S. Samuel
In light of Jay-Z's recent admission that he felt his "Takeover" was a better diss record than Nas' "Ether", SOHH hit up producer Alex Da Kid to get his take on the debate.
Although Alex may be working on Nas’ upcoming solo effort, the rising producer explained why he does not favor one record over the other.
“That’s like choosing between my children, man,” Alex laughingly told SOHH when asked whether “Takeover” or “Ether” was the best. “Both meant so much to hip-hop. I love ‘Takeover’ and ‘Ether’, to me, was really on something different. It really put Nas back on the map because around that point, Nas was not at the point he ‘should’ have been. When he came out with ‘Ether,’ it really kind of shut everything down. I mean, I love them both and without one, you cannot have the other, so, I just love them both. I can’t really pick one, they both had so much meaning to hip-hop so I just love them both.” (SOHH)
When asked about the “Takeover” and “Ether” comparisons, Jay recently said he felt his record outdid Nas’ response.
It’s been nine years and the great debate over Jay-Z vs. Nas still isn’t over. Earlier today (November 15), Hov appeared on Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds‘ podcast, “Juan Epstein,” and during the interview, the Brooklyn legend said, despite popular opinion, that his 2001 diss record towards God’s Son, “The Takeover” is better than Nasir’s response track, “Ether.” “I think in the history when we look back, and I don’t mean no disrespect to Nas, I think when we look back it’s not even close,” he shared, adding, “I just think it was a better record.” (XXL Mag)
In 2001, Jay struck first with the release of “Takeover,” which was featured on his platinum-selling Blueprint LP.
“Use your – BRAAAAAAAIN! You said you been in this ten I’ve been in it five – smarten up Nas /Four albums in ten years n*gga? I can divide /That’s one every let’s say two, two of them sh*ts was doo/One was – Ehh, the other was Illmatic/That’s a one hot album every ten year average/And that’s so – LAAAAAAAME! N*gga switch up your flow/Your sh*t is garbage- what, you tryna kick knowledge? (f*ck outa here)” (“The Takeover”)
Nas retorted with his 2001 Stillmatic single,”Ether”.
“When these streets keep calling, heard it when I was sleep/ That this Gay-Z and C*ck-A-Fella Records wanted beef…KRS already made an album called Blueprint / First Biggie‘s your man, then you got the nerve to say that you’re better than Big/ D*ck-suckin’ lips, why don’t you let the late great veteran live…Queens n*ggas run you n*ggas, ask Russell Simmons” (“Ether”)
Check out “Takeover” and “Ether” below:
