Although both share(d) pinnacle hip hop popularity, how come Nas never mainstreamed as well as jay?

Both of y'all arguing like little kids over nothing.

Ninjahood tryna say that Nas branched out and did songs more commercial than he usually did, and they were succesful. Doesn't mean he putting out Nellyrecords or Kingdom Come... just more commercial than his norm. That's perfectly true. Nas could (but didn't) go all out like Jay did but he stuck tomaking music for the real fans, not teeny boppers.
 
It's not hard to get on the mic and brag. Nas just had more respect for himself than that. His attempts at more commercially appealing songs WERE hugesuccesses WITHOUT selling out completely and still having some sort of purpose and or goal. Don't act like "I Can" or "One Mic" or"If I Ruled the World" etc were not massively popular, more "commercial" than his normal material, and still had a ultimate message, notjust "yo im rich and I rap well now listen to this hook" garbage.
 
son is sayin Nas's commerical songs were wack when it was written, and da fact that you owe me push Nastradamus to platinum discredits your arguement.
 
Originally Posted by ninjahood

son is sayin Nas's commerical songs were wack when it was written, and da fact that you owe me push Nastradamus to platinum discredits your arguement.
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U Owe me didn't push Nastradamus to Platinum...
Nas was already a established artist with a established fan base...He could have put out shoot em up and he still would have went Plat
At the point Nastradamus was his lowest selling album (other than illmatic) so if he really had a Hit he would have at least done It was written numbers
 
Originally Posted by iHateTimeDotCom

Originally Posted by M16

It's not hard to get on the mic and brag. Nas just had more respect for himself than that. His attempts at more commercially appealing songs WERE huge successes WITHOUT selling out completely and still having some sort of purpose and or goal. Don't act like "I Can" or "One Mic" or "If I Ruled the World" etc were not massively popular, more "commercial" than his normal material, and still had a ultimate message, not just "yo im rich and I rap well now listen to this hook" garbage.
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what is commercial about those songs?
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the fact that the reached pop levels, thats what makes em commerical.

you think that a song has to SOUND a certain way to be commerical....your lookin at da equation backwards.

a song becomes commerical when it gets popular...a song back then just had to be GOOD and have a good machine behind you to become commerical.

now a days artist make songs SOUND a certain way in HOPES to duplicate successes done by other songs following a certain format, which doesn't alwayshappen anyways.

CREAM is wu-tang's one best commerical hits...doesn't mean da song has to sound a certain way, it just has to be wildly successful..back in da day atleast.
 
Those songs could appeal beyond traditional hip hop listeners (without going solely for ignorant white kids like Jay). That's what makes it commercial.They got constant Radio and TV play and everyone was rocking with them from children to older heads and people who normally (and didn't before) listen toNas or rap.
 
and obviously they are commercial tracks. They were singles, and looking at the rest of his material, clearly aimed to attract other listeners.
 
a commercial song is one made for the sole purpose of gaining commercial success
what do you think a single does for you? all da songs mentioned were made to attain commerical success and "sell" your product to a newcustomer base.
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Commercial isn't always "%!*+$%% and guns" 50 cent videos. It's just music that a wider audience is going to feel. One Mic came off on thepolitical tip with the video and everything and worked out great for him. I know people who got put onto Nas by that because they would not feel his othermaterial like "NY State of Mind" or "One Love" (which is aimed more towards the urban crowd). If I ruled the World screams commercial, fromthe Chorus to the message... it even comes off as more of a female song IMO. Teeny boppers aren't exactly analyzing (or even listening) to the lyrics.It's about the vibe the song and video give off (commercial).
 
Originally Posted by iHateTimeDotCom

maybe i can... but one mic? how the hell is one mic commercial? if i ruled the world aint commercial at all either... cuz he had l boogie on the hook? the subject matter n $++@ isnt commercial at all
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you don't get it at all
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what people consider "commerical" is a moving goal post...it changes EVERY year....
 
Originally Posted by cartune

Nas brags all the freakin time he just does it with crazy methaphors
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Ding Ding.

Even if they indicted Jacob
Forensics, Paramedics carry cowards off
Defibrillators shock to your chest, try to cough
They die and hit Hell from an iron
I'm flyin', wire or cell, I'm paid from this $+#$
Got !@%*%*! high as hell, and they %*%%%!' like AIDS don't exist
They get sent to your hotel, a maid and $+#$
Put a barrel in a capo mouth, 'til his scalp come out
You a kid, you don't live what you rap about
King poetic, too many haters to count
Too much paper to count, QB !!%%#!

