hes not workin UNDER jay z...jay said in an interview that he wasnt gonna call it sighning nas because "u cant actually sign an artist of nas status" so its not like hes jays bitch or hes making out with him like SOME RAPPERS...
come on man jay just said that to make naz look good, lol, nuggaz kno nas pulled a real bitch move, this nugga jay disrespeted his duaghter and his babys mom, then u go work with the nugga n let him be ya boss, yoooooouuuuuuussssss a lame
u niggas r dumb yall act like jay is da founder of Def Jam La. Reid has a higher form of authority den hov so stop actin like hes da nu russel Simmons cuz he aint
SCOOP I GUESS YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE GREATES DISS RECORD OF ALL TIME............................................................................................EITHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I GUESS JAY AND NAS CALLED IT EVEN....THEY BOTH GOT AT EACHOTHER, NOW ITS TIE TO GET THIS MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
well scoop at least they responded to their beef...ya man wayne doesnt even respond to 50 so how does that look...u make a bitch move everyday by sayin somethin about wayne in every comment like he can fuck wit anybody in the industry...and if jay is wack then why is wayne all over his nuts like 'o jays the king he can have whatever he wants' and shit so look at the way wayne makes bitch moves everyday...and look at a perfect example of waynes fanbase^^^scoop^^^that proves how gay he is
first where n when did i say jay was wack?
all i said was nas verse was better on this track
do u guys make up ish to get attention or wut?
second yea wayne dont gotta respond to no rapper, nobody is even close to his level.
everybody in the game throwing shots at wayne cuase they kno his name hold weight n they trying eat off it.
third yea i kno wayne got jays lyrics tat on him, wuts ya ponit?
fourth yall just sum lame nas fanatics if u dont believe jay is pimpn nas, lol, i guess nas only felt it was only right to make jay his boss since jay resurrected his career with the takeover, yea bitches u heard me, with the takeover, man its no telling where nas would be. coulda been real sad for u nas lovers. just admit it jay z is the biggest huslter in the game of all time for pulln dat one off.
I have been somewhat disappointed w the American Gangster tracks I've heard thus far. Except for Blue Magic. I hope Hov got some tricks up his sleeve. And why the fuck is so many songs gettin leaked?
I used to give a, fuck, now I could give a fuckless
What do I think of success? It sucks too much press I'm stressed
Too much cess with agress too upset it's just too much mess
I guess I must just blew up quick, yes
Itz Called "Paying Homage". MCs,Lyricist, and Rappers all do it. People use others lines as courses sometimes, to push the song with a familiar lyric to consumer. Others sample lyrics and put them on tracks or beats. Others like Jay,say a bar or two from someone they respect lyrically. Really has he said anyone's line that wasnt a GREAT!?!He's lettin' you know who he's listening to.
Plus, i'm sure Eminem heard this before we did and has no problem with it, Its Jay-Z!
And it cant be called bitin' if the original spitter doesnt mind. One!
straight fire.... real hip hop.... jay might have bit em but it was only a lil bit... i dont kno why people always bring that up about him bitin... give the nigga a break.. he dont write shit... he cant help it if he start his verses off with some shit he heard before.... Hov is still the GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME...G.R.O.A.T
classic............& u can hate on Hov all u want cuz errr-body alwayz gone bitch about how better his old shit..........sum niggaz noe ya'll ain't never really listin 2 reasonable doubt intill people said it was a classic "ya'll dick ryders make me sick" I juss realized dis all about populartity
IF Jay & Nas would do an album TOGETHER, It would INSTANTLY be the GREATEST RAP ALBUM OF ALL-TIME... PERIOD... NO DISCUSSION... NO ARGUMENT... END OF DISCUSSION.
With the utmost respect to jay and nas...I just dont understand how you can sit there and say that. I know its highly unlikely that it would be wack, but you cant just guarantee that.
Ground-breaking, absolutely...Classic, in all likelihood...But you cant judge anything until you hear it. Thats all im saying.
I got my hands on this str8 from the lab hahaha... dope though Heard it was all Nas' idea well check it and WOW is what I said...
Nas Ft Jay-Z- Black Republican
They were both throwing subliminal jabs at each other…thats what makes that song so perfect…they are both saying cryptic sh*t that the audience will probably never get.
The consensus is in… The song is a classic. The long awaited collaboration has had a couple weeks to simmer in the streets… it still bangs…I won’t rehash what everyone’s said; who had the better verse, etc… Because really, they’re both telling their own version of events, so any sort of comparison is irrelevant… but a song of this magnitude warrants a close examination… and yea, there’s some deep sh*t here…
First the beat. LES provides a banger no doubt. As you all know it samples the score from “The Godfather II”.The scene in particular is when young Vito (Robert DeNiro) assassinates the mob boss Falconi, in essence taking his crown as Don. The scene was an apt choice for LES to sample from, since it connects to what Nas and Jay spit…
With BIG’s death in 97, Nas was basically King of New York. Arguments can be made for Puff, Rae and Jay. But c’mon… Nas was hot off IWW (to the tune of 2X plat)… Rae was Gold, Jay was Gold, and Puff had no respect… Jay, like young Vito, made a bid for that crown with Vol 1. Eventually (with Vol 2) Jay claimed that crown; removing the old king, Nas (Falconi). To be less technical, there was a definite power struggle and a changing of the guard in both the realities of Nas and Jay and in the sampled scene from Godfather 2.
If you look at Godfather 2 more broadly, there’s another connection. Michael (Al Pacino) is betrayed by his brother Fredo, and thus kills him. Nas and Jay have often referred to eachother (and been referred to) as brothers (Twin Towers Mixtape, “you my brother - you traded your soul for riches”, “we was brothers then”). Jay betrayed Nas when he slept with his fiance. Many say Nas killed Jay’s character on wax with “Ether” (the kiss of death)…
So before any verses are spit, or even any ad libs, the beat alone speaks volumes… This is cinematic… this is a motion picture on wax… get your popcorn…
Jay comes in first.
