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

[melraH]

 

[HNIC973]

nikkaz talking real experiences? like Nas crew wasn't robbing nikkaz at shows to a point where he couldn't get booked. Death Row East real life experience, Daughters real life. The Rise &Fall, Last Real nikka Alive, Surviving the times document Nas entire career at the time in 4 mins. Some of u nikkaz just speaking bullshyt just say you prefer Jay

 

[GreenGhxst]

Honestly, Jay just has better beat selection and more of an appetite for commercial/broad appeal.

Nas, by contrast, uses above average beat selection that's more hip hop oriented and has always limited the amount of commercial sounding songs he drops. Even comparing Illmatic to RD, RD has features of MJB and Foxy Brown while Illmatic is pure boom bap.

And even other Nas albums that have the occasional radio hit are mostly full of lyrical songs not made for the radio besides the single.

Nas, imho, is the better writer AND rapper. I always preferred Nas's mic presence and voice over Jay's. Jay has a nice voice too but sometimes it comes off too whiny and awkward to me at times. I can't explain it. And, lyrically, Nas is sicker than Jay when it comes to storytelling, rhyme schemes, metaphors, song topics, etc.

That said, I think Jay has slicker wordplay but some of that wordplay is forced af like Lil Wayne's. I remember brehs gassing up Jay's verse on "What's Free" on that Meek Mill album saying that Jay had the verse of the year and half of the bars on that track were forced af like the "Sign I failed" line that was supposed to be a play on Seinfeld or the jive turkey line. Not to mention that a good portion of the shyt didn't even rhyme and he started doing that weird Spoken word type flow. I've never been more disappointed at a so-called "top tier" Jay verse than that song.

I felt a very similar way about his "Neck & Wrist" verse which was also gassed up online but I wasn't impressed with the wordplay or even flow on that joint. Jay's flow was still on that off beat Spoken word wave while using some forced bars like the Faizon Love sub in the beginning.

But this is something I noticed with Jay and Nas in general. People hold Nas to a higher standard in terms of lyricism, flow, or even catalog. Jay, on the other hand, is much more marketable so, if he does the absolute bare minimum in terms of lyrics, flow, and subject matter, he'll get more props and praise for it because it came out of Jay Z's lips.

Overall, though, both are elite and top 10 DOA and that's all that matters. They have their strengths and weaknesses.

Y'all say bare minimum, but Nas has word diarrhea sometimes

There is an art to being able to be relatable while being able to efficiently engineer your lyrics

To make it digestible, y'all say it's dumbing down, but I think it's harder to do that than y'all realize

Artist like Isaiah Rashad are really good at it. Listen to Civilia Demo and you'll see what I mean

It's really an art to it

Jay does not do bare minimum with lyrics and flow, he's just so crafty that it seems bare minimum

Rapping like AESOP Rock is easier than rapping like Jay-Z

So let's see.. Jay is better than Nas in all areas.

 

[Iverson_64]

Y'all say bare minimum, but Nas has word diarrhea sometimes

There is an art to being able to be relatable while being able to efficiently engineer your lyrics

To make it digestible, y'all say it's dumbing down, but I think it's harder to do that than y'all realize

Artist like Isaiah Rashad are really good at it. Listen to Civilia Demo and you'll see what I mean

It's really an art to it

Jay does not do bare minimum with lyrics and flow, he's just so crafty that it seems bare minimum

Rapping like AESOP Rock is easier than rapping like Jay-Z

I never said Jay Z as a whole does the bare minimum.

I was talking specifically about the times where he does do the bare minimum like that feature on Pusha T's latest album where half the bars were forced and the flow was off beat/borderline spoken word.

I'm fully aware that Jay has tons of lyrical and vocal highs just like Nas.

 

[Budda]

They're neck and neck for me but Jay will always have a slight edge because of the general idea behind the thread.

If you told them both to make a song about the pitfalls of fame, youd get these songs:




Pretty much same subject matter but completely different outcomes. They're both super dope, but you can tell that which one would be more appealing to a larger crowd. Jay gets the edge because he has always been able to find that wider appeal while still being a great MC.

A better example would be a solo song, of course a song with Beyonce would be more appealing to a larger crowd

Also Blunt Ashes is a concept song about Hollywood and Motown stars of the past.




This is a better example of what you say, and a better song than the Jay one, which doesn't prove anything other than he could get the biggest Rnb star on the hook.

 

[Will Ross]

Disagree.

Jay is one of thr few that can be lyrical and commercial at the same time.

