Let’s begin with a disclaimer: Nas doesn’t endorse the following sentence. But he’s the greatest lyricist of all time. Those words were carefully chosen: “lyricist” over “rapper” or “hip-hop artist;” “greatest” instead of “most successful;” “all time” rather than “today.”
With “Life is Good,” Nas dropped his ninth No. 1 hip-hop album since 1994. Seven of those have gone platinum, which places him second among rappers only to Jay-Z with 11. (We’re not counting compilations or collaborations here, only original solo efforts, and yes, Tupac Shakur had nine, but five were posthumous releases.)
And that, friends, is the crux of the debate: hot lines vs. hot songs. No one would deny Hova his dap, but it seems he has said, in both word and action, that it’s tough to top Nas.
Full Story: CNN
Do you consider Nas to be the greatest lyricist of all time?
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Hands down the “best” to ever bless the mic.
i personally disagree. i’d say Nas is the greatest rapper of all time while Em is the greatest lyricist of all time. bar for bar, i dont think anyones really fuckin with the white boy.
And CNN is right!!!!
Really good article. I would probably have to agree with it, unlike other great lyricist like em, and Jay, Nas was always able to mix great rhymes with a actual meaning behind it unlike Jay Z rhymes more about money and material things and em usually raps about just crazy shit.
Pac would probably be number 1 if he was still alive.
I dont think Biggies 2 albums is enough to put him as the best.
it’s almost necessary to pick Nas. (or Jay/Em)
big and pac dont have cataloges that stretches deep enough.
a great argument would be..
based on these 5 artists top 20 songs each, who’s top 20 would you want to listen to for every day for the rest of your life and why.
I got love for Nas and all but…………………anybody ever heard of a rapper named Rakim?
I’d agree…i like the disclaimer and so that’s why i like it a lot
nas aint been poppin since the early 00s. people suck his dick way too much over a spotty catalog and one classic
the best rappppppper alive and all times .nobody cant fuck with nas
em then nas/pac its a toss up
Come on Rahkim OR PAC by far nas is good but lets be serious here
Well I dont include 2 Pac Jay Z Or Big L etc on my list because they are dead and so are timeless. However, I agree Nas is the best ever. Everyone else varies!
Its really personal preference and answers will vary, but Nas is a good choice.
Whats funny is that when his 2nd album came out (I think a week after Reasonable Doubt) everyone was embracing mafia rap, only they didnt want Nas to be a part of it. He lyrically killed every other mafioso rapper during that era with that album.
From his creativity (Rewind, Fetus, I Gave You Power, Fried Chicken), to storytelling (One Love, Undying Love, Rise & Fall, Blaze a 50) to just going in on a song (Take it in Blood, The Message, NY State of Mind, What Goes Around, World’s an Addiction) he is the best lyricist of all time. Nas, Rakim, Pac, Em, then Jay.
His Desperados II verse made me just wanna hit repeat over and over.
Haha this guy said Jay-Z was dead
Hahahahaha, Making fun of the fact that some say he came back different when he retired after the Black Album and some conspiracy theorists believe its no longer Jay-Z but an evil spirit possessing him along with Beyonce. ahahahha
Some people on here don’t know what the word lyricist mean.
HERE IS HOW TO UNDERSTANT WHAT LYRICIST MEAN.
Take all the lyrics from every “great” rapper you think is good and put their words in a book. Go to any intellectual that do not have a clue about rap or who a rapper is. Ask those people to read the words by the authors and rank the book of lyrics.
Who do you honestly think would win? NAS, maybe KRS 1.
u are the real deal like bob marley,2pac B.I.G,NAS, EM, jay-z and jah cure sizzle this is the youth of today.
well i think tupac and nas are the best but what about guru?
No.
JAY-Z
ppl that only think Jay rhymes about money cars & hoes def just doesn’t listen to enough Jay. I love Nas & he has to be top 3 but I almost feel like I’d have to give it to Em
andre 3000 and em are both way better than nas lyrically..but who cares, its cnn. when the fuck did cnn become an authority on rap
Nas is the best because he’s been doing it at an elite level consistently for over a decade.. check out his catalogue and body of work.. nobody really can top that except for Em and Jay, who are also top lyricists.
My guy CeroDineiro broke it down for y’all. He named about 8 classics. Nas go porn star hard. And for all the people saying Jay-Z. Just listen to ether. Jay-Z got his style from Nas. If you’re a hip hop fan you’ll recall when Jay-Z first came out you would have thought he was with Bone Thugs Haramony with that tongue twisting rapping
U dudes are stupid if u think Jay ain’t a lyricist
Jay z fans are about to go postal im surprised they didn’t mention how much money he has its about time nas gets the credit he deserves greatest to ever touch the mic by a land slide.
My top 5:
5.Big Pun
4.Rakim
3.Nas
2.Illogic
1.Aesop Rock
I didn’t need CNN to tell me that….