“I know you can feel the magic baby.”
There’s definitely magic in the air. This also denotes there’s more to the song than meets the ear. This not the mundane trading of 16 bars… this is significant.
“Turn the muthafu*kin lights down”
Again… this is cinematic… what happens before a movie? The lights go down…
“Esco what up?”
The period is set. This isn’t about 2006. This is back when Nas was Nas Escobar. This is about 1998-2001.
“What up homie”
Nas acknowledges this.
“I mean, it’s what you expected ain’t it?”
On the surface it seems like Jay’s being sarcastic. Like, “Oh wow, a Nas and Jay colab, big surprise”. But he’s also calling into the question the content of the song. Taunting the listener not to take what they’re about to hear at face value.
More ad libs… reminding you, this is hip-hop, this is music. Builds anticipation. Opening credits… Jay continues to taunt the listener. Pay attention.
“I feel like a Black Republican - Money I got it coming in”
Jay defines his perspective. Rich, corporate executive. Political allegiances towards protecting business, keeping government small, less restrictions on building capital. Jay is cool siding with the establishment, as long as it makes him rich. He may say he’s pimping the system, but in the process he begins to identify with it.
“Huddling over the oven we was like brothers then”.
Prologue. Nas and Jay were both (supposedly) crack dealers before they were rappers. A parallel between the two is set up. (Huddling over the oven implies cooking crack). Also Jay defines them as brothers.
“Though you was nothin other than the son of my mother’s friend”.
Not brothers in a biological sense, but brothers nonetheless. The distinction made is clear. This is not a verse about Jay’s real brother, this is a verse about his figurative brother, who else but Nas.
“We had governing - who would’ve thought the love would end”
Jay may be referring to a number of different things here. Governing may be their mutual friendship with BIG, and how he kept them both in line (in terms of lyrical competition). Also may mean that they were both well mannered.
“Never thought we’d sing the same song that all hoods sing”
The same song that all hoods sing = inevitable beef. Jay never thought he would end up beefing with Nas.
“Thought it was all wood grain - all good brain”
First, all good brain, refers to Jay and Carmen. Jay is basically saying, he thought it wouldn’t be a problem that he was getting head from Carmen (Nas’ fiancé). In other words, she’s a groupie, head is head, no beef on his side.
“We wouldn’t bicker like the other fools talk good game”
Jay thought he and Nas were above female drama. Unlike others who succumb to it and “bicker” like “fools”.
“Never imagined all the disaster that one could bring.”
Again, Jay is stating he anticipated nothing. And also that he was shocked at how Carmen (one person) could lead to “all the disaster”… basically the beef songs, negative interviews and general drama.
“Good brain. Should blame the game”
Again Jay is portraying Carmen as nothing more than “good brain (a hoe adapt at sucking penis)”. Should blame the game, meaning don’t blame Jay-Z, blame the conditions of the music industry and fame that lead women to sleep around. Also in a more general sense the game of men and women and multiple partners.
“It’s kill or be killed - how could I refrain”
Jay is referring to the fact that he felt he had to diss Nas. With all the rumors, subliminals and drama building and all the talk of who was better, Jay felt that he had a need to strike first (be it with Is That Your Chick, or Takeover). It was kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest. Only room for one at the top. Jay had no choice. To refrain from entering the beef would’ve meant the death of Jay-Z the credible MC.
“Forever being bettin - that’s never a good thing”
Again referring to the ambiguity as to who was better at the time of the beef. “Forever being bettin” alludes to the endless speculation that would’ve have occurred if there hadn’t been an explicit battle with both MCs laying down their best battle verses. In Jay’s opinion this would not have been a good thing.
“So the pressure for success can put a good strain - on a friend you call best”
Again… the pressure for success lead Jay to strike first. A friend you call best? Hmmm. Well Nas and Jay weren’t best friends by any stretch of the imagination. But remember Jay is speaking metaphorically here. Because they were contemporaries on the highest level it may have felt to Jay that they were “best friends”. Remember Jay was a bit of Stan back then. Constantly on Nas’ dick. In any case he held Nas in very high esteem, (”Illmatic rocked” “Firm like Foxy, Nas and AZ” “Whos the best, Pac, BIG or Nas”.) The same esteem one would give their best friend.
“And yes it could bring - the worst in every person - even the good n’ sane”
Saying the battle brought out the worst in everyone involved in both camps. From Nas (”Ether” specifically the parts doggin Jay’s looks), Jungle (stuff said in interviews, and “Bravehearted” “not like snitch CJ or bitch Jay-Z”), Nashawn (”Write Your Name” “I heard [Cam] got AIDS full blown”) and Wiz (interviews). And from Jay (Is That Your Bitch, Takeover, Supa Ugly, especially parts disrespecting Destiny and Carmen by name), Memphis Bleek (various songs, “Memphis Bleek Is”), Beans (songs), Cam Ron (”Hate Me Now Freestyle”) and Dame Dash (interviews). Remember we know Jay considers it the worst because he went and apologized on Hot 97 after Super Ugly (cause his mom told him to).
“Though we rehearsed it - it just ain’t the same”
Very interesting line. Not quite sure what to make of it. Was the beef preplanned? Did Nas and Jay have a phone convo at some point and say “yea we really doin this”. And then it got out of hand. It implies there was some communication before hand. Personally I don’t think it was all fake, there was real animosity there. But it’s interesting that it started in a (presumably) civilized way.
“Then you mix things like cars, jewelry, and miss thing”
Jay’s stating that the money confused things further. Not only was it about survival it was also about getting more paper, financial success. And also, “miss thing”. They both still had feelings for Carmen. That especially complicated the battle between the two premier MCs of NYC.
