Hip-Hop Theory: I think Nas always wanted AZ to stay in his shadow

[SlimOG]

Nas at NO point hindered AZ’s career. He actually HELPED it.

Put him on Illmatic
Put him on It Was Written
Was on two songs on Doe Or Die
Put him in the Firm
Was in a Sprite Commercial together
Put him on Stillmatic
Was on Aziatic

I mean what MORE would you want Nas to do? Hell Nas arguably did more for AZ than he did his and his brother’s group The Bravehearts.

The major difference between Nas and AZ’s careers is that Nas had Steve Stoute in his corner early and Nas even said that Steve forced him to bite the apple of success. Steve hooked Nas up with Trackmasters, Steve Hooked Nas up with Will Smith, Steve had a vision to make Nas a superstar and they did that shyt.

AZ didn’t have anybody in his corner that was hungry enough to see him be THAT guy. If you look at pretty much any Hip Hop Star, they had someone in their corner who worked their ass off to help them get the access they needed to blow.

Yes Nas did have Stoute in his corner but Stoute also tired to help AZ as well but what Steve said was Az kept trying to make a bunch of Sugar Hills...U know had no range and I think he said no star power.

 

[Piff Perkins]

I'd imagine Nas felt a type of way about a lot of dudes having hits when he didn't have any. That's natural. He was competitive with Biggie and saw him blow up while Illmatic under sold. Sugar Hill was a bigger single than anything on Illmatic. Why wouldn't a rapper feel like he deserved more recognition?

But was he JEALOUS? Hell no. He clearly was close with AZ for years and helped him even after Sugar Hill, including putting him on his second album and the Firm. Not to mention the Sprite commercial.

IWW sounds like it sounds because Nas wanted to make a bigger album. He's spoken about Biggie calling him to congratulate him on the album's success. Clearly some people wish Nas made Illmatic 2 but that would be impossible and would have killed his career. Nas did what he had to do.

 

[Doin2Much Williams]

Just realized that IIRTW is no longer on Youtube.



One of my favorite videos ever.



Gawt damn man.



.

 

[Surreal]

2 separate labels

AZ didn't get the push he needed with the label he was with

Nas went triple plat with IWW and that was it

 

[tuckgod]

Nas forced AZ on Illmatic. After hearing his verse. If Nas felt threatened or jealous in any kind of way. He wouldnt have made AZ the ONLY rap feature after hearing his verse. Also. Nas was on muliple songs on AZ’s debut. They done commercials together. Nas put him in The Firm. They made The Firm album. And Nas has collabed with AZ consistently up until about 04-05. And as far as why AZ didnt blow up like Nas. shyt just happens that way sometimes and AZ isnt as versatile an artist as Nas overall. AZ is still that nikka tho.

Stoute said it right.. AZ was in the best era for top 10 all time rappers arguments. You really had to have that IT factor. AZ would be maybe the 5th best rapper even if he was in the Wu.
And thats a stretch.. and thats just the Wu. 90s era. Next yall gonna say Jada held Styles and Sheek down? Lol

AZ was way more charismatic than Nas.

Not only did he outshine Nas on Life's A bytch but on the intro to the album.

He also put out an instant radio classic with his 1st single.

There is other factors that maybe went into Nas having a bigger career but "it factor" and "versatility" ain't it.

 

[old boy]

Just realized that IIRTW is no longer on Youtube.



One of my favorite videos ever.



Gawt damn man.



.

say word? i wonder why they do that shyt, it happened to me with busta put your hands where my eyes could see

searched and finally found it on vimeo

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

Not reading all this.. Nas never tried to keep him below him. Stop with the Nas slander.
AZ had shytty production for the most part. Lacked the IT factor. Hell, AZ had the benefit of having Nas' fanbase ear, and still couldnt get over the hump with us. I bought maybe 2 AZ albums. I only go back to listen to a few songs here and there. GOOD but not great music. Wasnt worth that many purchases. Hell, he had eexposure wit Deangelo and still was just what he was. Nobody really ran to AZ for big features.. Are you saying thats Nas fault?