 

[Budda]

Y'all say bare minimum, but Nas has word diarrhea sometimes

There is an art to being able to be relatable while being able to efficiently engineer your lyrics

To make it digestible, y'all say it's dumbing down, but I think it's harder to do that than y'all realize

Artist like Isaiah Rashad are really good at it. Listen to Civilia Demo and you'll see what I mean

It's really an art to it

Jay does not do bare minimum with lyrics and flow, he's just so crafty that it seems bare minimum

Rapping like AESOP Rock is easier than rapping like Jay-Z

So let's see.. Jay is better than Nas in all areas.

Good thing Nas don't rap like Aesop Rock.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

subs

 

[GreenGhxst]

I never said Jay Z as a whole does the bare minimum.

I was talking specifically about the times where he does do the bare minimum like that feature on Pusha T's latest album where half the bars were forced and the flow was off beat/borderline spoken word.

I'm fully aware that Jay has tons of lyrical and vocal highs just like Nas.

Yes, I get what you mean but we'll have to agree to disagree about Nas being a better writer

Jay can convey the same idea with less words

Nas is a great writer too, but he fills in too many blanks sometimes

You have to let the listener connect the dots sometimes

Uneccesary details can kill the magic sometimes

I don't care if bro had on a Cleveland cubs hat

 

[GreenGhxst]

Good thing Nas don't rap like Aesop Rock.

Yes, he does not, just was using AESOP as a hyperbole

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

I'll go out on a limb and say, the only reason you entertained said nonsense is due to getting your haircut & you had no choice but to listen to an opinion that lacks relevance in the year 2023.

What 'recent' album by Jay-Z is comparable to KD3 or Magic?
What 'recent' producers has Jay-Z collaborated with and had 0 features on an album?

The answer is none, yet this is a topic of discussion

 

[Braman]

Are you really trying to say NAS isn't a master of introspective lyricism about his thoughts and feelings while championing Jay? You can't be serious. Both do introspective lyricism, but you can literally go song for song across albums and count more introspection from Nas, talking about how he feels or his emotions. Which is why the reception of 4:44 featured so many fans and critics noting it was a departure from his previous work when it came to introspection and emotion...

There are things Jay is better at than Nas. There are things Nas is better at than Jay. I wouldn't be mad at anyone picking a side as their GOAT, and despite my obvious preference I'm never gonna be mad at someone saying one is better than the other. But let's not rewrite history when it comes to lyricism and inner struggle.

This is my original comment:

Jay’s super power, and the area he has an edge on Nas, is his story is more interesting and he taps into his ACTUAL life better than Nas

I stand on that.

Perfect example: My favorite album of all time is Lost Tapes. I repeat, my favorite album of all time is Lost Tapes. That album Nas is doing something Jay can’t do as well which is speak for those without a voice, talk to the plight of the hood, paint pictures, innovative schemes, etc. What that album ISNT about is just song after song of Nas’ actual Iife.

And tbh I’m sick of nggas on here feigning grown hip hop conversation yet the second you say anything less than flowery about Nas nggas get emotional. We should be discussing these dudes as if it was Langston Hughes vs James Baldwin. Instead, without fail, this always devolves into a ‘How dare you come at Nas ‘

 

[Budda]

Yes, I get what you mean but we'll have to agree to disagree about Nas being a better writer

Jay can convey the same idea with less words

Nas is a great writer too, but he fills in too many blanks sometimes

You have to let the listener connect the dots sometimes

Uneccesary details can kill the magic sometimes

I don't care if bro had on a Cleveland cubs hat

What you describe is what separates the elite storytellers from just the good, i care if you had a cleveland cubs hat because it adds to the imagery and detail of the story, just like a film with words.

Chased by a weed aroma, empty Guinnesses
And lipstick marks on like three empty Coronas
A pair of blue jeans on the carpet; size 12 Timberlands
Somethin' swingin' on the ceiling fan, I stopped it
Swingin' slower and slower

 

[GreenGhxst]

What you describe is what separates the elite storytellers from just the good, i care if you had a cleveland cubs hat because it adds to the imagery and detail of the story, just like a film with words.

Chased by a weed aroma, empty Guinnesses
And lipstick marks on like three empty Coronas
A pair of blue jeans on the carpet; size 12 Timberlands
Somethin' swingin' on the ceiling fan, I stopped it
Swingin' slower and slower

This is nearly 6 bars of no action on a mid beat

All this set up, hit me with some action

How you feeling, why does it matter, what you thinking

Nas is a great writer, dont get me wrong, but Jay knows when to be descriptive and when to get to the meat of the situation

 

[Budda]

This is nearly 6 bars of no action on a mid beat

All this set up, hit me with some action

How you feeling, why does it matter, what you thinking

Nas is a great writer, dont get me wrong, but Jay knows when to be descriptive and when to get to the meat of the situation

You must not read books, or even watch films, you build up tension before you get to the meat of the situation(mostly), thats why Nas is an acclaimed storyteller and Jay isn't.