“Jealousy, evil and pride and this brings - it all to a head like a coin - cha ching”
It got emotional. It got ugly. Pride was mixed up, jealously on both sides. Carmen was fu*kin Jay but she (supposedly) loved Nas. These were the ultimate catalysts. Jay’s wack coin metaphor is what it is.
“The root of evil strikes again - this could sting - now the team got beef between the post and the point - this puts the ring in jeopardy”
Jay is sayin that the lust for power was the root of evil. The power over Carmen, the power over the game, power that wealth brings. “This could sting”… even though they sought to destroy each other, they knew they would be tattered. Harsh lines were thrown and harsh realities were exposed on both sides. “Beef between the post and the point”. Jay sees him and Nas as being on the same team. East Coast NY Hip Hop. Black Musicians. Their mutual success is beneficial to the rap game. Destroying one hurts the other. Like Kobe and Shaq beefin puttin the championship (the ring) in jeopardy, Nas and Jay beefin puts the ultimate goal of black owned industry in jeopardy. Also could be looked at as a jab to Dame Dash.
Now for the best part. Nas’ verse. This sh*t is so dense, dudes are gonna be decoding for years. But I’ll scratch the surface.
“I feel like a black militant taking over the government”
First of all, Nas clearly differentiates himself from Jay’s black Republican aesthetic. A militant is the ultimate revolutionary, willing to do whatever it takes to make change. Since Republicans are generally concerned with protecting the status quo, Nas’ stance as a militant bringing change is decidedly opposed to Jay’s conservatism.
In essence, Nas is sayin, I’m different. This is what Jay represents. And this is what I represent. We cool. But we still different.
Back to the line. “I’m like black militant - overthrowing the government”.
Nas, the independent of all independents, Nas who stands alone (Bravehearts don’t count), has joined Def Jam. Def Jam (while once representative of fresh new music) has in recent years become the emblem for big business hip-hop. They sell sh*t loads of albums (Jay, Kanye, LL, Beastie Boys, Red and Meth, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, whateverthefu*k, DMX’s early sh*t). They are in essense the government of hip hop (arguments can be made for Interscope and Atlantic, but c’mon, Def Jam is Def Jam). And here’s Nas, suddenly on Def Jam, the self proclaimed black militant, taking over the government. Taking the behemoth that is Def Jam and crafting it in his own image. Daring to call an album “Hip-Hop is Dead” on the most fabled hip hop label. Dissing half the artists on the roster (Def Jam South).
“I’m back in the hood they like ‘Hey Nas’ - blowin on purp - reflecting on they lives”
Superficially, Nas establishes himself as the street artist. Still relevent in the hood. Still tight with the ones strugglin. Smokin weed, thinking about their lives, as Nas reminisces on his. A parallel is made between Nas and the common man.
Looking deeper, Nas is beginning his story. He’s transporting the listener back to his hood days. “I’m back in the hood”. The setting is now 1994. The movie has just flashed back. “They like hey Nas”… QB is still cool with Nas, this is before the beef with various QB rappers. “Blowin on purp reflectin on they lives”. Nas is tellin you he’s one of them now, and in this song he’s reflecting on his life. He’s reflecting on the ups and downs, the success, the failures. The love, the hate. Specifically Carmen.
“Couple of fat cats - couple of A.I.s - dreamin of fly sh*t instead of them grey skies”
Nas (the film’s director) cuts now to various locations that are parallel with this time setting (1994). Marcy, Brooklyn. A young “fat cat” Jay-Z dreams of “fly sh*t”. Harlem, NY. Another fat cat, Sean Combs is starting Bad Boy. Cut to Georgetown University. “A.I” or Allen “The Answer” Iverson, is playin college ball dreaming of the NBA. What do these “Fat Cats” and “A.I.s” have in common? Well its what they have in Carmen. They all slept with her. And thus they are all relevant to the beef story Nas and Jay are spittin about on this song.
This line is dope because it establishes a parallel between all the players in this film. Nas, Jay, Puff, and AI were all started out in roughly the same place. Street kids dreamin of “fly sh*t” instead of the depression and “grey skies” of ghetto life.
If you listen to the background you’ll hear faintly the sounds of someone moaning (it may be Jay’s ad libs) but it also serves to underline the connection between the Fat Cats and A.I.s. They all fu*ked Carmen.
“Grey 5s - hate us - wishin our reign dies”
Nas flashes forward to the current haters against the aforementioned. In him and Jay’s case it’s Dip Set and Camron. Also 50, and various QB affiliates. For Puff it’s basically the entire hip-hop underground. For Allen Iverson it’s David Stern with his “NBA fashion issues” (see Hip Hop is Dead track) (Iverson is notorious for bringing the thug aesthetic onto the basketball court. Something league commissioner David Stern and his conservative friends are trying to change (not because they’re necessarily racist, which they may be, but because they want to expand the NBA to more country audiences).
“Pitch sling pies, and niggas they sing why - guess they ain’t strong enough to handle they jail time”
Direct reference to Cormega and Lake. Ex jail heads (and slingers) who have beef with Nas. Brutal line “guess they ain’t strong enough to handle they jail time”. Nas is taunting them, saying prison made them soft and now they expect Nas to hold their hands.
“Weak minds keep tryin - follow the street signs”.
This expands the diss to all weak rappers currently goin at Nas. Jim Jones, Cam, Nore, Uno Dos. :Follow the street signs” references the underground nature of these beefs. These are out of the public eye and known only to hip-hop heads.
“I’m standing on the roof of my building - I’m feelin the whirl wind of beef - I inhale it”
Presented here are two different eras of Nas. One is Nasty “Kid Wave” Nas standing on top of the QB Housing Projects, Building 15. He’s dealin with hood sh*t. Dealin with the dudes that merked Ill Will. Dealing with his fallout with Cormega.
The other is Nasir “God’s Son” Jones. He’s standin on top of his mansion in Long Island. He’s beefing too. First with Jay-Z and The Roc, now with Dip Set, G-Unit and QB.
