CNN Names Nas The Greatest Lyricist Ever! Agree or Disagree?
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http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/05/showbiz/rapper-nas-turns-40/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
Great article up on CNN.com on why nas is the greatest of all time. I completely agree with CNN, yeah he makes boring albums and picks beats like Ben Afflack picks movie scripts but his lyricism has not diminished.
NAS= GOAT
Cliff notes for them illitarate ? on this site,
As for Nas, he's not ready to compile a list of the greatest rappers just yet. In the article, he's quoted saying, "It's wayyyyyy, way, way too early in our lives. It's great to put a list together, but don't take it too seriously because your list won't matter 10 years from now or 15 years from now. It'll be a different list."
As for Nas' thoughts on 2Pac and Biggie, he says, "I just think Biggie was something else. He was the Hitchcock of this thing, man. He told you a story. There was a seriousness that came with it that can't compare with nothing." He adds, "I'd probably be better if they were still around. I think I'd be a lot better."
On Longevity:
With "Life is Good," Nas dropped his ninth No. 1 hip-hop album since 1994. Seven of those have gone platinum, which places him second among rappers only to Jay-Z with 11. (We're not counting compilations or collaborations here, only original solo efforts, and yes, Tupac Shakur had nine, but five were posthumous releases.)
It also ties Nas with Snoop Dogg or Snoop Lion or whatever his name is, and it puts the Queens native one plaque ahead of Eminem, Too Short, OutKast and LL Cool J, all of whom belong in the greatest-ever discussion, as well.
On Jay-Z vs. Nas:
Here is where that "lyricist" v. "hip-hop artist" distinction becomes important. Jay-Z said it best himself: He's not a businessman; he's a business, man. When you consider 11 of his albums have sold at least a million copies -- seven of those 2 million or more -- as have his four collaborations, two with R. Kelly and one each with Linkin Park and Kanye West, it's as if Hova is King Midas, but with platinum.
He's a hit maker extraordinaire, maybe the world's best, but that doesn't translate to best lyricist. Jay-Z acknowledged as much on "Moment of Clarity" when he rhymed, "If skills sold, truth be told/I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli."
Even in dissing Nas on "Takeover," he explained why he had sampled Nas' lyrics on "Dead Presidents": "So yeah, I sampled your voice; you was using it wrong/you made it a hot line; I made it a hot song."
And that, friends, is the crux of the debate: hot lines vs. hot songs. No one would deny Hova his dap, but it seems he has said, in both word and action, that it's tough to top Nas.
Do you agree? Is Nas the G.O.A.T. rap lyricist?
Great article up on CNN.com on why nas is the greatest of all time. I completely agree with CNN, yeah he makes boring albums and picks beats like Ben Afflack picks movie scripts but his lyricism has not diminished.
NAS= GOAT
Cliff notes for them illitarate ? on this site,
As for Nas, he's not ready to compile a list of the greatest rappers just yet. In the article, he's quoted saying, "It's wayyyyyy, way, way too early in our lives. It's great to put a list together, but don't take it too seriously because your list won't matter 10 years from now or 15 years from now. It'll be a different list."
As for Nas' thoughts on 2Pac and Biggie, he says, "I just think Biggie was something else. He was the Hitchcock of this thing, man. He told you a story. There was a seriousness that came with it that can't compare with nothing." He adds, "I'd probably be better if they were still around. I think I'd be a lot better."
On Longevity:
With "Life is Good," Nas dropped his ninth No. 1 hip-hop album since 1994. Seven of those have gone platinum, which places him second among rappers only to Jay-Z with 11. (We're not counting compilations or collaborations here, only original solo efforts, and yes, Tupac Shakur had nine, but five were posthumous releases.)
It also ties Nas with Snoop Dogg or Snoop Lion or whatever his name is, and it puts the Queens native one plaque ahead of Eminem, Too Short, OutKast and LL Cool J, all of whom belong in the greatest-ever discussion, as well.
On Jay-Z vs. Nas:
Here is where that "lyricist" v. "hip-hop artist" distinction becomes important. Jay-Z said it best himself: He's not a businessman; he's a business, man. When you consider 11 of his albums have sold at least a million copies -- seven of those 2 million or more -- as have his four collaborations, two with R. Kelly and one each with Linkin Park and Kanye West, it's as if Hova is King Midas, but with platinum.
He's a hit maker extraordinaire, maybe the world's best, but that doesn't translate to best lyricist. Jay-Z acknowledged as much on "Moment of Clarity" when he rhymed, "If skills sold, truth be told/I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli."
Even in dissing Nas on "Takeover," he explained why he had sampled Nas' lyrics on "Dead Presidents": "So yeah, I sampled your voice; you was using it wrong/you made it a hot line; I made it a hot song."
And that, friends, is the crux of the debate: hot lines vs. hot songs. No one would deny Hova his dap, but it seems he has said, in both word and action, that it's tough to top Nas.
Do you agree? Is Nas the G.O.A.T. rap lyricist?
Comments
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nah, although he still makes good music... he has fallen off lyrically... Rakim >>>
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Don't know about lyricist, but he's my choice for greatest emcee of all-time.
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Agreed and I dont agree that he picks wack beats
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Its an opinion not everyone gonna agree.
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Agreed. Lyrically nas is the best.
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His wordplay and cadence peaked with IWW...
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Never really got into Nas too heavy. Not somebody i really listen to but i have liked some of the songs he been involved with over the years. Not really 1 of my favorites or nothin. Not hatin or nothin. So my opinion is dont care. To people outside the internet bubble of these type sites, it is what it is. Dont know if i agree or not cause I look at the whole picture of your music. I like it or i dont. I dont separate a rapper's "lyricism."
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Only because Big L got killed
Big L would've been huge if he didn't get popped -
NoCompetition wrote: »Never really got into Nas too heavy. Not somebody i really listen to but i have liked some of the songs he been involved with over the years. Not really 1 of my favorites or nothin. Not hatin or nothin. So my opinion is dont care. To people outside the internet bubble of these type sites, it is what it is. Dont know if i agree or not cause I look at the whole picture of your music. I like it or i dont. I dont separate a rapper's "lyricism."
So you disagree, cool, but dont know what the ? else you just said -
If you take away the beats and just judge Lyrics....
1.Rakim 2.NAS 3.Scarface 4.AZ
In that order... -
Nas is the greatest rapper alive..........
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Agree.....lol this ? is going to errupt tho......
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based on what criteria?
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Turfaholic wrote: »Only because Big L got killed
Big L would've been huge if he didn't get popped
Big L was never and would of never been on Nas level lyrically -
its....JOHN B wrote: »Agreed and I dont agree that he picks wack beats
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I'm ok with it
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Built 4 cuban linx wrote: »its....JOHN B wrote: »Agreed and I dont agree that he picks wack beats
Blunt ashes.......
Waits for somebody to make a valid argument......... -
journalism at its finest
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RodrigueZz wrote: »based on what criteria?
this right here -
its....JOHN B wrote: »Agreed and I dont agree that he picks wack beats
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Hov is the greatest since Big died in my opinion. I can't knock anyone for how they feel though.
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I agree lyrically he's a beast.
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he's the GOAT
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This thread is about to be a H-bomb full of feelings...