No he wasn't... Tupac was an icon, he was the embodiment of hip hop and black cultural movement on and off the stage, but he was in no way a better lyricist. Nas is not an icon, he is a living legend and a cornerstone in hip hop.
I don't think underrated is a word one could use to describe Nas. The man made what is basically the universally recognized greatest hip hop album of all time and is viewed as being one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rapper of all time.
NICKHAM16 Illmatic is not the best rap album ever, it was written was Nas best album he was more experienced when he made that and it had more hits and a better sound
Nas is already a legend, yet he's so humble. He doesn't view himself as legendary, or above all rappers. And he's so down-to-earth and you can see that without even meeting him. That's why I respect him.
My favorite rap line from him is "The city never sleeps, full of villians and creeps That's where I learned to do my hustle had to scuffle with freaks I'ma addict for sneakers, twenties of buddah and bitches with beepers In the streets I can greet ya, about blunts I teach ya Inhale deep like the words of my breath I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death I lay puzzle as I backtrack to earlier times Nothing's equivalent, to the new york state of mind" such powerful rhyming and strong delivery from that!!
"street's disciple, my raps are trifle, i shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle, stampeed the stage, i leave the microphone lit" Not his best but for his first line on wax, my favourite verse
I was a PA on a music video when I met Nas, and no other artist or celebrity has made an impactful impression on me like he did. So smooth, chill, respectful, humble, and attentive to what I said. I straight up let him know he's always been my favorite rapper and I wasn't just saying that cuz I met him, and he said back to me,"I appreciate that man, One Love, thanks for being apart of this" Respect to the Legend, One Love!
What I love most about Nas is his genuinity and "swag", Never the bragging kind of type, only for the real Hip Hop as a culture and its progress across the community. Never stop what you're doing. "I never brag how real I keep it, 'cus it's the best secret."
Zinskey even regis recite that verse on a sports show. that shit was epic. i couldn't believe that. this man still hasn't won a grammy. what a travesty. just don't get it.
Nas. Teacher Legend Hero One of the greatest to ever touch the mic One of my favourite artists in the world. Saw him live. Cares about the music Role model
Nas would make a perfect English college professor or if there was a B.A. in hip hop he would make a perfect teacher. he wrote a lot of lyrics for the get down. This man can write an entire hip-hop Broadway by himself if he wanted to
@@fettymode7701 no way Pac got Nas on word play. That's just crazy talk. I'll give Pac voice and mic presence and maybe flow...maybe. But Nas is more creative, lyrical, a better storyteller and line for line just a better MC.
Nas is in a class of his own! Comparison With Pac is out of the question because they were both so different. The poise Nas embodies is undeniable and quite remarkable. Keeping it 100 %, Nas's lyricism, wordplay, poetry and storytelling is the stuff of legends period! G.O.A.T
Glad to see the legend getting the respect and praise from all these artist in the game and also vibe. This is beautiful. Nas is one of the last real rappers still holding it down. NY!!!
This man who has done so much 4 hip hop, and music in general, 4 him 2 never have won a single grammy continues 2 prove that the only award that matter is the affinity of the PEOPLE!!!! His honor is still being relevant 20 years later and having the respect of not only his peers, but the millions of people that was affected/influenced by his music. Nas was and is a one of one and the most underrated ever!!!
@alexander harvey its just obvious they are insprired by each other? especially by each others rivalry, you can be inpiried by some random guy next week it doesn't take much for someone to do something thay inspiries you
Listen to "I Gave You Power" then listen to "Me and My Girlfriend". Even though Pac had way bigger s*** going on in his life at the time to be giving props to Nas in magazine interviews. Then, you have the album cover similarities between "Illmatic" and "Ready to Die". (Credit Raekwon & Ghostface for pointing that out) Unfortunately, neither Pac or B.I.G. lived long enough to be introspective about their contemporaries who influenced them in one way or another, so finding links of either artist admitting they were influenced by Nas firsthand is almost impossible. But if you listen, you can hear and see it for yourself.
Nas is most definitely one of the best Mc ever no doubt. But Kool G Rap was who changed the game forever. Shout out nas you still one of the best who ever did it . Hands down.
