Is Nas The best rapper ever?

I honestly think so....I have been pondering on this for awhile. He has the flow of Rakim, the word play of Eminem, the swag of Jay, the street tales of Face, and the storytelling ability of Ice Cube. He has multiple classic albums and has had successful unmainstream like singles. The man is a deep writer with a unique rap voice and has not lost a step lyrically since debuting on Live At The Bar-BQ. He's a rappers rapper and can give it to you politically, mic battle, or on some gangsta shit.

I still prefer Face over any rapper out there but looking from the outside in Nas just may be the true GOAT.

No

He has none of those qualities you mentioned... because if he did... Rakim would have the flow of Nas, Eminem would have the word play of Nas, etc. etc. etc.

The Real Real Jeru wrote:

He has none of those qualities you mentioned... because if he did... Rakim would have the flow of Nas, Eminem would have the word play of Nas, etc. etc. etc.

Not true because like you have debated numerous times 1st does not always equal best. Nas may be the knockout combo because he embodies the strong qualites of a lot of rappers.

He embodies some strong qualities... but point is Rakim still takes him on flow, Eminem still takes him on word play, etc. etc. etc.

Is he an extremely strong rapper? yes - but Rakim has lyrics to match his flow too, eminem has flow to match his word play, etc. etc. - it is not as cut and dry as you are trying to make it seem.

Sorry for being so vague, but i can just see this turning into a fight more than a debate. Nas is a contender, but he doesn't have anything that others don't(i.e. he's not exactly more qualified than some others).

No

6 years ago i would have said Nas was the best rapper ever, but as i got older, and listened to more and more diverse types of hip hop and mc's i dont consider Nas the best. he is in my top 10, but all he has done the last 5 or so years has disappoint me with his albums and will never and never has came close to the level he reached on Illmatic

I've also come to the conclusion that there is not any single "Goat". There are so many different styles of rappers that its almost impossible to compare and to formulate all the criteria into what it means to be the GOAT will always be based on personal criteria and bias. Therefore, i dont think there is a GOAT. i do think theres Goat storytellers, Goat battle rappers, Goat regional rappers, etc, but to say one rapper is the best rapper of all time is actually pretty stupid, really.

You can make a case for him being the best.

Is he my favorite? No, but he's damn close.

In the end, its just a matter of preference.

Nah I don't think he's the best ever...that would go to Rakim for me personally..but he is my number 4 emcee of all-time

Nas is very dope and a case could be made for him being the GOAT...just like a case could be made for KRS-One, Rakim, Scarface, Cool J, Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Chuck D, Biggie, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, 2Pac, Q-Tip, Jadakiss, Eminem and more than a few others...I mean these are all names I have heard at one time or another as the GOAT.

I guess the question is does a true GOAT even exist?? there's too many different opinions to think that it does, just like is there any true GOAT QB, or boxer or musician or movie, or sneaker brand?? there's too many different opinions to say that there is just one true GOAT of really anything.

The GOAT sneakers are Ewing Pumps... you should know that Powell.

"there's too many different opinions to think that it does, just like is there any true GOAT QB, or boxer or musician or movie,..."

Well....

He's Hip-Hop's best writer. Rakim solidified the mechanics of rap, but Nas brought a more organic, poetic nature to it. Rakim is pure mathematics, Nas is theoretical physics. He might be the best all-around, he's definitely on the short list.

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Nas is DEFINITELY someone whom you can make a strong case for. I'm not saying he's the GOAT but he's certainly among the best MC's ever. Examples.....

Illmatic is recognized by many to be the greatest rap album of all time.

He's one of the few rap acts from the early to mid-90's to remain highly relevant today.

Lyrically, there isn't an MC past or present that he can't hang with.

He went toe to toe with the "self proclaimed" King Of New York Jay-Z and WON (for those who want to deny that, the radio and TV polls speak for themselves. Ether was a much better song than Takeover and Supa Ugly).

I co-sign EVERYTHING Kev has said. He hasn't lost a step lyrically AT ALL. Some of you say that he hasn't reached the heights of Illmatic since that album dropped. Well how many MC's have put out albums as good as Illmatic? You can count that shit on one fuckin hand!! He really has no weaknesses as an MC.

