Am I the only one who thinks Nas > Em?

[SatansAngel]

^^ No it isn't. It's WAY UP on the list, but not of all time. Sorry Kanye.

LULZ

It might be one of the best, but it's not the best

TES murders everything. A damn near flawless album

YA CUZ EMINEM DA BEST RAPER IN DA WORLD CUZ HE DA RAP BOUT DA REAL LIFE PROBLMZ AND DA OTHA RAPERZ RAP BOUTZ DA MONEY AND DA DRUGS AND DA SEX.
SO THAT MAKES ENIMUN DA BEST RAPER!!1!!!!!111111111z

[xxTrigger1989xx]

^^ No it isn't. It's WAY UP on the list, but not of all time. Sorry Kanye.

LULZ

It might be one of the best, but it's not the best

TES murders everything. A damn near flawless album

YA CUZ EMINEM DA BEST RAPER IN DA WORLD CUZ HE DA RAP BOUT DA REAL LIFE PROBLMZ AND DA OTHA RAPERZ RAP BOUTZ DA MONEY AND DA DRUGS AND DA SEX.
SO THAT MAKES ENIMUN DA BEST RAPER!!1!!!!!111111111z

Yes, that's EXACTLY my response...

[Slim's Shady]

Storytelling: Eminem = Nas.
Rhyming: Eminem > Nas.
Lyrics: Eminem > Nas.
Versatility: Eminem > Nas.
Flow: Eminem > Nas.
Discography: Eminem = Nas. (thanks to Encore)

As biased as it may look to you, this is what I feel and I'm not gonna give Nas a point just to make my argument look better.

That is so silly, I don't even know when to start.

I especially enjoy when people say Eminem puts more emotion in his music. That is false, Nas doesn't need to yell or scream to convey the emotion in his music. In fact Nas often does some of his most emotional songs the way Eminem does, 'One Mic' is the best example, it's so hollow, so poignant and the way he brings the emotion up and gets louder is flawless, it's easy listening and and simply remarkable. Nas doesn't have to be controversial to bring out emotion in his music, this is not a shot at Eminem as he's great at how he brings out the fire in him, Nas is different though, just because you're angrier doesn't make your music more emotional.

To say that Eminem also has better lyrics than Nas' is untrue. Eminem is an unbelievable lyrcist, but his lyrics are always easy to understand even for the common idiot, whereas Nas' lyrics are so intelligent and complex, that it sometimes needs be broken down to understand. Nas music is also clearly more positive than Eminem's music, whilst Eminem does have great rebellious music which IMO should be seen as more positive than it is in the media, Nas simply has the most overwhelmingly anti-system and positive music in hip hop (excluding Tupac) - with songs like 'The world is yours', 'Patience', 'I can', 'If I ruled the world' etc. that will live on forever.

Nas also has many, many more and betters storytelling songs than Eminem. I don't understand where this belief that Eminem is somehow Slick Rick as a storyteller comes from, this is the widest gap between them IMO. Eminem is a great storyteller, top 5 in Hip Hop history, but Nas is up there Slick Rick battling it out for #1, whereas Eminem probably just makes the top 5. I assume people think Eminem's best storytelling song is Stan, just because that has a catchy hook and got a lot of radio play doesn't make it better than Nas' storytellings, listen to 'I gave you power', put things in context and tell me which songs better. For those who say Nas can't do Eminem type songs, be more specific. Nas can do whatever Eminem does, with the exception of silly goofy songs, which can also be a good thing.

Nas has also had to compete with Hip Hop elite and legends on wax, and not just popcorn artists like Ja Rule, or executives like Benzino or people who's music barely gets heard of outside their house like Canibus (as great as he is). Nas made Jay-Z cry in front of the world on radio, it's there for everyone to see. This is almost unheard of in music for a rival to almost come to tears over a diss toward them, let alone one of the biggest names in music in Jay-Z. For Rocafella members like Memphis Bleek to practically admit defeat is another notch in Nas' legacy. He made grown men cry over a song directed at them!

Finally, Nas has also not been afraid to collaborate with the greatest of the greats. He's gone head to head with the likes of Mobb Deep, Jay-Z, Wu Tang members, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, Lauryn Hill, Dr.Dre, Cormega, Foxy Brown, Scarface, Ice Cube, DMX, Mary J.Blige, Alicia Keys, Rakim, KRS One, Snoop Dogg, MC Shan etc. That's a record.

Your name is stillmatic obviously you are a Nas stan. Even though I have no motivation to argue and write a lot because I'm not a super Eminem stan I'll play along.

The best way to convey emotion in a song is through delivery Nas does not do this better than Eminem. Angry = emotion so I don't get whay you're saying. One mic is a classic song yes, does it convey great emotion? yes. Does it top any of Em's emotional classic like The Way I Am, Cleaning Out My Closet or Rock Bottom? No.