Look at his interviews. He is spewing wisdom, radiating grandeur and is dignified. It's no wonder he was at the forefront of a hip hop revolution. Now I'm a black boy in the fray of an predominantly white high school. Month after month, an new hit breaks out, be it from Miley or 2chainz and it disgust me how many replays and party playlists they garner. This is no comment on the quality of the music, I won't make that arbitrary call(although compare nas and French Montana?? He you decide). It just bothers me out of everyone claim to be the knowledgable about hip-hop(yes I'm one of them) only a select few are(yes I am one of them). The bottom line is that "acting black" is becoming a trend in and of itself that white people bask in. They wear the hoods and blast the tunes and everything. But if they don't know the suffering or the roots, he'll even the black culture, well all I can say is that they are only acting black and nothing more. And all of these things come in the form of Nas tracks which these elite whites boys (with whom I admittedly hang out) are far too quick to dismiss. It's embarrassing to me to see someone wearing there hood indoors when it is bright and 80 degrees. It has become a statement and a superficial, bombastic one at that. Ultimately, the girls gravitate towards lil wayne as if repelled by the more soulful nas. And don't forget, it takes intelligence to immerse yourself in a nas track. They are just very profound I'm not trying to be condescending in any way. Just tryna do my part in saving the art if hip hop.
With out no question, Nas really does inspires Through his music, his delivery and poetic lyrics showed me the other side of hip hop,and I gotta thank my English tteacher for introducing me to his music, I mean I knew who he was but I didn't listen to none of his music, before I just listen to GangsTa Rap, and it was just about killing and repping your set, but then I got introduced To this Way of rhyming, which is Mcing, And Nas definitely is a true Mc
"rappers" like 2chainz and rickross dont even deserve to speak nas' name. How dare they attempt to talk about Nas, they are the ones destroying everything hes built
"Biggie's Ready to Die album came out several months after Illmatic, and Biggie was crowned king of New York in the popular culture of Hip Hop heads, Ready to Die unfairly over-shadowed Illmatic, which is truly a classic album. Though they were quite distinct artists, they innovated in analogous ways. Biggie merged language that was high and low, vernacular and vocabulary words, in a way that sounded natural. He did this with a sophisticated understanding of the patterns of black language. When a different or unusual word or phrase could be introduced while still maintaining the aesthetics of black language, he inserted it. NaS, in contrast, merged concepts that were high and low, vernacular and metaphysical, in a manner that was whole rather than pieced together, thus presenting a complex that is unusual in any music outside of jazz. What Biggie started to do with language in 1994, NaS had already begun to do with ideas on Illmatic. He carries us through the "Righteous steps" of the cosmic, oceanic, and literal dimensions of his person. He transcends." - Imany Perry (Born To Use Mics)
lyric that is so prolific to me was like this goes out to Manhattan the island of Staten like what man blows my mind, like how do u think of that nas is the greatest
If Tupac was the heart of rap, then Nas is undoubtedly the brain of rap.
Great way of putting it!
downtoearth x agreed!👌
Couldn't have said it better
downtoearth x damn right
No he wasn't... Tupac was an icon, he was the embodiment of hip hop and black cultural movement on and off the stage, but he was in no way a better lyricist. Nas is not an icon, he is a living legend and a cornerstone in hip hop.
No one can hate on Nas, he's just that respectably great
Well said! One Love!
You’d be surprised
My favorite living Musician, not just rap, music period
Nas is a legend!
St. Luca Same.
St. Luca He's my biggest hero under God, my whole life....
mine too :)
What more can I say?
This man doesn't age.
neither does his music
+Del Marfo He's in his 40's, so yes, he does age.
Del 'gets better with age, and all that henny did good to him,it was his champion brew...in a boxing rap game'
Nas is truly an underrated rapper. Hats off to Vibe Magazine for recognizing the legend. He is the best rapper in my eyes.
I don't think underrated is a word one could use to describe Nas. The man made what is basically the universally recognized greatest hip hop album of all time and is viewed as being one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rapper of all time.
What I mean by underrated is that many people do not pay homage to him, especially the younger generation.
NICKHAM16 Illmatic is not the best rap album ever, it was written was Nas best album he was more experienced when he made that and it had more hits and a better sound
@@fettymode7701 but still tho Illmatic is the G.O.A.T of hip-hop albums
underrated? u even watch this video lmao
Nas is already a legend, yet he's so humble. He doesn't view himself as legendary, or above all rappers. And he's so down-to-earth and you can see that without even meeting him. That's why I respect him.