I’ll agree with this. 2PAC sadly didn’t live long enough to claim this title. Same for Biggie. Jay-Z would take #2 cause at times he was more focused on a commercial hit wit alums where nas could care less & was more about lyrical content. Alot of people slept on his GOD’s Son album which was one of his best.
If he keeps goin making albums. I see Lupe Fiasco taking best lyricist title in the future. With wat he has released so far, he can keep going
He is deff my fav lyricist…Cero sums it up best from a fan standpoint. At first I wondered, why Nas? Surely Eminem, Rakim, KRS or even Eric B should have been considered, since the last 3 had a great influence on Nas.
word for word though…I give Nas my nod. His catalog isnt spotty, but some of his best work just hasnt seen the light of day. btw Stillmatic is considered a classic as well. Where do u think Ether came from? <<-zeets
Oh snap…this guy really said Eric B..haha
Totally Agree!!!
Really Real was spot on and I have to agree about the choice of Nas. Busta Rhymes, Snoop and Dr Dre aren’t even in contention probably because of their bad mouth. Remember the choice was made by CNN and not gangsters.
Yeah 5 classics on deck illmatic,it was written,stillmatic,lost tapes,life is good, the mainstream listeners seem to love the type of rap that they cant relate to i guess they cant handle the harsh realities of life so they dont wanna hear it they’d rather be sold dreams and told lies but hey they can have that im rolling with the real so when its all said and done in the land of the blind the man with the 3rd eye is the king they say we……………..
And y’all buy the shit, caught up in the hype
Cause the nigga wear a kufi, it don’t mean that he bright
Cause you don’t understand him, it don’t mean that he nice
It just means you don’t understand all the bullshit that he write
Is it “Oochie Wally Wally” or is it “One Mic”?
Is it “Black Girl Lost” or shorty owe you for ice?
I’ve been real all my life, they confuse it with conceit
Since I will not lose, they try to help him cheat
But I will not lose, for even in defeat
There’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me
When the grass is cut, the snakes will show
I gotta thank the little homie Nas for that though
Saving me the hassle of speaking to half of these assholes
one thing I do see with all these comments not one mention of lil wayne and that makes me happy! lol
I prefer Biggie, Big L, and Rahkim but respect for Nasty Nas.
NAS IS DEFINITELY THE GOAT!
CNN is the leader in worldwide Nas and their credibility is internationally known and the fact that Nas is getting recognition from such a leader in world news is ASTONISHING. The hip hop community has failed to give Nas is props for years and the acknowledgement of Nas being the “GREATEST EMCEE” from CNN makes it even much GREATER!
Nas yes!!!! Lyricist…
Indiana 5, you don’t have to quote Jay-Z, have your own mind. Even Jay-z doesn’t believe what he said in that verse, so you sound foolish qouting that. When he performs with Nas, he raps all his lyrics word for word. I need some of you not to believe everything Jay-Z says. He is not perfect,he’s human, he lies like everybody else,not everything he says in his lines are true.smh
If Nas woulda put out the original double disc of I Am… The Autobiography, he woulda had 3 straight albums that were fire. But alas, we probably wouldntve gotten albums like Stillmatic or God’s Son afterward due to lack of criticism of his previous work. Nas has had hiccups (You Owe Me and Oochie Wally were lowpoints, and Street’s Disciple was about 60% filler), but even his average stuff is better than most rappers best work.
Nas all day man…i was fortunate enough to see his ny eve show and OMG! The guy fucking started the show just like the album cover. He stepped live show up tremendously since he been fucking with Damian Marley! Speaking of which is a CLASSIC! So im giving nas 4 classics…Illmatic, IWW, Stillmatic and LIG.
@infamous i can’t front nov is a good business man but greatest lyricist never that! your boys raps are corny lately cause theres nobody to bite off of! dominicano all the plugs that i know straight wack! now i admit jay z next album might be great but you know why? cause he’s now inspired rap is at a good place right now thanks to esco saying hiphop is dead now he challenged nigga to b nice again nobody rap like jay nomore cause he corny lately. everybody thats nice now was inspired by nas and they to wack to say so but real niggas know trust! if u say no then i guess you’re fake get it right b4 you get it wrong! youngin.
I’m sure CNN can’t decode Nas lyrics let alone Jay-Z lyrics so their opinion is null and void lol
Nas or Andre 3000
In Reply To Bronson…What About Andre 3000
NaS 1#
yea you got to give it up to Gods Son, nas career was a lil short tho. wit all of the garbage rappers out there now he should be runnin shit along wit d-block. eminem was always wack to me, i could never relate to beating up ur mom and killing your girlfriend, that wasnt our culture growing up. One time for the real rappers tho like Jay Z, D-Block, Mobb Deep, 50, snoop….
Good shit, Nas is the man. But he needs to pay his damn bills.
*CNN* said it … not a poll of respected hip hop industry men and women .. end of conversation
Nas is the best lyricist of all time, to the person, who said andre 3000, now thats funny LMAO HA HA HA HA HA HA
Nas all the way