Okay, yes Nas has a more complex, better and bigger vocabulary than Eminem and his writing is very poetic. But, when I said lyrics I ment rhyming, multis, emotion and YES you can have emotion in your lyrics so don't tell me you can't. Nas may have more positive music but are we discussing that? lmao. IMO rebellious music > positive music.

Stan is one of the best storytelling songs if not the best of all time. Yes Nas has amazing storytelling songs like Rewind and such but Stan is in its own league. Nas is a top 5 to me but not number #1. And lmao @ you assuming I like stan because it's catchy or it gets radio play Stan is way better than any storytelling song Nas has ever made. Not to mention Em's Stay Wide Awake is also great storytelling. Oh and Nas can't do a genius, twisted love song like Kim. NO FUCKING WAY.

Good for Nas. Lmao I'm glad he did all that shit but how is that relevant to anything you quoted me about? I don't care if Nas made Jay-Z cry. Em may have not competed with people as relevant as Jay but he created diss songs that are at the same level that Ether is at. Which is what matters.

Also that list of "greatest of greats" that Nas has collaborated with does not prove anything.

Eminem > Nas.

[Jaz]

Imo The Way I Am and Cleaning Out My Closet are both < One Mic


Rock Bottom is the best of the four but One Mic is a fucking great song that competes with the best of Em.

[mcZu]

Lol, Stan a better storytelling track than Rewind? Get outta here.. You can't be serious..

[Slim's Shady]

Lol, Stan a better storytelling track than Rewind? Get outta here.. You can't be serious..

Stan does that + has a slightly better concept that's hard to play off in a rap song and he does it rhyming multis throughout WHILE playing a character.

Rewind is better storytelling-wise than anything Em has done except Stan. And it's not like you should act surprised, Stan is praised as one of the best storytelling tracks of all time.

[Jaz]

Lol, Stan a better storytelling track than Rewind? Get outta here.. You can't be serious..

Stan does that + has a slightly better concept that's hard to play off in a rap song and he does it rhyming multis throughout WHILE playing a character.

Rewind is better storytelling-wise than anything Em has done except Stan. And it's not like you should act surprised, Stan is praised as one of the best storytelling tracks of all time.

Ummm.. Stan had very sub-par rhyming for Em, especially back then. I've never really liked Stan for that very reason.. It seems like he sacrificed everything else for the concept, and although that concept is good it wasn't worth it for what the song lost. It's not even one of my top 20 Eminem tracks.

[mcZu]

Lol, Stan a better storytelling track than Rewind? Get outta here.. You can't be serious..

Stan does that + has a slightly better concept that's hard to play off in a rap song and he does it rhyming multis throughout WHILE playing a character.

Rewind is better storytelling-wise than anything Em has done except Stan. And it's not like you should act surprised, Stan is praised as one of the best storytelling tracks of all time.

It is not better than Rewind.. You say Stan is the better concept? Nas told a story backwards, while making sense. Now that's a concept. Nas was playing a character backwards, even narating what other people were doing. Stan is not better than Rewind. Stan is a good song, but Rewind is eons ahead of it.

[Slim's Shady]

Lol, Stan a better storytelling track than Rewind? Get outta here.. You can't be serious..

Stan does that + has a slightly better concept that's hard to play off in a rap song and he does it rhyming multis throughout WHILE playing a character.

Rewind is better storytelling-wise than anything Em has done except Stan. And it's not like you should act surprised, Stan is praised as one of the best storytelling tracks of all time.

Ummm.. Stan had very sub-par rhyming for Em, especially back then. I've never really liked Stan for that very reason.. It seems like he sacrificed everything else for the concept, and although that concept is good it wasn't worth it for what the song lost. It's not even one of my top 20 Eminem tracks.

I think Stan had decent rhyming, obviously sub-par to anything else in MMLP or SSLP but he's dealing with a hard concept, playing a character, while telling a story, AND he has to rhyme too. That is extremely difficult and he played it off well.

And it's not in my top 20 either. I rarely play it. But, a classic song is a classic song whether we like it or not. Stan is so big that it became a term to describe an obsessive fan.

Lol, Stan a better storytelling track than Rewind? Get outta here.. You can't be serious..

Stan does that + has a slightly better concept that's hard to play off in a rap song and he does it rhyming multis throughout WHILE playing a character.

Rewind is better storytelling-wise than anything Em has done except Stan. And it's not like you should act surprised, Stan is praised as one of the best storytelling tracks of all time.

It is not better than Rewind.. You say Stan is the better concept? Nas told a story backwards, while making sense. Now that's a concept. Nas was playing a character backwards, even narating what other people were doing. Stan is not better than Rewind. Stan is a good song, but Rewind is eons ahead of it.

Yeah, it's an amazing concept but telling a story a backwards (at least to me) is less difficult than getting into the mind of an obssesive fan of yours that's writing you a letter and become him in a rap song....that has to rhyme. They're both great concepts I'm not discrediting Nas but I just think that Stan is harder to write than Rewind.