Stillmatic and Lost Tapes are both considered at or near classic status by most fans, and the only true dud in his catalog is Nastradamus, which wouldn't have been released in that particular form had it not been for bootlegging.

Biggie is still my personal GOAT. But Nas is 2nd on my list and someone who a strong case can be made for. IMO he's definitely the best rapper alive today and not many come close.

who's hating KJ? Everyone has acknowledged that he's on a short list. Kev's post requires nothing more than a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Biggie's your GOAT. Your answer should have been a simple no. Unless Nas changes his name to KRS One, he's a no to me as well. If i thought Nas took everything it took to be a great mc, he'd be #1 on my list. He is not at the top of my list, but he's top 15 to me.

IMO, KRS embodies everything Kev listed in his initial post and them some.

T. Myers wrote:

who's hating KJ? Everyone has acknowledged that he's on a short list. Kev's post requires nothing more than a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Biggie's your GOAT. Your answer should have been a simple no. Unless Nas changes his name to KRS One, he's a no to me as well. If i thought Nas took everything it took to be a great mc, he'd be #1 on my list. He is not at the top of my list, but he's top 15 to me.

IMO, KRS embodies everything Kev listed in his initial post and them some.

Everyone but Clancey and Pounds acknowledged that he's on a short list.

And why should it be a simple yes or no??? If he would have said Scarface, I know you would have had a long, drawn out answer just as I had for Nas because Face is #2 on your list so stop frontin.

KRS is 4th on my GOAT list BTW.

The Real Real Jeru wrote:

He embodies some strong qualities... but point is Rakim still takes him on flow, Eminem still takes him on word play, etc. etc. etc.

Is he an extremely strong rapper? yes - but Rakim has lyrics to match his flow too, eminem has flow to match his word play, etc. etc. - it is not as cut and dry as you are trying to make it seem.

SMH...

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

who's hating KJ? Everyone has acknowledged that he's on a short list. Kev's post requires nothing more than a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Biggie's your GOAT. Your answer should have been a simple no. Unless Nas changes his name to KRS One, he's a no to me as well. If i thought Nas took everything it took to be a great mc, he'd be #1 on my list. He is not at the top of my list, but he's top 15 to me.

IMO, KRS embodies everything Kev listed in his initial post and them some.

Everyone but Clancey and Pounds acknowledged that he's on a short list.

And why should it be a simple yes or no??? If he would have said Scarface, I know you would have had a long, drawn out answer just as I had for Nas because Face is #2 on your list so stop frontin.

KRS is 4th on my GOAT list BTW.

It's a simple yes or no answer because you only have one favorite rapper. IMO it's ignorant to annoint a rapper as the best ever, and then say that rapper is not you favorite. It's like saying your favorite rapper is sub standard. I CAN make a case for Face, and i can make a case for Nas. However if they are not my #1, i obviously don't think they are the best.

My GOAT is Powder from Mo Thugs Y'all...

"IMO it's ignorant to annoint a rapper as the best ever, and then say that rapper is not you favorite. It's like saying your favorite rapper is sub standard."

KRS is the best ever, but Royce is my favorite...

Besides that, I agree.

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

who's hating KJ? Everyone has acknowledged that he's on a short list. Kev's post requires nothing more than a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Biggie's your GOAT. Your answer should have been a simple no. Unless Nas changes his name to KRS One, he's a no to me as well. If i thought Nas took everything it took to be a great mc, he'd be #1 on my list. He is not at the top of my list, but he's top 15 to me.

IMO, KRS embodies everything Kev listed in his initial post and them some.

Everyone but Clancey and Pounds acknowledged that he's on a short list.

And why should it be a simple yes or no??? If he would have said Scarface, I know you would have had a long, drawn out answer just as I had for Nas because Face is #2 on your list so stop frontin.

KRS is 4th on my GOAT list BTW.

It's a simple yes or no answer because you only have one favorite rapper. IMO it's ignorant to annoint a rapper as the best ever, and then say that rapper is not you favorite. It's like saying your favorite rapper is sub standard. I CAN make a case for Face, and i can make a case for Nas. However if they are not my #1, i obviously don't think they are the best.

I didn't annoint him as the best ever, all I did was say that Nas is someone whom a strong case can be made for.

