvement but nothing to talk about like he killed the game.

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Cormega, Tradgedy, and Nore have all said how Nas was scared to be out rapped by AZ which is why no joint album ever happened. And I gotta say I believe what they say. Nas did a joint album with Damian Marley but not AZ lol.​

I don't recall any of them saying that

 

[spliz]

Cormega, Tradgedy, and Nore have all said how Nas was scared to be out rapped by AZ which is why no joint album ever happened. And I gotta say I believe what they say. Nas did a joint album with Damian Marley but not AZ lol.​

This is stupid and more than likely a lie. Ive never heard any of them say that. Nas’ career moves since the beginning suggested COMPLETELY otherwise. Bottom line is Nas aint gonna do shyt he dont feel like doing. There was supposed to be a Nas/Preemo album too. Nas has done nothing but help AZ for damn near 20 years and AZ will tell u this himself.

 

[ISO]

AZ would be maybe the 5th best rapper even if he was in the Wu.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Lots of weird Nas threads recently


Nas wanted AZ in his shadows so much he...put him on Illmatic, was all over Doe or Die, put him on The Firm album (and its biggest single), featured him in a Sprite ad, worked with him multiple times on each other's albums...



sheeeiit if that shyt equals "making someone stay in Nas' shadow" hell...let me stay in your shadow Nas

I can't rap but lemme star in a Sprite ad with the god. I'll take a swig of Sprite and just say "aaahhhhh"

 

[Soymuscle Mike]

M


Receipts? I’ve never heard any of them say that Nas was scared of being outrapped by the SAME AZ he put on the Firm and has done over TEN songs with....

Nas has been on tracks with:

AZ
Kool G Rap
Slick Rick
Rakim
Krs One
Raekwon
Ghost
Mega
Prodigy
Havoc
Mega
Big Pun
Method Man
DMX
Jay
Snoop
Kurupt
Scarface
Luda
Etc

Most of them in their absolute primes. First non Wu rapper on a Wu album etc.

That man is/was scared of no-one, let alone the cat he basically made an album with. He had him on his three biggest albums (Illmatic, IWW, Stillmatic).

Come on man.

 

[surv2syn]

dont agree with thread title, but I do believe Nas intentionally distanced himself from AZ after The Firm. Nas never seemed like a guy that would be jelly like that but definitely didnt think he was as loyal to AZ as was reciprocated. AZ aint the dikkridin type either. I never heard him say nothing negative about Nas and vise-versa. whenever asked what hip hop has been cheated out of, first thing that will always come to mind for me would be a Nas/AZ album.

 

[JoseLuisGotcha]

The GOAT Commercial ....I might order a sprite today at lunch on the strength

 

[UserNameless]

“Nas got rich, ain’t reach back... I ain’t riff yet.” - AZ


But nah ... I beleive AZ had to capability and potential to be MORE versatile than Nas, but as another poster said he never found his sound and kept chasing other rappers and producers approaches/sounds on some bootleg shyt , but still gave is memorable music . And that’s a testament to his talent. Additionally some labels failed AZ but I highly doubt AZ is hurting by any means.


He shoulda popped tho. He seems to be fine with his place in history regardless .

 

[L. Deezy]

Who in the Wu was AZ better than in the 90s?

Not Meth
Not Rae
Not Ghost
Not GZA

Deck? Ehhhhhhh

 

[L. Deezy]

dont agree with thread title, but I do believe Nas intentionally distanced himself from AZ after The Firm. Nas never seemed like a guy that would be jelly like that but definitely didnt think he was as loyal to AZ as was reciprocated. AZ aint the dikkridin type either. I never heard him say nothing negative about Nas and vise-versa. whenever asked what hip hop has been cheated out of, first thing that will always come to mind for me would be a Nas/AZ album.

Nas and AZ wasnt a group.. no such thing as distancing. You had the whole ROC going at Nas, but not one Firm mufuhker, especially AZ even said a word back to the ROC.

But Nas should be holding AZ down? Ohhhhhhh ok

 

[malbaker86]

Nas and AZ wasnt a group.. no such thing as distancing. You had the whole ROC going at Nas, but not one Firm mufuhker, especially AZ even said a word back to the ROC.

But Nas should be holding AZ down? Ohhhhhhh ok

You know.....that's an EXCELLENT point. AZ never held Nas down when Nas was going through his beef period. Kimda fukked up looking back on it

 

[No Homo]

Nas and AZ wasnt a group.. no such thing as distancing. You had the whole ROC going at Nas, but not one Firm mufuhker, especially AZ even said a word back to the ROC.

But Nas should be holding AZ down? Ohhhhhhh ok

AZ said he was ready to go at them if need be all nas had to do was give the word ..it was on one of them dvds back in the day

 

[IllmaticDelta]

dont agree with thread title, but I do believe Nas intentionally distanced himself from AZ after The Firm. Nas never seemed like a guy that would be jelly like that but definitely didnt think he was as loyal to AZ as was reciprocated. AZ aint the dikkridin type either. I never heard him say nothing negative about Nas and vise-versa. whenever asked what hip hop has been cheated out of, first thing that will always come to mind for me would be a Nas/AZ album.

nas put az on...how much more loyal can he get?