“The whirl wind of beef”. It’s a force that Nas can’t control, a whirlwind, a entity of nature. It exists outside of him. It’s tangible, he can feel it. It’s chaotic, disorienting. And what does Nas do? He inhales it. He internalizes it. He makes it his. Like inhaling weed smoke, he is changed by its chemical nature. He is energized.
“Like an acrobat ready to hurl myself through the hoops of fire”
But unlike weed, the beef doesn’t slow him or hinder his drive. Instead it fuels him. It gives him the verbal agility that an acrobat has physically. It allows him to drop albums like “Illmatic” or “Stillmatic”. It gives him courage to go through the “hoops of fire”. The critics, the fickle fans, the fickle radio DJs. If he can overcome beef, he can overcome that sh*t too.
“Sippin 80 proof - bulletproof under my attire”
80 proof represents the hard core sh*t that Nas spits. The strongest of the strong. This music is pure. “Bullet proof under my attire”, he’s protected, from physical bullets, and verbal bullets.
“Could it be the forces of darkness against hood angels that’s good that form street politics”
This is the deepest line in the whole song. I could write 10 pages about this. But I’ll keep it as brief as possible. The forces of darkness here represents many things. First it’s the animosity that grew between him and Jay. The discord between two men. The beef itself. The disharmony. It is also the things that caused the beef. The lust for wealth. The greed. The things that plague every hood, every man. The lust for power. The lust for women. It’s the evil inherent in mankind. The remnants of original sin. Nas makes it Biblical with the angel reference. These angels may be literal angels from a Judeo Christian heaven. They are also figurative angels. Nas and Jay-Z could both be angels trying to uphold hip hop. But going beyond that, Nas is talking about the good forces in the hood, the benevolent in life. He’s talking about Ann Jones trying to keep her son away from the forces of darkness. Away from the gun slingers and crack dealers. About all the mothers protecting their sons and the wives taking care of their men. The love. The caring. The basic qualities of human kind that are good.
And the oppostion between these “angels of good” and “forces of darkness” creates “street politics”. The debate between right and wrong. Is it right to deal drugs to feed one’s family? Is it right to kill in defense? These are examples where the good and the bad meet. These are questions of hood politics. The ethics of survival living.
“Makes a sweet honest kid turn illegal for commerce - to get his feet out of them Converse - that’s my word”
Nas brings it full circle with this line. First it relates to the previous line. A sweet honest kind, who’s tempted by the darkness, the greed, the wealth. He wants to feed his family, move his mom out of the hood. There’s good intention. But what can he do? A 9 to 5 won’t give him sh*t. College is not an option. So he turns illegal. Converse, the shoes of the street represent the poverty. Drug dealing gets him better shoes, better cars, more power, and perhaps the chance to help those he loves. But he hurts hundreds in the process.
I feel you homie on having to break it down for the lames. What we need is more comprehension and less ass shaking. It's cool to dance but it's true -turn down the volume and all the videos are the same. Dude made a concentrated effort to educate whoever might not have known what the most important element in hip hop is -the lyrics.Thank you for the break down. It's good to see some of us actually listen to the words and know there are meaning to them.
Who is Nas talking about? Most generally he’s talking about youth everywhere who are tempted by evil. More specifically the urban youth of the ghettos. And finally, he’s talking about Jay and himself. They both started out innocent. Jay with his mom buyin him a boom box, and Nas playin his pop’s trumpet. Then they experienced the evils of the hood. Nas with Will’s death. Jay with crack dealin down South. They both did shady sh*t. Let their lust for women corrupt their relationships with women they loved. Let their lust for power and jealousy and resentment throw them into an ugly, personal and public beef. They both lived their verses. They embody what they say. And that’s their word.
LMAO THIS DUDE GONNA TRANSLATE IT 4 U SLOW FUCKS...LOL...HE DID THE WHOLE SCRIPT AND SHIT...LOL...HOT TRACK...HAD TO BE TO MAKE UP FOR THAT GARBAGE WAYNE TRACK HE HAD ON THE ALBUM
COMMENTS
where have i heard that first verse from?
It's from Eminem...I'm Back....off the Marshall Mathers LP....1
CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!
CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!
hes not workin UNDER jay z...jay said in an interview that he wasnt gonna call it sighning nas because "u cant actually sign an artist of nas status" so its not like hes jays bitch or hes making out with him like SOME RAPPERS...
come on man jay just said that to make naz look good, lol, nuggaz kno nas pulled a real bitch move, this nugga jay disrespeted his duaghter and his babys mom, then u go work with the nugga n let him be ya boss, yoooooouuuuuuussssss a lame
cosign, jay dont really mean dat shit, u know in da back of jay's mind he's saying look at dis nigga(nas) i could drop him if i wanted to lol
u niggas r dumb yall act like jay is da founder of Def Jam La. Reid has a higher form of authority den hov so stop actin like hes da nu russel Simmons cuz he aint
yo scoop you mad cause wayne aint on here....hah bet you would be all ova this if it was a wayne track....let that bit*h breathe scoop hahaha
i dont think nas or jay give a fuck what you say...it was a business move they did it for the paper
and nas aint sell out, jay probably came at him correct, they squashed the beef and realized they better off working together than dissing each other
SCOOP I GUESS YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE GREATES DISS RECORD OF ALL TIME............................................................................................EITHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I GUESS JAY AND NAS CALLED IT EVEN....THEY BOTH GOT AT EACHOTHER, NOW ITS TIE TO GET THIS MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
well scoop at least they responded to their beef...ya man wayne doesnt even respond to 50 so how does that look...u make a bitch move everyday by sayin somethin about wayne in every comment like he can fuck wit anybody in the industry...and if jay is wack then why is wayne all over his nuts like 'o jays the king he can have whatever he wants' and shit so look at the way wayne makes bitch moves everyday...and look at a perfect example of waynes fanbase^^^scoop^^^that proves how gay he is
fareal wayne got a tat of jay'z lyrics on him
first where n when did i say jay was wack?
all i said was nas verse was better on this track
do u guys make up ish to get attention or wut?
second yea wayne dont gotta respond to no rapper, nobody is even close to his level.
everybody in the game throwing shots at wayne cuase they kno his name hold weight n they trying eat off it.
third yea i kno wayne got jays lyrics tat on him, wuts ya ponit?
fourth yall just sum lame nas fanatics if u dont believe jay is pimpn nas, lol, i guess nas only felt it was only right to make jay his boss since jay resurrected his career with the takeover, yea bitches u heard me, with the takeover, man its no telling where nas would be. coulda been real sad for u nas lovers. just admit it jay z is the biggest huslter in the game of all time for pulln dat one off.
