Is it fair to say that Nas is a better writer than Jay-z but Jay-z is a better rapper than Nas?

[Budda]

This is a classic!!

But this was done right around when he was still in his prime. Like '99, I believe. So during this time, he was still untouchable. He could do the R&B joints and still sound like Nas. But his own tracks about women, I don’t know, bro, lol. He's always been a little shaky with that.

That was definitely his prime but even now some of his verses on recent Rnb tracks have been great for example






Even on Kings disease Replace Me might be my top 3 songs on that album.

And till this day I love owe me and so do the women lol, always feel like it should be women who should be the best judge of what tracks made for women are good lol, women of that era love You Owe Me and they would love Replace Me too if it got proper marketing and push.

 

[Awesome Wells]

Dead Presidents is literally BUILT off of a Nas sample lol. Nas could do Dead Presidents in his sleep.

Nas also has the playa pimpin Jiggy songs that were hits. You Owe Me is a hit song. Oochie Wally is a hit song.

He’s got the sing a long shiny commercial jams. Street Dreams is a hit song.

Nas has played and succeeded in the realm Jay has. Jay has only recently begun toeing the line in the realm Nas has. To Jay’s credit, I really like 444, its an incredible album. But Nas been done mastered that when he was in his 20’s.

It being built off a vocal sample for the hook doesn't mean Nas himself can make the same song. LOL!!

You heard what Jay said about it. One is a hot line, another is a shot SONG. That's a Jay song. No one could've done that the way he did.

You Owe Me was not a hit. I was working at the label for Nastradamus. We couldn't get You Owe Me any higher than like 13-14 on the Rap charts, lol. People weren't buying that as a Nas song. They wanted other kind of sh*t from him. Sony lost mad money on that single. Couldn't even get it to Top 10, just in Hip Hop. On the overall charts, it peaked at like 60. Oochie Wally was like a year or so later, and we couldn't get that to higher than like 25.

They were popular songs around the way, but far from actual hits, lol. And that's cool, because that's not the kind of artist Nas is for those types of joints. He's not a singles kinda MC. You go buy his album. He's not making chart topping singles all the time. That's for those other rappers. Nas is an album guy.

 

[Budda]

I wouldn’t mind a whole album from son on this energy, . That ain’t happening tho, KD1 the closest we will get lol

Snap I just posted that didn’t see your post lol, you completely right.

 

[Budda]

It being built off a vocal sampler the hook doesn't mean Nas himself can make the same song. LOL!!

You heard what Jay said about it. One is a hot line, another is a shot SONG. That's a Jay song. No one could've done that the way he did.

You Owe Me was not a hit. I was working at the label for Nastradamus. We couldn't get You Owe Me any higher than like 13-14 on the Rap charts, lol. People weren't buying that as a Nas song. They wanted other kind of sh*t from him. Sony lost mad money on that single. Couldn't even get it to Top 10, just in Hip Hop. On the overall charts, it peaked at like 60. Oochie Wally was like a year or so later, and we couldn't get that to higher than like 25.

They were popular songs around the way, but far from actual hits, lol. And that's cool, because that's not the kind of artist Nas is for those types of joints. He's not a singles kinda MC. You go buy his album. He's not making chart topping singles all the time. That's for those other rappers. Nas is an album guy.

You right but also remember You Owe Me and Oochie Wally are more impactful now than many songs that went Top 20.

 

[Awesome Wells]

You right but also remember You Owe Me and Oochie Wally are more impactful now than many songs that went Top 20.

I don’t know, bro.
I kinda pretend he never did those records.

 

[Ziggiy]

It being built off a vocal sample for the hook doesn't mean Nas himself can make the same song. LOL!!

You heard what Jay said about it. One is a hot line, another is a shot SONG. That's a Jay song. No one could've done that the way he did.

You Owe Me was not a hit. I was working at the label for Nastradamus. We couldn't get You Owe Me any higher than like 13-14 on the Rap charts, lol. People weren't buying that as a Nas song. They wanted other kind of sh*t from him. Sony lost mad money on that single. Couldn't even get it to Top 10, just in Hip Hop. On the overall charts, it peaked at like 60. Oochie Wally was like a year or so later, and we couldn't get that to higher than like 25.

They were popular songs around the way, but far from actual hits, lol. And that's cool, because that's not the kind of artist Nas is for those types of joints. He's not a singles kinda MC. You go buy his album. He's not making chart topping singles all the time. That's for those other rappers. Nas is an album guy.

Since you worked for the label what qualified as a “Hit” back then? What were the labels expectations versus the result? I’m interested in your perspective even if I don’t necessarily agree because if you had a front row seat at least you’ve got context to speak on.

 

[Ziggiy]

I don’t know, bro.
I kinda pretend he never did those records.

If you go to any Nas concert the crowd goes WILD for Oochie Wally and women LOVE them some You Owe Me lmao.


I remember going to see him in 2014 at One Music Fest in ATL and after the concert a bunch of chicks were complaining because he didn’t do You Owe Me lol

 

[Budda]

If you go to any Nas concert the crowd goes WILD for Oochie Wally and women LOVE them some You Owe Me lmao.


I remember going to see him in 2014 at One Music Fest in ATL and after the concert a bunch of chicks were complaining because he didn’t do You Owe Me lol

And kids love I Can but a lot of Nas fans and adults of that era hated it, if Nas listened to purists he wouldn’t have any mainstream success at all, I mean he still did in the end but I’m glad he made one or two moves left field at the same time.

 

[Awesome Wells]

Since you worked for the label what qualified as a “Hit” back then? What were the labels expectations versus the result? I’m interested in your perspective even if I don’t necessarily agree because if you had a front row seat at least you’ve got context to speak on.

That's thing, Nas's albums do well. But his singles have never really charted well.

People don’t know usually, but his most successful single is "I Can". And that wasn't exactly Top 10 either, overall. But it wasn't too far. It was like 12-13, overall. That's not what Nas is about though. As he shouldn't be. He's an album artist. So there have never been a lot of talks about him dropping hit singles. That's just not his thing.

So there was never really an expectation for his singles to chart. We expected people to buy his whole album. Which they always did. It was a different time.

 

[Awesome Wells]

If you go to any Nas concert the crowd goes WILD for Oochie Wally and women LOVE them some You Owe Me lmao.


I remember going to see him in 2014 at One Music Fest in ATL and after the concert a bunch of chicks were complaining because he didn’t do You Owe Me lol

Of course. I've seen it many times.

I just hate those songs. But I get why the ladies love them, lol.

 

[spliz]

And kids love I Can but a lot of Nas fans and adults of that era hated it, if Nas listened to purists he wouldn’t have any mainstream success at all, I mean he still did in the end but I’m glad he made one or two moves left field at the same time.

I used to hear I Can bumpin outta whips on Jamaica Ave loud as fukk before it even became a single.

 

[TheHonorableOmarSharif]

@spliz

Tis Sunday, right?

"These ain't songs, there are hymns, cuz I'm him"

 

[spliz]

@spliz

Tis Sunday, right?

"These ain't songs, there are hymns, cuz I'm him"

"Take care of my body's the temple, my mind is the power.."

 

[kes929]

Shouldn’t the better song writer be the one that can actually write full songs including the hooks? Nas is way better in that department than Jay is. If anything Nas is an under rated hook maker. I gave you power is a perfect example of song writing. Hooks and Verses. A most recent example of Speechless. The verses and hook is top notch.

 

[TheHonorableOmarSharif]

We should just have a Jay vs Nas versus. 20 songs.

Let's settle this shyt. For the coli...