Elite Eiht: Rakim vs. Nas

[Rakim Allah]

24 years of relevancy to about 10 years, the win goes to Nas

Rakim's best 4 albums are not better than Nas'

Illmatic, It Was Written, Stillmatic, God's Son >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anything Rakim has ever put out

Again I never argued who was relevant in the mainstream longer so turn down the stanning.

I disagree but besides Nas first 2 albums, the rest pale in comparison to Rakim's first 5 albums. Ra first 3 albums are bonafide classics and you can make a case for Don't Sweat The Technique and The 18th Letter.

Again ya boy has made a lot weak and questionable sh!t. But that's understandable when you sell out. Again, I hope Nasir was able to get his soul back.

 

[ManBearPig]

Again I never argued who was relevant in the mainstream longer so turn down the stanning.

I disagree but besides Nas first 2 albums, the rest pale in comparison to Rakim's first 5 albums. Ra first 3 albums are bonafide classics and you can make a case for Don't Sweat The Technique and The 18th Letter.

Again ya boy has made a lot weak and questionable sh!t. But that's understandable when you sell out. Again, I hope Nasir was able to get his soul back.

The 18th Letter had 2 or 3 classics songs. that doesnt make it a classic album. Stillmatic is better than any Rakim album after Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em

 

[Rakim Allah]

The 18th Letter had 2 or 3 classics songs. that doesnt make it a classic album. Stillmatic is better than any Rakim album after Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em

Stillmatic has quite a few lackluster beats...it's not seeing Don't Sweat or The 18th Letter. Very good but not quite on that level.

 

[ManBearPig]

Stillmatic has quite a few lackluster beats...it's not seeing Don't Sweat or The 18th Letter. Very good but not quite on that level.

the 18th Letter had throwaway beats from those top producers. their not bad but i've heard much better from Clark Kent than the songs he did on the 18th Letter. Guess Who's Back was hot tho i aint gonna front.

 

[Rakim Allah]

the 18th Letter had throwaway beats from those top producers. their not bad but i've heard much better from Clark Kent than the songs he did on the 18th Letter. Guess Who's Back was hot tho i aint gonna front.

Besides the Primo joint and Extra P joints...Stillmatic had lackluster production for the most part.

 

[Alexander Wiggin]

nas is clearly the superior mc

he managed to take the esoteric shyt rakm said but made it relate to the street life so more people were feeling him
he have a 20 years career and still manage to be number 1 album in the chart
has more better album than ra
has worked with the greatest producers on the planet
has done a LOT more featuring and killing them, some of them are even mythic. Rakim barely rap on others albums
nas as a better tour experience, defend your album live is a skill
paid in full was a rap phenomenon, illmatic is a cultural phenomenon
rakim is a one dimentional mc (great at it) but nas just expand his limits as an mc and is unpredictable
nas had a beef with his best rival and won it
nas catalogue including the unrealeased is much bigger and impressive than rakim's one
nas did more to (re)put queensbridge on the map than rakim did for wyandanch

 

[ManBearPig]

I wanna hear a Rakim verse over the last 5 year spit anywhere close as epic as Nas on this bytch

 

[Rakim Allah]

nas is clearly the superior mc

he managed to take the esoteric shyt rakm said but made it relate to the street life so more people were feeling him
he have a 20 years career and still manage to be number 1 album in the chart
has more better album than ra
has worked with the greatest producers on the planet
has done a LOT more featuring and killing them, some of them are even mythic. Rakim barely rap on others albums
nas as a better tour experience, defend your album live is a skill
paid in full was a rap phenomenon, illmatic is a cultural phenomenon
rakim is a one dimentional mc (great at it) but nas just expand his limits as an mc and is unpredictable
nas had a beef with his best rival and won it
nas catalogue including the unrealeased is much bigger and impressive than rakim's one
nas did more to (re)put queensbridge on the map than rakim did for wyandanch

Rakim was doing the esoteric/street way before Nas and never had to do some fake mobster sh!t to sell records. He debut sold from the JUMP.
Sell your soul brehs
Ra has more classics with less albums.
Yeah Ra hasn't worked with Marley Marl, 45 King, Paul C, Extra P, Pete Rock Buckwild, Dr Dre, Quik or Primo
Ra doesn't need guests or features to help push/sell his album. Ra is not an industry EMCEE nor does he adhere to the Demonic politics
Ra has done basketball arenas and was during big tours around the world when Nas was tagging along behind his little brother
Paid in Full changed the course of Hip Hop and rhyming...Illmatic did not
Nas is unpredictable...you don't know when he's going to do some weak attempt at a crossover or look foolish going out his lane.
Rappers knew NOT to go at Rakim...hence no beef
Nas catalogue is filled with a lot weak shyt...including some of those unreleased joints. Quality over Quantity
Shan, Marley, Trag and Mobb Deep did more to put Queensbridge on the map. You wouldn't know where Wyandanch was if it wasn't for Rakim

I get it...some of you Nas fans think Nas is the clearly superior EMCEE. But these desperate attempts at proving it question whether you honestly BELIEVE it.