NOW! That's a Song! Classic.
Lyrics. Beat. Concept.
Now let that Bitch Breathe!
Peace!
^^^Co-sign, fo sho'.Couldn't have said it better.^^^
Ey, it's Nas & Jay on the same track, what can i say ? It's a classic already. Nas ripped it
man see we got the same taste in music chaos why was you trippin before
first
second
song cool but nas is wack
you hear me
how you figure? youre just some punk tryin to get heads all pissed off, youre lame bro, kick rocks and gtf outta here
i wanna listen but i aint listenin till i buy the album
ask yourself
is hip hop dead or nas
you about as dumb as a doorknob
if nas is a wack rapper then every other rapper is more wack
if nas is a wack rapper then every other rapper is more wack
- I SUPER SECOND THAT MOTION
I have been somewhat disappointed w the American Gangster tracks I've heard thus far. Except for Blue Magic. I hope Hov got some tricks up his sleeve. And why the fuck is so many songs gettin leaked?
heart of a G Im wit u on dat dat was my problem wit kingdom come i listend 2 like 8 songs b4 i bought it and kinda spoild it and seemed Wack
whether u listened before it hit or after it hit
wack is wack
it doesnt matter
Nas dead?
Naw, you just don't know what he talking about. Too used to these niggas on TV and Radio.
Nas killed nigga.
muthafucka bit eminem hard at the beginning.....thats all i gotta say
please explain what your talking about...
Eminem "Im back"
I used to give a, fuck, now I could give a fuckless
What do I think of success? It sucks too much press I'm stressed
Too much cess with agress too upset it's just too much mess
I guess I must just blew up quick, yes
It's called paying homage.
Itz Called "Paying Homage". MCs,Lyricist, and Rappers all do it. People use others lines as courses sometimes, to push the song with a familiar lyric to consumer. Others sample lyrics and put them on tracks or beats. Others like Jay,say a bar or two from someone they respect lyrically. Really has he said anyone's line that wasnt a GREAT!?!He's lettin' you know who he's listening to.
Plus, i'm sure Eminem heard this before we did and has no problem with it, Its Jay-Z!
And it cant be called bitin' if the original spitter doesnt mind. One!
Oh Yeah,and This Track is a BEAST!
Well said
lyrically nas ripped it, flo was off tho didn't go with the beat.. sick joint no doubt but i liked black republicans better no question
Some nice shit
This shit is strong my only issue is.....it's too damn short.
yall a bunch of bitches with big mouths...lol....keep hating!
LET THAT BITCH BREATHE!!!! WOW!!! SHITS FUCKEN FIRE...
hot as fuk. and ya nas did go with the beat fresh
straight fire.... real hip hop.... jay might have bit em but it was only a lil bit... i dont kno why people always bring that up about him bitin... give the nigga a break.. he dont write shit... he cant help it if he start his verses off with some shit he heard before.... Hov is still the GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME...G.R.O.A.T
after biggy and nas yea definately g.r.o.a.t
I wouldn't say he's the GOAT. But not mad he's mention in that category
2 OF THE BEST MCS ALIVE, good to see these brothas link up again this is hip hop!!
Jay bites more niggas than Mike Tyson.
u thought of that urself that wuz good
Mike Tyson only bit Holyfield
eminems verse in the begining..thats ill.song is hotttt
It was one line, how is that a whole verse. A verse is usually 16 bars not one line.
"I used to give a, fuck, now I could give a fuckless"
classic............& u can hate on Hov all u want cuz errr-body alwayz gone bitch about how better his old shit..........sum niggaz noe ya'll ain't never really listin 2 reasonable doubt intill people said it was a classic "ya'll dick ryders make me sick" I juss realized dis all about populartity
hot fiyaaaa
all i gota say hov n nas.... wat else do u expect ! but aint betta den black republican
you know what i think of success it SUCKSS!! eminem baby
MR WHITEFOLKs u crazy 4 this 1 but stop wit the jay songs u killin the album!!
Classic
THIS IZ CRAAAZYYY!!...LET THAT B!TCH BREATHE!!!!!!!
THAT N!GGA SAID HOW MAN TYMES CAN I GO TO MISTER CHILDS TOWELS NO BOO LET ME MOVE MY BOWELS...I SHIT ON THESE N!GGAZ!!!
IF Jay & Nas would do an album TOGETHER, It would INSTANTLY be the GREATEST RAP ALBUM OF ALL-TIME... PERIOD... NO DISCUSSION... NO ARGUMENT... END OF DISCUSSION.
With the utmost respect to jay and nas...I just dont understand how you can sit there and say that. I know its highly unlikely that it would be wack, but you cant just guarantee that.
Ground-breaking, absolutely...Classic, in all likelihood...But you cant judge anything until you hear it. Thats all im saying.
Oh yeah, Hot track.
Whoever said nas is wack need to listen again
I got my hands on this str8 from the lab hahaha... dope though Heard it was all Nas' idea well check it and WOW is what I said...
Nas Ft Jay-Z- Black Republican
They were both throwing subliminal jabs at each other…thats what makes that song so perfect…they are both saying cryptic sh*t that the audience will probably never get.
The consensus is in… The song is a classic. The long awaited collaboration has had a couple weeks to simmer in the streets… it still bangs…I won’t rehash what everyone’s said; who had the better verse, etc… Because really, they’re both telling their own version of events, so any sort of comparison is irrelevant… but a song of this magnitude warrants a close examination… and yea, there’s some deep sh*t here…
First the beat. LES provides a banger no doubt. As you all know it samples the score from “The Godfather II”.The scene in particular is when young Vito (Robert DeNiro) assassinates the mob boss Falconi, in essence taking his crown as Don. The scene was an apt choice for LES to sample from, since it connects to what Nas and Jay spit…
With BIG’s death in 97, Nas was basically King of New York. Arguments can be made for Puff, Rae and Jay. But c’mon… Nas was hot off IWW (to the tune of 2X plat)… Rae was Gold, Jay was Gold, and Puff had no respect… Jay, like young Vito, made a bid for that crown with Vol 1. Eventually (with Vol 2) Jay claimed that crown; removing the old king, Nas (Falconi). To be less technical, there was a definite power struggle and a changing of the guard in both the realities of Nas and Jay and in the sampled scene from Godfather 2.
If you look at Godfather 2 more broadly, there’s another connection. Michael (Al Pacino) is betrayed by his brother Fredo, and thus kills him. Nas and Jay have often referred to eachother (and been referred to) as brothers (Twin Towers Mixtape, “you my brother - you traded your soul for riches”, “we was brothers then”). Jay betrayed Nas when he slept with his fiance. Many say Nas killed Jay’s character on wax with “Ether” (the kiss of death)…
So before any verses are spit, or even any ad libs, the beat alone speaks volumes… This is cinematic… this is a motion picture on wax… get your popcorn…
Jay comes in first.
“I know you can feel the magic baby.”
There’s definitely magic in the air. This also denotes there’s more to the song than meets the ear. This not the mundane trading of 16 bars… this is significant.
“Turn the muthafu*kin lights down”
Again… this is cinematic… what happens before a movie? The lights go down…
“Esco what up?”
The period is set. This isn’t about 2006. This is back when Nas was Nas Escobar. This is about 1998-2001.
“What up homie”
Nas acknowledges this.
“I mean, it’s what you expected ain’t it?”
On the surface it seems like Jay’s being sarcastic. Like, “Oh wow, a Nas and Jay colab, big surprise”. But he’s also calling into the question the content of the song. Taunting the listener not to take what they’re about to hear at face value.
More ad libs… reminding you, this is hip-hop, this is music. Builds anticipation. Opening credits… Jay continues to taunt the listener. Pay attention.
“I feel like a Black Republican - Money I got it coming in”
Jay defines his perspective. Rich, corporate executive. Political allegiances towards protecting business, keeping government small, less restrictions on building capital. Jay is cool siding with the establishment, as long as it makes him rich. He may say he’s pimping the system, but in the process he begins to identify with it.
“Huddling over the oven we was like brothers then”.
Prologue. Nas and Jay were both (supposedly) crack dealers before they were rappers. A parallel between the two is set up. (Huddling over the oven implies cooking crack). Also Jay defines them as brothers.
“Though you was nothin other than the son of my mother’s friend”.
Not brothers in a biological sense, but brothers nonetheless. The distinction made is clear. This is not a verse about Jay’s real brother, this is a verse about his figurative brother, who else but Nas.
“We had governing - who would’ve thought the love would end”
Jay may be referring to a number of different things here. Governing may be their mutual friendship with BIG, and how he kept them both in line (in terms of lyrical competition). Also may mean that they were both well mannered.
“Never thought we’d sing the same song that all hoods sing”
The same song that all hoods sing = inevitable beef. Jay never thought he would end up beefing with Nas.
“Thought it was all wood grain - all good brain”
First, all good brain, refers to Jay and Carmen. Jay is basically saying, he thought it wouldn’t be a problem that he was getting head from Carmen (Nas’ fiancé). In other words, she’s a groupie, head is head, no beef on his side.
“We wouldn’t bicker like the other fools talk good game”
Jay thought he and Nas were above female drama. Unlike others who succumb to it and “bicker” like “fools”.
“Never imagined all the disaster that one could bring.”
Again, Jay is stating he anticipated nothing. And also that he was shocked at how Carmen (one person) could lead to “all the disaster”… basically the beef songs, negative interviews and general drama.
“Good brain. Should blame the game”
Again Jay is portraying Carmen as nothing more than “good brain (a hoe adapt at sucking penis)”. Should blame the game, meaning don’t blame Jay-Z, blame the conditions of the music industry and fame that lead women to sleep around. Also in a more general sense the game of men and women and multiple partners.
“It’s kill or be killed - how could I refrain”
Jay is referring to the fact that he felt he had to diss Nas. With all the rumors, subliminals and drama building and all the talk of who was better, Jay felt that he had a need to strike first (be it with Is That Your Chick, or Takeover). It was kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest. Only room for one at the top. Jay had no choice. To refrain from entering the beef would’ve meant the death of Jay-Z the credible MC.
“Forever being bettin - that’s never a good thing”
Again referring to the ambiguity as to who was better at the time of the beef. “Forever being bettin” alludes to the endless speculation that would’ve have occurred if there hadn’t been an explicit battle with both MCs laying down their best battle verses. In Jay’s opinion this would not have been a good thing.
“So the pressure for success can put a good strain - on a friend you call best”
Again… the pressure for success lead Jay to strike first. A friend you call best? Hmmm. Well Nas and Jay weren’t best friends by any stretch of the imagination. But remember Jay is speaking metaphorically here. Because they were contemporaries on the highest level it may have felt to Jay that they were “best friends”. Remember Jay was a bit of Stan back then. Constantly on Nas’ dick. In any case he held Nas in very high esteem, (”Illmatic rocked” “Firm like Foxy, Nas and AZ” “Whos the best, Pac, BIG or Nas”.) The same esteem one would give their best friend.