My favorite rap line from him is "The city never sleeps, full of villians and creeps
That's where I learned to do my hustle had to scuffle with freaks
I'ma addict for sneakers, twenties of buddah and bitches with beepers
In the streets I can greet ya, about blunts I teach ya
Inhale deep like the words of my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
I lay puzzle as I backtrack to earlier times
Nothing's equivalent, to the new york state of mind"
such powerful rhyming and strong delivery from that!!
"street's disciple, my raps are trifle, i shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle, stampeed the stage, i leave the microphone lit"
Not his best but for his first line on wax, my favourite verse
what song is that sick rhymes and delivery in
N.Y State of Mind
Nas is GOAT. You can't say that about ANY other rapper without getting into an argument.
I was a PA on a music video when I met Nas, and no other artist or celebrity has made an impactful impression on me like he did. So smooth, chill, respectful, humble, and attentive to what I said. I straight up let him know he's always been my favorite rapper and I wasn't just saying that cuz I met him, and he said back to me,"I appreciate that man, One Love, thanks for being apart of this"
Respect to the Legend, One Love!
What I love most about Nas is his genuinity and "swag", Never the bragging kind of type, only for the real Hip Hop as a culture and its progress across the community. Never stop what you're doing. "I never brag how real I keep it, 'cus it's the best secret."
"I rock a vest prestigous, cuban link flooded jesus".
Zinskey
even regis recite that verse on a sports show. that shit was epic. i couldn't believe that. this man still hasn't won a grammy. what a travesty. just don't get it.
Dickens Dumont Fuck a grammy. Real artists dont care about that stuff
Zinskey hahahaha well said my friend. Well said. This man has changed the game no mattter what anyone says. A true pioneer
Dickens Dumont thats the truth. I only wish more peeps would recognize tho
Nas will always be the illest
Nas.
Teacher
Legend
Hero
One of the greatest to ever touch the mic
One of my favourite artists in the world.
Saw him live.
Cares about the music
Role model
Greatest of all time
There can only be one King - NAS
When I listen to “illmatic” or “it was written”, the moment it sinks in how young he was writing those, my brain melts - every time.
Dude will forever have BARS
Been my favorite mc since I was 13 and I'm 34 now. I thank God for this guy especially in this era
He has been my favorite since 2003 when I heard " I Can." I'm 22 now.
Nas no matter what you say, Yo a Legend to me man. much love
"When you speak it into existence, know what you're really saying." - Nas
the most respected mc in hiphop,, Nasir Jones
Nas would make a perfect English college professor or if there was a B.A. in hip hop he would make a perfect teacher. he wrote a lot of lyrics for the get down. This man can write an entire hip-hop Broadway by himself if he wanted to
Such a humble dude
Nas is Nas. He's one of the greatest. I'm glad he left a big impact on Hip-Hop culture. He def does keep Hip-Hop alive.
Nas is too humble, True Rappers Rapper
I don't think Nas will be fully appreciated till he's gone but he's def a legend and one of the best One Love
Goat mc I'm not biased I listen to everyone
GOAT
agreed affff
pac was like jesus nas wrote the bible
Bass Lover I chose Nas over Pac
Authentic Todd
Wordplay? Flow? better than nas? Everyone knows nas is better specially his flow
@@fettymode7701 no way Pac got Nas on word play. That's just crazy talk. I'll give Pac voice and mic presence and maybe flow...maybe. But Nas is more creative, lyrical, a better storyteller and line for line just a better MC.
@@fettymode7701 nonono. NAS is the greatest MC.
Nas is in a class of his own! Comparison With Pac is out of the question because they were both so different. The poise Nas embodies is undeniable and quite remarkable. Keeping it 100 %, Nas's lyricism, wordplay, poetry and storytelling is the stuff of legends period! G.O.A.T
Best rapper of all time!!! Respect from China!!!
Busts rhymes looks like vibe people just woke him up
Lmao. They probably did.
I'm still bumpin illmatic 20 years later
The Style Of Nas And The Mind he Has To Writing Yes Of Course Some Of His Songs Are Poetry
favorite Rapper's favorite Rapper!!!
Glad to see the legend getting the respect and praise from all these artist in the game and also vibe. This is beautiful. Nas is one of the last real rappers still holding it down. NY!!!