 

[The Ruler 09]

It's shameful and disappointing the way some try downplay Rakim.

I picked Nas too in this poll but people painting a picture like Ra was just any person who Nas came and shytted on and improved upon lol. It was never like that.

I notice some dudes seem to ride for their "era" just like the younger cats do today, it's all silly to me. I don't give a fukk about none of that. Rakim should be spoke about with a great deal of respect, can't dismiss or diminish Rakim like some are trying to do.

I also don't think some understand Rakim and Nas are different artists, Nas was not a new Rakim, he doesn't have that rhyming acumen Ra had/has. Nas is great in his OWN right.

I also don't think some understand how great Rakim is, he's not 1 dimensional at all. He's covered many areas, some more effectively than Nas.

 

[Rakim Allah]

It's shameful and disappointing the way some try downplay Rakim.

I picked Nas too in this poll but people painting a picture like Ra was just any person who Nas came and shytted on and improved upon lol. It was never like that.

I notice some dudes seem to ride for their "era" just like the younger cats do today, it's all silly to me. I don't give a fukk about none of that. Rakim should be spoke about with a great deal of respect, can't dismiss or diminish Rakim like some are trying to do.

I also don't think some understand Rakim and Nas are different artists, Nas was not a new Rakim, he doesn't have that rhyming acumen Ra had/has. Nas is great in his OWN right.

I also don't think some understand how great Rakim is, he's not 1 dimensional at all. He's covered many areas, some more effectively than Nas.

most of them never really listened to Rakim besides Paid in Full. You can tell from the responses.

I have no problem with people thinking Nas is better, even though I disagree, but the hyperbole is downright

 

[The Ruler 09]

most of them never really listened to Rakim besides Paid in Full. You can tell from the responses.

I have no problem with people thinking Nas is better, even though I disagree, but the hyperbole is downright

I agree, the hyperbole is the problem, this is Rakim, a true GOD MC. It doesn't sound like they listened properly to Rakim. I've heard all of both's work. I think Nas has done shyt Ra didn't and likewise. Where's Nas' No Omega, Follow The Leader, Holy Are You, I Know You Got Soul, Know The Ledge, The Punisher, Waiting For The World To End, After You Die, R.A.K.I.M, I could go on. Point being, they are different artists, sonically in their songs and otherwise.

 

[JayBaldacci]

Rakim : technical marvel, greatest vocalist, pioneer

Nas: great poet/story teller, creative, when on point is one of the best vocalist.

I don't know how the whole rakim/nas thing started. Outside of having 5% references, they're not a alike at all. Nobody compares raekwon or ghost to rakim, but nas is just as different to him as they are.​

 

[JayBaldacci]

I agree, the hyperbole is the problem, this is Rakim, a true GOD MC. It doesn't sound like they listened properly to Rakim. I've heard all of both's work. I think Nas has done shyt Ra didn't and likewise. Where's Nas' No Omega, Follow The Leader, Holy Are You, I Know You Go Soul, Know The Ledge, The Punisher, Waiting For The World To End, After You Die, R.A.K.I.M, I could go on. Point being, they are different artists, sonically in their songs and otherwise.

Take it in blood is the mafioso follow the leader.

 

[The Ruler 09]

Take it in blood is the mafioso follow the leader.

Songs are completely different. Sonically, lyrically, pretty much everyway. Follow The Leader is also much better to me though I think Take It In Blood is very dope. But Follow The Leader is 1 of the greatest Hip Hop songs I've heard.

 

[JayBaldacci]

Songs are completely different. Sonically, lyrically, pretty much everyway. Follow The Leader is also much better to me though I think Take It In Blood is very dope. But Follow The Leader is 1 of the greatest Hip Hop songs I've heard.

They both dumbed out on those. To me take it on blood is to mafioso rap what follow the leader was to 80s/early 90s braggadocio rap.