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

who's hating KJ? Everyone has acknowledged that he's on a short list. Kev's post requires nothing more than a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Biggie's your GOAT. Your answer should have been a simple no. Unless Nas changes his name to KRS One, he's a no to me as well. If i thought Nas took everything it took to be a great mc, he'd be #1 on my list. He is not at the top of my list, but he's top 15 to me.

IMO, KRS embodies everything Kev listed in his initial post and them some.

Everyone but Clancey and Pounds acknowledged that he's on a short list.

And why should it be a simple yes or no??? If he would have said Scarface, I know you would have had a long, drawn out answer just as I had for Nas because Face is #2 on your list so stop frontin.

KRS is 4th on my GOAT list BTW.

It's a simple yes or no answer because you only have one favorite rapper. IMO it's ignorant to annoint a rapper as the best ever, and then say that rapper is not you favorite. It's like saying your favorite rapper is sub standard. I CAN make a case for Face, and i can make a case for Nas. However if they are not my #1, i obviously don't think they are the best.

I didn't annoint him as the best ever, all I did was say that Nas is someone whom a strong case can be made for.

I never said YOU annointed him. Kev is the one who made that claim. It's not really a knock on Kev, but it makes no sense to me. It's like saying BMW's are the best car ever, but you continue to drive a Mercedes.

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

who's hating KJ? Everyone has acknowledged that he's on a short list. Kev's post requires nothing more than a yes or no answer. It's as simple as that. Biggie's your GOAT. Your answer should have been a simple no. Unless Nas changes his name to KRS One, he's a no to me as well. If i thought Nas took everything it took to be a great mc, he'd be #1 on my list. He is not at the top of my list, but he's top 15 to me.

IMO, KRS embodies everything Kev listed in his initial post and them some.

Everyone but Clancey and Pounds acknowledged that he's on a short list.

And why should it be a simple yes or no??? If he would have said Scarface, I know you would have had a long, drawn out answer just as I had for Nas because Face is #2 on your list so stop frontin.

KRS is 4th on my GOAT list BTW.

It's a simple yes or no answer because you only have one favorite rapper. IMO it's ignorant to annoint a rapper as the best ever, and then say that rapper is not you favorite. It's like saying your favorite rapper is sub standard. I CAN make a case for Face, and i can make a case for Nas. However if they are not my #1, i obviously don't think they are the best.

I didn't annoint him as the best ever, all I did was say that Nas is someone whom a strong case can be made for.

I never said YOU annointed him. Kev is the one who made that claim. It's not really a knock on Kev, but it makes no sense to me. It's like saying BMW's are the best car ever, but you continue to drive a Mercedes.

I think he was making his statement from an objective point of view.

For example, it's common knowledge that Micheal Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time, but he isn't everyone's favorite player of all time. Hip-Hop works the same way.

"Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me"

All of which are as good as KRS' albums? So Stillmatic, IWW (I take it this is the other classic), and The Lost Tapes are as good as Criminal Minded, BAMN, The Blueprint, and KRS-One?

IMO, 4 classics is a bit much for Nas, but it's not out of the question. I think he has 3, but i'm sure you're including Untitled as his other classic. Either way, KRS trumps him in classic albums IMO.

Shaun wrote:

"Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me"

All of which are as good as KRS' albums? So Stillmatic, IWW (I take it this is the other classic), and The Lost Tapes are as good as Criminal Minded, BAMN, The Blueprint, and KRS-One?

Well Illmatic is the cream of the crop IMO, after that I'd say Criminal Minded.

After that yes, those albums are easily as good. In fact, you should have replaced KRS' self titled album with Edutainment which is easily a better album.

Criminal Minded>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Illmatic.

T. Myers wrote:

Criminal Minded>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Illmatic.

I disagree entirely, but it's all good. CM is a Top 10 album to me.

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Jordan was not the best baller of all time...

T. Myers wrote:

Criminal Minded>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Illmatic.

This is a match-up where I'd take Illmatic. The other would be "KRS-One" (1995) (funny enough, his first and last great albums). Otherwise, I'd take BDP's first 4 and "Return Of The Boom Bap" over all Nas records.

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

Criminal Minded>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Illmatic.

