Habitation on rap beef isn't always wise. More often than not, time heals all wounds. In the example of JAY-Z and Nas, who once squared off in 1 of hip-hop's greatest feuds of all time, the pair have since gone on to be recurring collaborators. Though the occasional shared release date sparks tinfoil theories of lingering antagonism, for all intents and purposes, the dust has settled effectually this one time cataclysmic bout. Still, the memories remain, with many fans debating a victor to this day.

Information technology'south not entirely surprising that JAY and Nas' beef even so elicits such passion. Both emcees are genuine Caprine animal contenders, and beingness that fans love nothing more than than ranking rappers in numerical order, it makes sense that their battle would be an effective deciding factor. In this case, "Takeover" and "Ether" are the primary exhibits, as the opening shots were among the most immediately impactful. While the former struck Nas with the unexpected brutality of a drive-past shooting, Nas retaliated with the full force of his ain considerable armory.

Nas

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JAY might have tipped the scales in his favor with "Super Ugly," a freestyle over Dr. Dre and Knoc Turn-al's "Bad Intentions" that aired out some personal drama in an uncharacteristically petty fashion. So much so that JAY's mother actually admonished him for releasing the track in the kickoff place. Despite the blatant boldness, "Super Ugly" did not mark the conclusion of the beefiness every bit "The Story Of Adidon" did for Pusha T and Drake. There was indeed a second circular, and while it isn't discussed nearly equally much every bit the beginning, information technology still gave us two incredible songs from both corners in Hov's "Blueprint two" and Esco's "The Concluding Real N***a Alive."

In terms of quality alone, there's a case to exist made that the 2nd round is even ameliorate than the commencement. Though the touch of the blows was admittedly lessened -- which probably explains why it's seldom discussed with the aforementioned reverence equally "Takeover" and "Ether" -- the tracks polish for different reasons. For i, both are far more cogitating, positioning Nas and JAY as strategic generals rather than soldiers etching it upward on the battlefield. Impressive though it was to curiosity at their martial prowess, it was equally compelling to observe how they assessed the rap landscape in the wake of the bloodshed. The way one reacts to arduousness reveals true character. In JAY's case, he opted to reserve the title runway of his expansive Pattern ii for his official second-round response. Given the inherent significance a title rails possesses, it was articulate that he had a lot to say.

JAY-Z

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There are some who would go so far every bit to call "Blueprint 2" the realest shit JAY-Z always wrote. It would non be a hot take. One does not queue upwardly an instrumental built from Ennio Morricone score from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly only to phone it in. Shortly after "unleashing the flutes," a tone is set. That of a alone wanderer surveying a desolate wasteland, unsafe to approach and wise beyond measure. Hov suits the archetype well, merely briefly breaking immersion to channel ane of cinema's smashing alpha males -- Austin "Danger" Powers.

After establishing his mindset in the opening verse, JAY shifts focus to Nas in the second, likening him to a false prophet -- "the rap version of T.D. Jakes." All the same rather than focusing entirely on tearing downwardly his foe, he instead spends aplenty time building himself up. Citing his role in relief efforts for both Columbine and 9/11, Hov admonishes listeners for failing to come across the bigger picture. "And you lot purchase the shit, defenseless up in the hype, crusade the ni*ga wear a kufi, it don't mean that he bright," he raps. "Cause you don't understand him, it don't hateful that he squeamish / It but means yous don't understand all the bullshit that he write." Directly afterward, Hov accuses Nas of hypocrisy, highlighting oppositional letters inside his music -- with detail focus on his attitude toward women. "Is it Oochie Wally Wally or is it One Mic? Is it Black Girl Lost or shorty owe y'all for ice?" he ponders, giving fans space to draw their ain conclusions.

JAY-Z

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Interestingly, Hov appears to acknowledge himself as the loser of the disharmonize, taking solace in lessons learned in defeat. In doing so, he as well presents a new angle with which to attack: the narrative that in sparking the beef, he played a direct part in revitalizing Nas' career. "You street dreamin', all y'all ni*gas livin' through me, I gave y'all life when ni*gas was forgetting' you emcee," he raps. "I'thousand a legend, you should take a picture show with me / You should exist happy to be in my presence, I should charge you lot a fee." Between the calculated authorisation with which JAY-Z raps and the song's undeniably triumphant aesthetic, "Pattern 2" has gained much retrospective acclaim in the years since its release. If not for anything, it showed that were he provoked farther by a potential Nas response, he was ready and willing to foursquare upwardly for some other round.

