Shot Of Rhythm

[ Wednesday, November 01, 2006 ]

 

Your move

Now, nobody's really paying attention to the Jay-Z/Nas beef anymore, if only because Hova's last few albums have thoroughly trounced his one-time competitor by every concievable criterion (sales, quality, impact, etc.). Even the combatants themselves seem to have made peace, with each guesting on each other's work in recent years, and even appearing on stage. Nonetheless, at least in the minds and hearts of hip-hop heads (who seem to pine for a beef once again based - at least in part - on artistry, rather than some other bullshit), the saga continues. Thanks to the Internet Gods, and in celebration of the upcoming simultaneous drop of Jay's "comeback" effort and Nas' latest, we once again have to opportunity to stack up two of the genre's most talented and celebrated MCs against each other.

What is most surprising about the tracks below, and what may certainly change in the context of their respective albums, is that Mr. Jones appears to have the upper hand. Jay's tracks - to me - don't leap out of the speakers the way Nas' do, and both seem more contrived and contained. And that kind of advantage shift is the only thing that can keep a half-dead rivalry interesting. Which ain't a bad thing, all things considered.

Jay-Z - "Kingdom Come"

Jay-Z - "Show Me"

Nas - "Hip-Hop Is Dead"

Nas - "The N"

On the box right now: Flavor Flav, FLAVOR FLAV. Don't get me started. Wait a couple days; then I'll start myself...

Peace...

Dove With Claws [7:19 AM]