I disagree entirely, but it's all good. CM is a Top 10 album to me.

yeah, I don't even have a problem with people liking Illmatic more, but there's not a wide enough gap to definitively say that Illmatic is the cream of the crop.

Oh, i don't really agree with the Michael Jordan analogy either. Sports are entirely different thing IMO. In hip hop you really don't have things like favorite teams and you can't reallt gauge intangibles like you can with sports. That's just my take on it, but i still your respect your opinion on it.

The Real Real Jeru wrote:

Jordan was not the best baller of all time...

Who was better???

T. Myers wrote:

Oh, i don't really agree with the Michael Jordan analogy either. Sports are entirely different thing IMO. In hip hop you really don't have things like favorite teams and you can't reallt gauge intangibles like you can with sports. That's just my take on it, but i still your respect your opinion on it.

I agree wholeheartedly. I hate when people compare sports to music because it's completely different...unless you gauge the quality of hip-hop by album sales. Then it's somewhat the same.

Alan wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

Criminal Minded>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Illmatic.

This is a match-up where I'd take Illmatic. The other would be "KRS-One" (1995) (funny enough, his first and last great albums). Otherwise, I'd take BDP's first 4 and "Return Of The Boom Bap" over all Nas records.

hmm, i knew CM was like your 4th favorite KRS album, but i guess i'm still a little surprised by this. Is it CM's production, or is it that CM has more of a street feel that cause you to not like it as much as the others? It's still 5 stars to you, right?

Bill Russell... Dr. J.... Wilt...Lebron...Kobe....Chris Dudley... to name a few.

Chris Dudley....lolololol

T. Myers wrote:

Alan wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

Criminal Minded>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Illmatic.

This is a match-up where I'd take Illmatic. The other would be "KRS-One" (1995) (funny enough, his first and last great albums). Otherwise, I'd take BDP's first 4 and "Return Of The Boom Bap" over all Nas records.

hmm, i knew CM was like your 4th favorite KRS album, but i guess i'm still a little surprised by this? Is it CM's production, or is it that CM has more of a street feel that cause you to not like it as much as the others? It's still 5 stars to you, right?

I'd give it 5 stars. But yes, it is the production I don't care for as much on there. It's my 4th favorite BDP in front of S&V, but I still dig "Return Of The Boom Bap" (and "Illmatic") more. Premier kills that shit.

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

LOL @ Chris Dudley. Don't forget Magic. I'm not sure why he's always over looked as a GOAT contender. I not saying Magic is better. i do like him more and his credentials can not be discounted.

I base that more on replay value. Undoubtedly the impact of Criminal Minded is incomparable in KRS' discog.

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

LOL...fuck that!

The Real Real Jeru wrote:

Bill Russell... Dr. J.... Wilt...Lebron...Kobe....Chris Dudley... to name a few.

Bill Russell and maybe Wilt are the only guys that come close to MJ,

LMAO Chris Dudley, that clown sucks. The only reason he made it to the NBA is because of his size.

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

whoa, whoa, whoa! BAMN is better IMO

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

whoa, whoa, whoa! BAMN is better IMO

Easily IMO. I also feel "Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop" & "Edutainment" are also easily better than Lost Tapes and Stillmatic.

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

LOL...fuck that!

Whatever man. I just feel that those albums have more replay value. I still love both of them though.

Biggie, Nas, Rakim, and KRS are my Top 4 MC's.

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

hmm, Nas has 3 albums in your top 25 including your favorite album of all time, but Biggie is your GOAT? I think you need to switch your rankings. LOL!

Alan wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

Fuck all y'all haters!!

Is it really hating to say that Nas isn't the greatest emcee of all time?

I'd take KRS-One's 6 classics over Nas' 1 or 2 (IMO) any day.

Nas has 4 classics IMO, all of which are as good as any of KRS's albums to me.

I hear ya. I feel all of KRS-One's are better...with the exception of a couple...which I feel Illmatic is better than.

Stillmatic and The Lost Tapes >>>>>> Every KRS album but CM

That said, By All Means Necessary is in my Top 25.

whoa, whoa, whoa! BAMN is better IMO

Easily IMO. I also feel "Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop" & "Edutainment" are also easily better than Lost Tapes and Stillmatic.

I don't, but you're not much of a Nas fan outside of Illmatic so I'd expect you to say that.