[mcZu]

Ever tried writing a story backwards? Forget about that, the fact that Nas thought of that concept is just crazy, Nas always had the most creative concepts, including Rewind. Of course Stan is the better song, due to the incredible chorus (Dido), lenght of the song, and due to the fitting video. But concept and storytelling wise, Rewind is better. Nas even wrote some bars backwards and made those rhyme.

[Slim's Shady]

Ever tried writing a story backwards? Forget about that, the fact that Nas thought of that concept is just crazy, Nas always had the most creative concepts, including Rewind. Of course Stan is the better song, due to the incredible chorus (Dido), lenght of the song, and due to the fitting video. But concept and storytelling wise, Rewind is better. Nas even wrote some bars backwards and made those rhyme.

No I haven't tried yet, but I will eventually. I mean it'll probably be hard as fuck but Stan is harder imo and yeah, I was thinking about what genius would ever think about that lol. I love Rewind and I was left when i realized the story was backwards and he rhymed backwards (reminded me of Tech).

I think we should leave this discussion at the fact that both songs are classics and one of the best concept and storytelling wise and we just have preferences and opinions

[stillmatic]

Can these people who consider Eminem to be the greatest storyteller of all time please list his 5 best storytelling songs.

I think Eminem makes top 5 in Hip Hop as a storyteller, but in no shape or form does he rival Nas or Slick Rick, so I want to see these songs that supposedly make him better than those two.

Top 5 songs please, and then we'll compare.

[MikeNUFC]

Can these people who consider Eminem to be the greatest storyteller of all time please list his 5 best storytelling songs.

I think Eminem makes top 5 in Hip Hop as a storyteller, but in no shape or form does he rival Nas or Slick Rick, so I want to see these songs that supposedly make him better than those two.

Top 5 songs please, and then we'll compare.

I think it's closer between Em & Nas than you're making out. I agree with Zu that Rewind is harder to execute than Stan but I dont think Nas has ever touched on a storytelling song like 'Kim'.

Rather than just narrate it, Em plays BOTH characters (how easy would it be for that to sound cheesy), has consistently immense rhyming yet STILL making it sound like a realisitic argument. The little touches are just amazing. I'd say that's harder to pull off than telling a story backwards, which admittedly is genius

Taking the role of the characters like Em does in Kim, Stan & 97 Bonnie & Clyde is a harder skill than just narrating it, IMO.

I'm not saying Em is better, but it's very close.

Kim
Stan
97 Bonnie & Clyde
Brain Damage
Murder Murder/My Fault

would be my top 5 probably.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

Can these people who consider Eminem to be the greatest storyteller of all time please list his 5 best storytelling songs.

I think Eminem makes top 5 in Hip Hop as a storyteller, but in no shape or form does he rival Nas or Slick Rick, so I want to see these songs that supposedly make him better than those two.

Top 5 songs please, and then we'll compare.

I think it's closer between Em & Nas than you're making out. I agree with Zu that Rewind is harder to execute than Stan but I dont think Nas has ever touched on a storytelling song like 'Kim'.

Rather than just narrate it, Em plays BOTH characters (how easy would it be for that to sound cheesy), has consistently immense rhyming yet STILL making it sound like a realisitic argument. The little touches are just amazing. I'd say that's harder to pull off than telling a story backwards, which admittedly is genius

Taking the role of the characters like Em does in Kim, Stan & 97 Bonnie & Clyde is a harder skill than just narrating it, IMO.

I'm not saying Em is better, but it's very close.

Kim
Stan
97 Bonnie & Clyde
Brain Damage
Murder Murder/My Fault

would be my top 5 probably.

Brain Damage is the shit

[stillmatic]

I'm not saying Em is better, but it's very close.

Kim
Stan
97 Bonnie & Clyde
Brain Damage
Murder Murder/My Fault

I agree overall it's very close, but not when it comes to story telling. In terms of one aspect of music, this is the biggest gap between them IMO.

Okay compare those 5 songs, a few of which lets be honest are famous for other reasons than genuine storytelling and are not that well known outside of Eminem's core fanbase (in terms of hip hop community).

- I gave you power (perspective of a gun)
- Rewind (story backwards)
-Black Girl Lost (story of girls in the ghetto)
-Last real nigga alive (story about the Hip Hop feuds in mid 90's)
-NY State of Mind (no explanation needed)
-One love (story of his friends, includes some of the most clever subliminals at Cormega)
-Shoot em' up (story about pre-meditated murder)
-Poppa was a player (story about his childhood)
- Get down (no explanation needed, his enemies say its dry snitching but that's just stupid)
- Fetus (crazy concept, about his destiny from as early as being in his mothers womb)

The difference here is that Eminem's top 5, even top 10 storytelling songs are good, but after that it's clutching and he's struggling. Nas' storytelling songs are endless.