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

[Budda]

Biggie is really, really special as a writer. I’m going through a re-listen of his music and the way he’s able to SEAMLESSLY incorporate his humor with his rapping is astounding. Most rappers are focused on…rapping, but Biggie was inserting actual personality, dark humor while simultaneously delivering witty verses. I think he’s somehow underrated in that regard.

Yeah I always say Big was the most natural rapper in rap history.

 

[Reptile]

Nas is not the better writer.

 

[jerzboy]

Biggie is really, really special as a writer. I’m going through a re-listen of his music and the way he’s able to SEAMLESSLY incorporate his humor with his rapping is astounding. Most rappers are focused on…rapping, but Biggie was inserting actual personality, dark humor while simultaneously delivering witty verses. I think he’s somehow underrated in that regard.

Lol, I didn’t want to bring him into the argument, lol…. But he’s really the goat. Nothing he couldn’t do… and I’m a Nas stan, and Nas is my goat… but I can admit, biggie was just incredible and if we’re looking at things objectively, yeah big is #1

 

[Budda]

Can we just merge this with the other Nas vs Hov civil war threads? It’s 2023.

People still argue whos the best out of Lebron or Mj, Mj or Prince till this day, it’s not alarming that the two GOATs who are tied to each other will forever be compared.

 

[Juggalo Fred]

My barber gave me a 10 minute breakdown of this this morning…ish made madd sense, even tho I disagreed and said Nas is better at both because that’s what I do, . Yay or nay?

Nas is way better at both

Jay's high pitched voice is kinda annoying on some songs

 

[jerzboy]

Jay has elite songwriting but I feel like a lot of Nas best examples of songwriting aren’t even know to the masses in terms of full composition of a song, I think this a lot down to marketing and Jay being the more business savvy artist.

For example



Feels like this should have been a single.

Incredible songwriting but still limited to connect on a mass level… chorus is weak and the tempo doesn’t move you. Jay def made better business decisions with singles lol

 

[mikishere]

This is pretty much it… I’m a Nas stan, and damn near a Jay one too. Nas is a poet, but as fans we do sometimes fail to realize that lyrics are just a component of the full body of what makes music. Jays music is more digestible to the masses.

this. you can make the argument that nas is a better rapper, but jay-z is a better artist. similar to people who call kanye a top 5 rap artist (which is true)

 

[bigde09]

I’ll say this… Nas is an incredible lyricist, but Jay might have the edge when it comes to songwriting. Which is why Jay has probably penned more songs for other artists. Funny, now that I’m older, I realize Biggie excelled at both of these and probably has them beat.

It was effortless for Biggie.

 

[Controversy]

Nas is the more complex writer and explores deeper themes

Nas revolutionized the way rappers actually rap...Jigga was inspired by him, that has to count for something

I just have a hard time getting over the peak of rap (94-96), it was Pac, Nas & BIG...Nas was a top dog then, he's a top dog overall now...Jigga can't say that

Nas had ppl wanting to be from the projects, had ppl wanting to dress like him, had ppl wanting to flow like him...Jigga had a great career as a rapper, but he didn't elevate until he embraced the CEO image (to one up other top rappers)

It's always Nas for me

 

[Budda]

this. you can make the argument that nas is a better rapper, but jay-z is a better artist. similar to people who call kanye a top 5 rap artist (which is true)

What makes an artist better than the other? I think Mos Def is a better artist than them both if we’re talking singing songwriting and still rapping to a high level? But I don’t see what makes Jay the better artist, I do see him making better choices and decisions in terms of gaining mass appeal though most certainly.

 

[jerzboy]

What makes an artist better than the other? I think Mos Def is a better artist than them both if we’re talking singing songwriting and still rapping to a high level? But I don’t see what makes Jay the better artist, I do see him making better choices and decisions in terms of gaining mass appeal though most certainly.

Mos was one of the best artist/songwriters in hip hop too, but that’s a story for another day lol. Very underrated

 

[mikishere]

What makes an artist better than the other? I think Mos Def is a better artist than them both if we’re talking singing songwriting and still rapping to a high level? But I don’t see what makes Jay the better artist, I do see him making better choices and decisions in terms of gaining mass appeal though most certainly.

all the above in addition to rapping on great production that fits you with a great/catchy hook. music is more than just simply lyrics. it's the reason someone like kanye who isn't a great rapper still has tons of classic albums (college dropout, LR, graduation, MBDTF, WTT) because the music composed was legendary regardless.

 

[spliz]

I shoulda recorded him lol, nobody can tell me ish about Rap but he was sayin some ish. He said Nas is like a natural poet who is also really good at rapping, whereas Jay-z is a natural rapper who also could be really good at writing poetry.

Disagree.

 

[spliz]

I shoulda recorded him lol, nobody can tell me ish about Rap but he was sayin some ish. He said Nas is like a natural poet who is also really good at rapping, whereas Jay-z is a natural rapper who also could be really good at writing poetry.

Disagree.

 

[JayBaldacci]

What is the standard of good " Song Writing"? Hits, Grammy awards?