This man who has done so much 4 hip hop, and music in general, 4 him 2 never have won a single grammy continues 2 prove that the only award that matter is the affinity of the PEOPLE!!!! His honor is still being relevant 20 years later and having the respect of not only his peers, but the millions of people that was affected/influenced by his music. Nas was and is a one of one and the most underrated ever!!!
word. beautifully said
Dopest lyricist ever so greatest rapper all the time I'm from Haiti so big fan of NAS
Nas is one complete emcee that had influenced me in a big way besides 2Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Andre 3000, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar
@alexander harvey they definitely inspired each other, by how good they were and through competiton
@alexander harvey its just obvious they are insprired by each other? especially by each others rivalry, you can be inpiried by some random guy next week it doesn't take much for someone to do something thay inspiries you
@alexander harvey you a bum lmao
Listen to "I Gave You Power" then listen to "Me and My Girlfriend". Even though Pac had way bigger s*** going on in his life at the time to be giving props to Nas in magazine interviews.
Then, you have the album cover similarities between "Illmatic" and "Ready to Die". (Credit Raekwon & Ghostface for pointing that out)
Unfortunately, neither Pac or B.I.G. lived long enough to be introspective about their contemporaries who influenced them in one way or another, so finding links of either artist admitting they were influenced by Nas firsthand is almost impossible. But if you listen, you can hear and see it for yourself.
@alexander harvey Nas İ Gave You Power İnfluence Tupac & He Made Me And My Girlfriend.
in the streets i'm a preacher
about blunts i teacha
+VIBE Magazine lol.
+DarxPhil lol word at least his heart is in the right place
L. yall didn't even speel the lyrics right lol
+LRchigga spell*
VIBE is a fake hip-hop fan can't even look up and double check the lyrics "In the streets I'm a preacha"? Wtf?
Nas he just unstoppable lyric his songs are amazing illmatic is best album I ever listing to
the best Lyricist in Hip Hop ! (yes that means better than Eminem )......Stans
DJ Jon804 Remixes no the fuck he isn't at all
@@paulturndupschmidt7997 you watch wwe... You aren't old enough to have a UA-cam account kiddo
Big L is a better lyricist, even Nas said Big L's lyrics scared him
Nas was inspiration for Em
Dead or Alive, Nas Unquestionably the GOAT
NAS IS MY FAVORITE ARTIST FOLLOWED BY BIGGIE, 2PAC, JAY Z, DMX, EMINEM, BIG PUN, KAYOTIK(LOOK HIM UP), TI & THE WU.
This Honor is Needed, Thank You VIBE
people like juicy j and 2 chainz are a disgrace to say they were influenced by NAS...NAS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Nas is most definitely one of the best Mc ever no doubt.
But Kool G Rap was who changed the game forever.
Shout out nas you still one of the best who ever did it .
Hands down.
Look at his interviews. He is spewing wisdom, radiating grandeur and is dignified. It's no wonder he was at the forefront of a hip hop revolution. Now I'm a black boy in the fray of an predominantly white high school. Month after month, an new hit breaks out, be it from Miley or 2chainz and it disgust me how many replays and party playlists they garner. This is no comment on the quality of the music, I won't make that arbitrary call(although compare nas and French Montana?? He you decide). It just bothers me out of everyone claim to be the knowledgable about hip-hop(yes I'm one of them) only a select few are(yes I am one of them). The bottom line is that "acting black" is becoming a trend in and of itself that white people bask in. They wear the hoods and blast the tunes and everything. But if they don't know the suffering or the roots, he'll even the black culture, well all I can say is that they are only acting black and nothing more. And all of these things come in the form of Nas tracks which these elite whites boys (with whom I admittedly hang out) are far too quick to dismiss. It's embarrassing to me to see someone wearing there hood indoors when it is bright and 80 degrees. It has become a statement and a superficial, bombastic one at that. Ultimately, the girls gravitate towards lil wayne as if repelled by the more soulful nas. And don't forget, it takes intelligence to immerse yourself in a nas track. They are just very profound I'm not trying to be condescending in any way. Just tryna do my part in saving the art if hip hop.
GOAT!!
My fav poet in the game
0:46 "And I might not make it out but heres my album so if I dont get out that y'all did know that I existed" Very profound words.
