I remember Nas saying he specifially wanted to work with T.I. before HHID came out and he gave him props several times in subsequent interviews. I think T.I. was one of the rappers from the south that Nas offended with HHID and as a result he took some small shots @ Nas without saying his name and thats when Nas stopped giving him props.
Finally an honest answer...thanks. I knew it was something to it. The Li Jon and Dre songs were thrown together posse cuts on someone else's shyt where they probably weren't even in the studio together. And T. I. never had a good word to say about him and named like 10 rappers he considered great in a song including fukking Lupe and Kanye and didn't include Nas. Then you compare that to every other rapper with comparable success for the past decade...
Common...did a song and video. Called him the best rapper alive.
Jeezy...did a song and video.
50 Cent...used to be his weed carrier.
Kanye...did songs on each other's albums...called him a legend.
Jada...huge Nas stan.
Game...huge Nas stan.
Ross...huge Nas stan.
Lupe...huge Nas stan.
Luda...huge Nas stan.
Jay...got ethered then became friends and worked with him.
Wayne...put him on his album and praised him in interviews.
Eminem...produced for him and praised him multiple times.