Hiphop always refers to Bob Dylan as the white Nas :

[BlackDiBiase]

- They were both child prodigies.
- They were both known for pioneering breathtaking deep lyricism and artistry.
- They were both crucified for altering their style. Nas with changing themes on IWW and etc. Bob Dylan bought out an electric guitar and was almost stomped to death lol.
- They are both recluses and shy away from the limelight.
- They are both known for having a lifelong fan-base and never relied on mainstream pushes.

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky
With one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea
Circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate
Driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow

Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man.

I need a new nikka for this black cloud to follow
‘Cause while it's over me it's too dark to see tomorrow

Nas - The world is yours.

Personally I think it is the greatest compliment. Bob Dylan and Paul Simon are the dopest lyricist and Bob Dylan's career and whole energy is so Nas like.

Who do you think some of your favorite rappers mirror in other music genres?

What you think?

 

[Bigblackted4]

My homie compares Cudi to Dylan because of the emotion

 

[BlackDiBiase]

My homie compares Cudi to Dylan because of the emotion

I get the emotion.

'Pursuit of Happiness' could have been a Bob Dylan record it was very very dope.

I would say Cudi needs to step up the lyrics more to get that title but he has ill melodies and can inspire you. Which is what music really is all about.

 

[BlackDiBiase]

- They both in latter stages of their careers made monumental music.

This song 'sign on the window'. It is so deep I have sampled it several times. My favorite bar 'sign on the street, says you don't own me'.

 

[King_Kamala61]

Then I guess Z-Ro is the Down South Rap version of Muddy Waters

 

[Knucklehead]

Respectfully the criticism Nas got for IWW is not in any way comparable to Dylan’s innovations with the electric guitar

 

[BlackDiBiase]

Respectfully the criticism Nas got for IWW is not in any way comparable to Dylan’s innovations with the electric guitar

How so Bro?

They were both accused of turning their back on their sounds to pursue the new wave?

If Dylan had just continued to play acoustic folk music, he'd have been forgotten by the end of the decade. He showed that he was more than a one trick pony by adding something else, he didn't abandon the acoustic stuff, he just decided to mix it up and add something extra to his repertoire, and the last 50 odd years have proved he was right in doing so.

A comment from the clip also Nas was chastised just the same way and managed to maintain a 30 odd year impressive career.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Respectfully the criticism Nas got for IWW is not in any way comparable to Dylan’s innovations with the electric guitar

Why not. He was accused of selling out and reviled from purist (folk) fans who hated rock for being mainstream pop music.

If you prefer the other comparison would be Miles going electric as well. Purist jazz fans hated on In A Silent Way and were apoplectic about bytches Brew.


Crouch vs Mtume on the topic. Sound familiar? This is literally the Illmatic v IWW argument but on a higher musical level.

 

[Knucklehead]

Not trying to get in a big debate here but Dylan was widely seen as the first folk artist to use electric guitars and changed the whole sound of various genres of music whereas Nas was accused of jumping on the same mafioso and materialistic trends that had become popular since Illmatic came out. Reasonable minds can differ.

 

[BlackDiBiase]

Not trying to get in a big debate here but Dylan was widely seen as the first folk artist to use electric guitars and changed the whole sound of various genres of music whereas Nas was accused of jumping on the same mafioso and materialistic trends that had become popular since Illmatic came out. Reasonable minds can differ.

I can understand this viewpoint that's all you needed to clarify. It's all love and I see some truth in that.

It is slightly unfair to discredit Nas being the golden child who changed the whole sound of hiphop lyricism too, and he got more expansive on IWW and thereafter. The electric rock sound was already the wave too when Bob Dylan moved with it. The electric guitar and folk like music have been hand in hand even before Bob Dylan. Hence Jimi Hendrix covering along the watchtower with his own electric flip.

Anyway I can understand your viewpoint.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Not trying to get in a big debate here but Dylan was widely seen as the first folk artist to use electric guitars and changed the whole sound of various genres of music whereas Nas was accused of jumping on the same mafioso and materialistic trends that had become popular since Illmatic came out. Reasonable minds can differ.

That's a fair difference but I think we're focusing on the initial shift in of itself, which was viewed as selling out.

 

[papa pimp]

Nas was accused of jumping on the same mafioso and materialistic trends that had become popular

he was doing guest appearances and was an architect with the rappers pioneering that style leading up to IWW

also he is a kool g rap son who embodied all that in the fukking 80s lol

 

[Soymuscle Mike]

Dylan is the truth.

Masters of War

In his Chronicles biography he talks about Ice-T and Chuck D multiple times as "real truth tellers" and "where it's at".

 

[boogers]

dylan also had a long wack period after releasing mostly classics until he went religious

however hes never had a comeback like nas did, he just made middling mediocre records

but there are definitely parallels in their earlier work

 

[BlackDiBiase]

dylan also had a long wack period after releasing mostly classics until he went religious

however hes never had a comeback like nas did, he just made middling mediocre records

but there are definitely parallels in their earlier work

That's interesting Bro.

I assumed 'Sign on the Window' was much later but it was in the 1970s same with that dope song on 'The Big Lebowski' movie.

'The Man in Me' but that too was in the 1970s.