One of the best who ever touched a mic
nas is my favorite rapper...he also is the reason i decided 2 become good at rapping lol #G.O.A.T.
Live Now is one of the most slept on songs in Nas category. It embodies his prolific pen game.
living legend
SIR NAS !!! I SALUTE YOU!!!
"What has Nas done for hip hop? He kept it alive."
Favourite MC of all time!
NY State of mind Part 2
Salute to Vibe Magazine for putting this up. Love from Cape Town, South africa
Sir Nasir Jones
He the dude who made Army color swag coolest
With out no question, Nas really does inspires Through his music, his delivery and poetic lyrics showed me the other side of hip hop,and I gotta thank my English tteacher for introducing me to his music, I mean I knew who he was but I didn't listen to none of his music, before I just listen to GangsTa Rap, and it was just about killing and repping your set, but then I got introduced To this Way of rhyming, which is Mcing, And Nas definitely is a true Mc
Salute Nas!!!
Respectable lyrical artist*>
Nas is Legend of hip hop
If Pac was like Jesus than Nas wrote the Bible..... Nas is the goat 🐐 No Doubt about it
Nas the G.O.A.T, PERIOD! How can anyone argue that???
Got mad respect for this amazingly talented guy
If nas ain't in your top three then you don't know shit about rap
anthony rosales Why don't people know this I will never know
Nas you are a mainstream living legend ...i know you humble but you are one of the goat's
RECOGNISE THAT SHIT!!!!!!
Simplemente el mejor, me llena el pecho escuchar a este genio. 🇲🇽 Pac, Nas & Big aint no best!
I love you nas you always been my fav mc. Much appreciated by learning from your poetry.
Salute! And, thanks NAS 🤴😎❤️
4:39 Nas look younger than J. Cole
One of my favorite MC'z...
To do what New York MC's do,Stay Lyrical 🐐
Nas is amazing, been listening to him for yearrrsss and plan to until i die.
For me, Illmatic is the best album ever created, ever.
Can't wait for his next project.
"rappers" like 2chainz and rickross dont even deserve to speak nas' name. How dare they attempt to talk about Nas, they are the ones destroying everything hes built
Idiot
joekhaki guess u stupid too
Paul Schmidt naw u the dumbass bruh
Andrew An respect homie
Y'all sound crazy every song Nas and Ross got fire stop hating
Wow I didn't know they celebrated my favorite rapper like this.
"...and that's advice I never got, if I don't sell another record I'll just steady rock" Nas
💯💯💯
The GOAT deserves a Grammy, but he doesn't bow down to the corporate agenda so they hose him every time he's nominated
salute og one of the all time greats fasho.
Mr. Nasir Jones is responsible for me being alive today
KING NAS !
Nas is truly an Mc
nas is certified the greatest of all time. biblical
"Biggie's Ready to Die album came out several months after Illmatic, and Biggie was crowned king of New York in the popular culture of Hip Hop heads, Ready to Die unfairly over-shadowed Illmatic, which is truly a classic album. Though they were quite distinct artists, they innovated in analogous ways. Biggie merged language that was high and low, vernacular and vocabulary words, in a way that sounded natural. He did this with a sophisticated understanding of the patterns of black language. When a different or unusual word or phrase could be introduced while still maintaining the aesthetics of black language, he inserted it.
NaS, in contrast, merged concepts that were high and low, vernacular and metaphysical, in a manner that was whole rather than pieced together, thus presenting a complex that is unusual in any music outside of jazz. What Biggie started to do with language in 1994, NaS had already begun to do with ideas on Illmatic. He carries us through the "Righteous steps" of the cosmic, oceanic, and literal dimensions of his person. He transcends." - Imany Perry (Born To Use Mics)
If they said the world would erase all the 90s hip hop music and you can only keep 1 album it’s illmatic
Will FOREVER be my favorite rapper! Period!!
Jhene Aiko 3:04 real talk👏👌!
That brother is so humble learn youngsters
He just made me wanna step up my game
my favorite m.c. period
your the reason am still here and there is so much young man turn there life a round
lyric that is so prolific to me
was like this goes out to Manhattan the island of Staten
like what man blows my mind, like how do u think of that nas is the greatest
Nas is a rap god. He's lyrically spiritual. He is a leader. Most rappers aren't.
Yeah! Nas is among one of those I consider as a great poet too as well.
Nas is living legend !