Getouttahere with this shyt..

The D’Angelo & Monifah features were big time. The problem was AZ albums always seemed like low budget productions. Wasn’t he signed to Motown? SMH

AZ was notorious for falling trends but using cheap alternatives in terms of production

Hey AZ was my jam tho

 

[Surreal]

Nas had the foresight to sign to major instead of Big Beat or he would be in the same mentions

 

[spliz]

AZ was way more charismatic than Nas.

Not only did he outshine Nas on Life's A bytch but on the intro to the album.

He also put out an instant radio classic with his 1st single.

There is other factors that maybe went into Nas having a bigger career but "it factor" and "versatility" ain't it.

AZ was/is not more charismatic than Nas nor more versitile as an artist. Nas has tracks that AZ would NEVER have in his catalog and that’s a fact. shyt Nas was charismatic on AZ’s own album on hooks like Gimme Yours n shyt. shyt like that is shyt that AZ comes off as “too cool” to do. Steve Stoute flat said that he tried to help AZ the same way he helped Nas and AZ kept making a bunch of “Sugar Hills” cause he didnt gave the same versatility Nas had.

 

[AMcV'88]

AZ was way more charismatic than Nas.

Not only did he outshine Nas on Life's A bytch but on the intro to the album.

He also put out an instant radio classic with his 1st single.

There is other factors that maybe went into Nas having a bigger career but "it factor" and "versatility" ain't it.

i already said it in this thread but AZ had a habit of making wrong choices
it didn't help that after Doe Or Die his albums sounded like cheap knock off Jay-Z albums.

do i think Nas had a little hate in him when it came to other rappers with certain things ?
yeah, especially in a certain time period when he had a chip on his shoulder. the Cam'ron situation is an example.

i'm not sure AZ would have been getting the brunt of it though unless Stout was in his ear.
did he ever want AZ to remain in his shadow ? i don't know but i doubt he was ever jealous of him or tried to hold him back.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

No one said they didn't...but at one point they had a falling out don't mean they were never cool again or can't do business...a check is a check....they had another one around the time of Aziatic over a similar issue....that was also deaded by the time Street's Disciple dropped but from what I hear they def aren't as close as they used to be common story with Nas.....AZ did business with my peoples back in the day when he needed help promoting the movie "Envy" he was in....real cool cat on and off the mic....AZ like 1,000 other people in the industry thinks Nas moves 'snakey' at times he's entitled to his opinion regardless of how much Nas has obviously done for him.

entitlement issues...

what other rapper did more for AZ than Nas?

easiest way to dead that corny snake talk... type of shyt grown men with their hands out say. "he did a lot but not enough"

 

[FreshAIG]

I feel like AZ is one of them "too cool" to promote myself rappers. Jay early in career was too but luckily for him he had a Dame Dash to do the talking.

AZ needed someone else there to be the voice and promote him, because his personality is too laid back and cool for his own good. AZ rarely did interviews or appearances or put himself out there like that. He played the cut too much which hurt his commercial career.

 

[New Jeruz Jewelz]

No one mentioned the fact that AZ basically took Ali Vegas under his wing when everyone felt like they were trying to shark and eat off Nas style and flow.

If there was any distance I would say it would be rightfully done. My main rap partner since day one rapping and mentoring a dude that sounds damn near like me was unacceptable and thirsty imo.

 

[spliz]

I feel like AZ is one of them "too cool" to promote myself rappers. Jay early in career was too but luckily for him he had a Dame Dash to do the talking.

AZ needed someone else there to be the voice and promote him, because his personality is too laid back and cool for his own good. AZ rarely did interviews or appearances or put himself out there like that. He played the cut too much which hurt his commercial career.

Son this is exactly what I said about AZ’s artistic choices. I feel like he was “too cool” to take certain artistic choices that Nas did as well which is why I think it’s ludicrous to think he is/was more charismatic than Nas. His too cool personality disabled him from being that.

 

[nightpupil]

However, Az career transpires from here. Atleast i know Nas did everything to help him build his Career. I dont think Az is really mad at Nas.