Despite JAY having written off his opponent as inauthentic and essentially non-threatening, at the stop of the day, there'southward a reason Nas is a staple on and then many top ten lists. His pen game can be truly incisive, his storytelling pedigree elite. It'due south perchance unsurprising that he decided to accept that route for his "Blueprint 2" response, loading up his God's Son album with the historically-dense "Last Existent N***** Live." In similar style to Hov, Nas stayed his mitt in favor of a more than introspective analysis. As JAY moved to paint Nas every bit an unreliable narrator, Esco retaliated by placing his cards on the table. In the opening lyrics, he reflects on his upbringing alongside Jungle, Lake, and the late Sick Will, who passed away in a fatal shooting. Acknowledging his discomfort with the street life, Nas explains that his skill backside the mic ultimately garnered the early attending around his name.

Nas

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It'south that very skill he moves to assault JAY with, every bit he reflects on the complex dynamic between himself, the Notorious B.I.G, and Raekwon. Every bit he tells it, the latter two never got along, often accusing one some other of biting Nas' slang. Nas acknowledges that he drew influence from Big and Rae akin, pointing out that JAY shifted from spitting dexterous triplet-flows (pioneered by his mentor Jaz-O) into the more than pop mafioso rap style of the early nineties. By cementing himself as a key player in pioneering that particular subgenre alongside Rae and Big, Nas direct positions himself as a direct influence of JAY's style. He afterward acknowledges how JAY broke out with "Ain't No Ni**a," a more mainstream-friendly radio track; in other words, Nas flips Hov's previous "Is It Oochie Wally Wally or is it One Mic?" criticism by highlighting a time JAY followed a similar trajectory in pursuing commercial success.

Though "Pattern 2" and "Last Real N***Alive" correspond round two of the feud, the shadow of "Super Ugly" cannot be ignored. A round-one-and-a-one-half of sorts, JAY's highly disrespectful freestyle was besides incendiary to go unacknowledged, and Nas did his best to contextualize the salacious revelation. "Baby moms thought I was too quiet, couldn't stand up information technology," admits Nas, a brutally honest moment of self-cess. "She striking the streets, subsequently she hittin' the sheets / With a rapper who wanted me on his songs, thinkin' he strong / I taught her how to watch for cars who might follow / Taught her street shit that I know / Her weakness was polish yo." Note the double entendre in the final line, with "shine" sounding an atrocious lot similar "Shawn."

Nas

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Rather than dragging his rival through the mud in a similar style to "Ether," Nas instead attempts to rationalize JAY's motivation, chalking it up to misguided ambition. "In the middle of that, Jay tried to sneak assail," he raps, noting how he took a moment away from the spotlight to nurse his ailing mother. "Electrocute my character, degrade my hood, cause in order for him to be the Don, Nas had to go."

Considering how furiously Nas and Hov attacked in their opening round, "Blueprint two" and "Last Existent N***a Alive" can sometimes feel anticlimactic. Still in reality, both songs are every bit impactful as their predecessors, and arguably superior in some regards. While there'due south something to be said about ii formidable warriors locked in furious combat, the post-boxing reflection can be equally fascinating. Seeing how JAY-Z and Nas reacted to their widely publicized bout of bloodsport exemplified their full-blooded as emcees.

Considering how the "Rex Of New York" position was an underlying factor in their feud, it'south interesting to note how both parties responded as a wise King should. One does non last as long as they take by plunging headlong into needless conflict. In that sense, JAY and Nas concluded their beef with the most ideal outcome. Though neither backed down, by offering a more contemplative -- and occasionally self-critical-- reflection on the conflict, both lyricists were ultimately able to walk away with their pride intact. And peradventure ironically, given how oftentimes they tried to assert authorization over one another, as equals.

Should circular two of JAY and NAS' legendary conflict be spoken with the aforementioned reverence as round 1?

Nas JAY-Z

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Mind: JAY-Z - Blueprint 2

LISTEN:Nas - The Concluding Real N***a Alive