I think part of the decision was economic but part of it was about remaining in a prominent position, on a major, and in that regard the choices are obviously limited. I think within Nas' music he's shown some love for the culture though, more than a lot of people. I think from reading what you said your taking prior to the Def Jam shyt. If so I was speaking specifically about that. As KRS said "squash all beefs" lol. I don't think that was a bad mood. It showed some of the youths there's a different way, instead of just always riding till the end. I agree a lot of people in positions were guilty of allowing certain shyt to happen which enabled the quality of the music/mainstream to decrease, but wouldn't you say Jay is more culpable to that than Nas with the type of records he's made? Cause I feel Jay has trendhopped a lot more than Nas.
jay is a sellout from the very beginning with a biting jaz, trying to be the fresh prince.
he never resonated before.
which is also,..why jay was around puff/big.
as puff, big existed as draws because they were connected to mca.
since, mca's beginning were linked to defjam.
they were the only type of label who was bullet proof against selling out.
which allowed rap to become a daytime radio drawing medium with heavy d, and the pedigree of andre harrell. who came from and used the integrity of his past affiliation of defjam.
to be bulletproof against any cultural violations.
originally,,....when, jay wanted a deal.
the cultural protection mechanism, kept that from occurring.
which is also a component as to why.
labels would not sign him because he was not a culturally credible artist, and was from the mecca.
back then, this put jayz and jaz in proper light.
disallowing them the ability to replicate.
then, effectively bite the fresh prince's draw, the way it was supposed to do as planned.
it was not until nas sold out, that jay was able to create a small foothold to draw.
before that, regardless of his skill level.
his former attempts to draw were held in check by the culture's protection mechanism.
the reason why nas sonned't jay calling him his son, is jay is nas's son.
as jay would have never drawn in rap, with his direction or content.
if nas, never sells out and opens the argument and creates a fake pass system.
which, allows sellout culture thieves an opportunity to draw.
nas is solely responsible for why we have wack rappers who draw.
plus no real diversity in the popular culture for black artist in rap.
as he turned his back on the protectors and the culture.
which created the ability for rap to stay a culture based and culturally protected business in whole.
before, a few exceptions with payola could permeate as expected.
yet, when nas sold out,...
it created the pass for anyone who was skilled or wack to draw.
as the person who is the protege to the protectors of the culture from hammer/wack emcee's etc.
is now, using the same template wack emcees use to sellout and draw.
with none of the cultural responsibility, that the legacy of the guys who protected rap.
who made it so nas could still have a place to perform/draw.
nas selling out retroacted all the work those protectors did to protect rap.
as nas, ushered in the technical era and what would be a change in sonic landscape as well in rap.
when, he sells out,..
it makes and gives general fans and labels the ability to say.
why do people need to be or have technical aptitude in rap.
why do people need to honor the culture of hiphop.
nas, doesn't and he is the protege to the people who cared about the culture.
so, if he does NOT care,....and he is the protege.
WHY SHOULD i,....?
that same thinking being executed is exactly why we are where we are now.
also,...if nas was still culturally about that life, like when illmatic rocked.
the people who bit him in 95, would had a larger draw and traction.
yet, since the protection mechanism were intact.
guys like fatjoe, to mic geronimo had to wait or never actualized their draws.
real talk,...
reality tv for rappers would have been a revenue grab back in 96.
close to twenty yars ago,.....
when, mic geronimo pioneered the artist lead reality show.
yet, since..the culture was intact.
we had to wait till nas sold out, for the rapper based reality show to draw convincingly.
as well, as fatjoe had to wait another five years after he bit nas.
plus, big pun's impact to become a platinum drawing artist.
it did not happen back then, because the protection mechanims of the culture squelched out the draw of bullshyt.
before nas destroyed the protection mechanism selling out on iww, and later on hate me now.
which signified the beginning of the end of quality rap and the culture being a part of rap as a drawing protected medium.
art barr
@ the Annakin Skywalker of rap. 
@ And all these nikkaz making the car goes boom with offkey non-convincability based skills.
cuz it's da