“And yes it could bring - the worst in every person - even the good n’ sane”
Saying the battle brought out the worst in everyone involved in both camps. From Nas (”Ether” specifically the parts doggin Jay’s looks), Jungle (stuff said in interviews, and “Bravehearted” “not like snitch CJ or bitch Jay-Z”), Nashawn (”Write Your Name” “I heard [Cam] got AIDS full blown”) and Wiz (interviews). And from Jay (Is That Your Bitch, Takeover, Supa Ugly, especially parts disrespecting Destiny and Carmen by name), Memphis Bleek (various songs, “Memphis Bleek Is”), Beans (songs), Cam Ron (”Hate Me Now Freestyle”) and Dame Dash (interviews). Remember we know Jay considers it the worst because he went and apologized on Hot 97 after Super Ugly (cause his mom told him to).
“Though we rehearsed it - it just ain’t the same”
Very interesting line. Not quite sure what to make of it. Was the beef preplanned? Did Nas and Jay have a phone convo at some point and say “yea we really doin this”. And then it got out of hand. It implies there was some communication before hand. Personally I don’t think it was all fake, there was real animosity there. But it’s interesting that it started in a (presumably) civilized way.
“Then you mix things like cars, jewelry, and miss thing”
Jay’s stating that the money confused things further. Not only was it about survival it was also about getting more paper, financial success. And also, “miss thing”. They both still had feelings for Carmen. That especially complicated the battle between the two premier MCs of NYC.
“Jealousy, evil and pride and this brings - it all to a head like a coin - cha ching”
It got emotional. It got ugly. Pride was mixed up, jealously on both sides. Carmen was fu*kin Jay but she (supposedly) loved Nas. These were the ultimate catalysts. Jay’s wack coin metaphor is what it is.
“The root of evil strikes again - this could sting - now the team got beef between the post and the point - this puts the ring in jeopardy”
Jay is sayin that the lust for power was the root of evil. The power over Carmen, the power over the game, power that wealth brings. “This could sting”… even though they sought to destroy each other, they knew they would be tattered. Harsh lines were thrown and harsh realities were exposed on both sides. “Beef between the post and the point”. Jay sees him and Nas as being on the same team. East Coast NY Hip Hop. Black Musicians. Their mutual success is beneficial to the rap game. Destroying one hurts the other. Like Kobe and Shaq beefin puttin the championship (the ring) in jeopardy, Nas and Jay beefin puts the ultimate goal of black owned industry in jeopardy. Also could be looked at as a jab to Dame Dash.
Now for the best part. Nas’ verse. This sh*t is so dense, dudes are gonna be decoding for years. But I’ll scratch the surface.
“I feel like a black militant taking over the government”
First of all, Nas clearly differentiates himself from Jay’s black Republican aesthetic. A militant is the ultimate revolutionary, willing to do whatever it takes to make change. Since Republicans are generally concerned with protecting the status quo, Nas’ stance as a militant bringing change is decidedly opposed to Jay’s conservatism.
In essence, Nas is sayin, I’m different. This is what Jay represents. And this is what I represent. We cool. But we still different.
Back to the line. “I’m like black militant - overthrowing the government”.
Nas, the independent of all independents, Nas who stands alone (Bravehearts don’t count), has joined Def Jam. Def Jam (while once representative of fresh new music) has in recent years become the emblem for big business hip-hop. They sell sh*t loads of albums (Jay, Kanye, LL, Beastie Boys, Red and Meth, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, whateverthefu*k, DMX’s early sh*t). They are in essense the government of hip hop (arguments can be made for Interscope and Atlantic, but c’mon, Def Jam is Def Jam). And here’s Nas, suddenly on Def Jam, the self proclaimed black militant, taking over the government. Taking the behemoth that is Def Jam and crafting it in his own image. Daring to call an album “Hip-Hop is Dead” on the most fabled hip hop label. Dissing half the artists on the roster (Def Jam South).
“I’m back in the hood they like ‘Hey Nas’ - blowin on purp - reflecting on they lives”
Superficially, Nas establishes himself as the street artist. Still relevent in the hood. Still tight with the ones strugglin. Smokin weed, thinking about their lives, as Nas reminisces on his. A parallel is made between Nas and the common man.
Looking deeper, Nas is beginning his story. He’s transporting the listener back to his hood days. “I’m back in the hood”. The setting is now 1994. The movie has just flashed back. “They like hey Nas”… QB is still cool with Nas, this is before the beef with various QB rappers. “Blowin on purp reflectin on they lives”. Nas is tellin you he’s one of them now, and in this song he’s reflecting on his life. He’s reflecting on the ups and downs, the success, the failures. The love, the hate. Specifically Carmen.
“Couple of fat cats - couple of A.I.s - dreamin of fly sh*t instead of them grey skies”
Nas (the film’s director) cuts now to various locations that are parallel with this time setting (1994). Marcy, Brooklyn. A young “fat cat” Jay-Z dreams of “fly sh*t”. Harlem, NY. Another fat cat, Sean Combs is starting Bad Boy. Cut to Georgetown University. “A.I” or Allen “The Answer” Iverson, is playin college ball dreaming of the NBA. What do these “Fat Cats” and “A.I.s” have in common? Well its what they have in Carmen. They all slept with her. And thus they are all relevant to the beef story Nas and Jay are spittin about on this song.
This line is dope because it establishes a parallel between all the players in this film. Nas, Jay, Puff, and AI were all started out in roughly the same place. Street kids dreamin of “fly sh*t” instead of the depression and “grey skies” of ghetto life.
If you listen to the background you’ll hear faintly the sounds of someone moaning (it may be Jay’s ad libs) but it also serves to underline the connection between the Fat Cats and A.I.s. They all fu*ked Carmen.
“Grey 5s - hate us - wishin our reign dies”
Nas flashes forward to the current haters against the aforementioned. In him and Jay’s case it’s Dip Set and Camron. Also 50, and various QB affiliates. For Puff it’s basically the entire hip-hop underground. For Allen Iverson it’s David Stern with his “NBA fashion issues” (see Hip Hop is Dead track) (Iverson is notorious for bringing the thug aesthetic onto the basketball court. Something league commissioner David Stern and his conservative friends are trying to change (not because they’re necessarily racist, which they may be, but because they want to expand the NBA to more country audiences).
“Pitch sling pies, and niggas they sing why - guess they ain’t strong enough to handle they jail time”
Direct reference to Cormega and Lake. Ex jail heads (and slingers) who have beef with Nas. Brutal line “guess they ain’t strong enough to handle they jail time”. Nas is taunting them, saying prison made them soft and now they expect Nas to hold their hands.
“Weak minds keep tryin - follow the street signs”.
This expands the diss to all weak rappers currently goin at Nas. Jim Jones, Cam, Nore, Uno Dos. :Follow the street signs” references the underground nature of these beefs. These are out of the public eye and known only to hip-hop heads.
“I’m standing on the roof of my building - I’m feelin the whirl wind of beef - I inhale it”
Presented here are two different eras of Nas. One is Nasty “Kid Wave” Nas standing on top of the QB Housing Projects, Building 15. He’s dealin with hood sh*t. Dealin with the dudes that merked Ill Will. Dealing with his fallout with Cormega.
The other is Nasir “God’s Son” Jones. He’s standin on top of his mansion in Long Island. He’s beefing too. First with Jay-Z and The Roc, now with Dip Set, G-Unit and QB.
“The whirl wind of beef”. It’s a force that Nas can’t control, a whirlwind, a entity of nature. It exists outside of him. It’s tangible, he can feel it. It’s chaotic, disorienting. And what does Nas do? He inhales it. He internalizes it. He makes it his. Like inhaling weed smoke, he is changed by its chemical nature. He is energized.
“Like an acrobat ready to hurl myself through the hoops of fire”
But unlike weed, the beef doesn’t slow him or hinder his drive. Instead it fuels him. It gives him the verbal agility that an acrobat has physically. It allows him to drop albums like “Illmatic” or “Stillmatic”. It gives him courage to go through the “hoops of fire”. The critics, the fickle fans, the fickle radio DJs. If he can overcome beef, he can overcome that sh*t too.
“Sippin 80 proof - bulletproof under my attire”
80 proof represents the hard core sh*t that Nas spits. The strongest of the strong. This music is pure. “Bullet proof under my attire”, he’s protected, from physical bullets, and verbal bullets.
“Could it be the forces of darkness against hood angels that’s good that form street politics”
This is the deepest line in the whole song. I could write 10 pages about this. But I’ll keep it as brief as possible. The forces of darkness here represents many things. First it’s the animosity that grew between him and Jay. The discord between two men. The beef itself. The disharmony. It is also the things that caused the beef. The lust for wealth. The greed. The things that plague every hood, every man. The lust for power. The lust for women. It’s the evil inherent in mankind. The remnants of original sin. Nas makes it Biblical with the angel reference. These angels may be literal angels from a Judeo Christian heaven. They are also figurative angels. Nas and Jay-Z could both be angels trying to uphold hip hop. But going beyond that, Nas is talking about the good forces in the hood, the benevolent in life. He’s talking about Ann Jones trying to keep her son away from the forces of darkness. Away from the gun slingers and crack dealers. About all the mothers protecting their sons and the wives taking care of their men. The love. The caring. The basic qualities of human kind that are good.
And the oppostion between these “angels of good” and “forces of darkness” creates “street politics”. The debate between right and wrong. Is it right to deal drugs to feed one’s family? Is it right to kill in defense? These are examples where the good and the bad meet. These are questions of hood politics. The ethics of survival living.
“Makes a sweet honest kid turn illegal for commerce - to get his feet out of them Converse - that’s my word”
Nas brings it full circle with this line. First it relates to the previous line. A sweet honest kind, who’s tempted by the darkness, the greed, the wealth. He wants to feed his family, move his mom out of the hood. There’s good intention. But what can he do? A 9 to 5 won’t give him sh*t. College is not an option. So he turns illegal. Converse, the shoes of the street represent the poverty. Drug dealing gets him better shoes, better cars, more power, and perhaps the chance to help those he loves. But he hurts hundreds in the process.
I feel you homie on having to break it down for the lames. What we need is more comprehension and less ass shaking. It's cool to dance but it's true -turn down the volume and all the videos are the same. Dude made a concentrated effort to educate whoever might not have known what the most important element in hip hop is -the lyrics.Thank you for the break down. It's good to see some of us actually listen to the words and know there are meaning to them.
Who is Nas talking about? Most generally he’s talking about youth everywhere who are tempted by evil. More specifically the urban youth of the ghettos. And finally, he’s talking about Jay and himself. They both started out innocent. Jay with his mom buyin him a boom box, and Nas playin his pop’s trumpet. Then they experienced the evils of the hood. Nas with Will’s death. Jay with crack dealin down South. They both did shady sh*t. Let their lust for women corrupt their relationships with women they loved. Let their lust for power and jealousy and resentment throw them into an ugly, personal and public beef. They both lived their verses. They embody what they say. And that’s their word.
^^^ somebody need to get out the crib a lil more
LOL
LMAO THIS DUDE GONNA TRANSLATE IT 4 U SLOW FUCKS...LOL...HE DID THE WHOLE SCRIPT AND SHIT...LOL...HOT TRACK...HAD TO BE TO MAKE UP FOR THAT GARBAGE WAYNE TRACK HE HAD ON THE ALBUM
I EXPECTED DIS SHIT 2 B MUCH BETTER
THAT DUE FARESL2 THAT TYPED ALL OF THAT SHIT NEEDS TO GET A FUCKIN LIFE FOR REAL...FUCKIN BLOGGER....