From crack pushers to Lac' pushers and ambushers
And morticians to fortresses, case-dismisses
Laced in riches, cake ridiculous
From nickel and dimin; to trickin; them diamonds
Vegas, places in Switzerland
From non-blastin; to auto, I don't have to blast mine
They blast mine, black nine, you flatline
My cash climb, buy rare art
Antique pieces, Mona Lisa's, own no leases
Five-star restaurant eaters; don't forget who your peeps is
'Sposed to dine with you, sip that good wine with you
Only if they grind with you - or slang for ya
Seen $@$@%+ live, laugh, party, and die in that very same corner
Pretty girls glance at us, status unconceivable
Private planes landed out in Teterboro, weed I twirl
Once even gave me a phobia
That I be in a spot trapped like Madame Zenobia's
With this kid eyein' my Rolly, y'all

Way before The Firm, like back in the day
Nas was the first New York $$@%% rappin' with Dre
So of course I got a track to bring it back to your face
The one kid that would've been Aftermath that got away
But we still get together like every several years
to sprinkle, a little bit of Heaven for your ears
Relax sippin' Calico in Rio, stupid @*+%*%@
Low-key, know G's, but it's still Gucci luggage
I love Cape Cod, and watchin' fly !@%*%*! with grey eyes
wrestle in a tub of KY to get my day by
I like to celebrate, why? - 'cause I can vision
collages and images of my lies with no regret to hate
So every breath I take, is all about the rules
It's hard for you to breathe like you at high altitude
So crack the Patron, it's on heathens, The God's back
Hard body, Mr. Jones never leavin'

Not saying he doesnt lyrically slaughter these tracks but duke is bragging. This is just off "Hip Hop is Dead" I can get more if needed
 
Nas may have certain songs where he brags... Jay has entire albums filled with 85% bragging. Like I said before, Jay never can or will make something like anUntitled.
 
Originally Posted by M16

Nas may have certain songs where he brags... Jay has entire albums filled with 85% bragging. Like I said before, Jay never can or will make something like an Untitled.
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What do you mean like Untitled?

Nas will never make a American Gangster or even a Dynasty that Bravehearts comp was the opposite of piss
 
Who wants to make an AG or Dynasty ? I'd be depressed if Nas ever put out that type of trash.
 
Whats this about bragging?
@$#% is so stupid
I mean if u don't like brag rap than why the **@! do you listen to big L...
Big L braged more than Hov...
and if he had jay money than he would be bragging about how much much money he had just like Hov...word to "I push a slick Benz, I'm known to hitskinz and get endz and commit sins with sick friends Cause I'm a money getter, also a honey hitter...."
 
Big L bragged and stayed raw at the same time. His music was not for white teens in middle America, and you knew it. Anyone can brag (even Jay can...) but few(if any) did it with the style Big L did. Dude could rap about anything and his talent would jump out at you. I can listen to Jay brag for 8 albums and notfeel anything except like killing myself.
 
Nas will never make a American Gangster
Your right. His so called "concept album" was IWW and it craps all over AG.

As far as Jay being braggadocios, you got to expect that from him almost. He's from BK. BK and Harlem cats are just like that in they everyday life. They're flashy dudes. And no one comes close to that way of rapping.

But Nas and Jay are obviously two different personalities with two different approaches to the music.

Nas is like weed. It mellows you out and gets you thinking.

Jay is like cognac. It'll get you hyped and open.

I've waken up many times from a night of drinking to realize that I've done something that I regret. So I dont drink that much anymore.
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Originally Posted by M16

Big L bragged and stayed raw at the same time. His music was not for white teens in middle America, and you knew it. Anyone can brag (even Jay can...) but few (if any) did it with the style Big L did. Dude could rap about anything and his talent would jump out at you. I can listen to Jay brag for 8 albums and not feel anything except like killing myself.
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Translation: i hate Jay for no reason and i'm a hypocrite because I don't hold other rappers who do the same %*%* to the same standard
 
Jay isn't as talented as L. It's been shown on tracks and radio freestyles they had together, and even though L passed, Jay has yet to top L'sdebut. I'll hold them to the same standard once Jay gets some talent and makes raw street albums (never).

Big L bragging > Jay rapping about... anything.
 
Originally Posted by iHateTimeDotCom

Originally Posted by M16

Jay isn't as talented as L. It's been shown on tracks and radio freestyles they had together, and even though L passed, Jay has yet to top L's debut. I'll hold them to the same standard once Jay gets some talent and makes raw street albums (never).

Big L bragging > Jay rapping about... anything.
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