How is Ready To Die better than Reasonable Doubt? Why is Big supposedly better overall?

[Ark]

Same here. I'm being totally honest too because I literally stopped at that point and just did a quick skim at the rest of the article lol.

Also biggie had better rhyme schemes and syllable placement than jay (which is something I value more than double entendres tbh). I don't get the criticism that he sounded "rough" because he was really polished in those categories

Dead presidents 1 is one hip hop best singles but saying part 2 > Warning makes shyt all wack
The storytelling in Warning what i have watched Jay z to never achieve its level of rhyming throughout his carrier

 

[Monoblock]

I like both but let's be real. RTD was an instant classic. RD became a classic after Jay kept pleading its case for years

Yea Jay was determined to have RD mentioned with the true classics of that time. Campaigning like crazy and a lot of people fell for it. I still say RD is a good/great album just not a classic IMO.

 

[L $ C]

meh, both albums are 5 star classics.....I prefer RD prolly but that doesnt make it better


its like whats better illmatic or low end theory...no real right answer but both 5 star classics

 

[Cloud McFly]

Always felt RD was better, but wouldn't be mad if one felt RTD was better, as both are classic.

RD has been the greatest rap album to me, ever since I heard it in 96. The whole theory about it only being classic because Jay somehow used mind control over the years is asinine.

 

[Pifferry]

Ready to Die and Reasonable Doubt are relatively close. I give Ready to Die the edge because of the cohesiveness of the album. Biggie took you through a journey. But both albums are in my top 5 favorites.

Jay Z took you on a journey as well.
The whole album was him making a case for himself as a best MC and a life in de day of a hustler.
From Can't Knock The Hustle to Regrets as the confident start with the end saying that maybe you can knock it but that doesn't mean you have to live with those regrets.
Brooklyn's Finest to 22 Twos to Cashmere Thoughts as the three rapping for the sake of rapping songs focusing on Jay's competition with Biggie and why he's the nicest MC and his underground and club rapping experience on Two's and on Jay's classic smooth style and persona with Thoughts also going in on the mafioso influence.
Politics As Usual to Bring It On, the first throwing you right into the tired fray after the defiant first track and the latter another perfect penultimate Jay song wrapping in the mafiaso movie influences on the album with an amazing verse.
Can I Live encompassing all of Jay's ambition and tired wit as he deals with people just trying to bring him down as he wants to live life.
Ain't No nikka and Coming Of Age touching on the two different types of important relationships you can hold.
Feeling it as a celebration of life song that also coasts right along negative factors but still pulls ahead.
Easily as good as whatever journey Ready To Die was supposed to give me.

Jay > Big

Ready to Die > Reasonable Doubt

Ready to Die had superior production, more varied song writing and was more cohesive

Both classics though

I can't agree on production.
Nothing on Ready To Die matches up with the production on RD in terms of how perfect it was for the MC imo nor do they sound as good today.
But that's just me.
I see what you mean on varied song writing though.

Same here. I'm being totally honest too because I literally stopped at that point and just did a quick skim at the rest of the article lol.

Also biggie had better rhyme schemes and syllable placement than jay (which is something I value more than double entendres tbh). I don't get the criticism that he sounded "rough" because he was really polished in those categories

I value entendres, punchlines, and other clever wordplay the most as long assume rhyming is already good and since I believe Jay Z also excels in that it only makes sense for me to place him as high as I do.

Dead presidents 1 is one hip hop best singles but saying part 2 > Warning makes shyt all wack
The storytelling in Warning what i have watched Jay z to never achieve its level of rhyming throughout his carrier

I guess I just don't see anything special about Warning.
Friend Or Foe 96>
It all just seems tacky to me and they don't really work as songs imo.
He really levels up on LAD for me, love the storytelling there.

Always felt RD was better, but wouldn't be mad if one felt RTD was better, as both are classic.

RD has been the greatest rap album to me, ever since I heard it in 96. The whole theory about it only being classic because Jay somehow used mind control over the years is asinine.

It's one of any absurd Jay criticisms.
Thoughts on my points on the songs on RD and the overall journey of the album

 

[Turbulent]

i think Biggie has more charisma, i prefer his style as far as delivery. I love RD but one thing i felt about Jay is that it almost always sounds like he's trying to convince you of something. most rappers are but with him you actually feel it. RTD, biggie just sounds more confident than Jay.

i don't know i just prefer Biggie's album overall but i could see why someone prefers RD

 

[Chip Skylark]

Biggie isn't better overall. People who actually listen to Jay and Big know this.

 

[Jack Skellington]

Ready to Die > Any 2pac album

 

[Pifferry]

Jay Z took you on a journey as well.
The whole album was him making a case for himself as a best MC and a life in de day of a hustler.
From Can't Knock The Hustle to Regrets as the confident start with the end saying that maybe you can knock it but that doesn't mean you have to live with those regrets.
Brooklyn's Finest to 22 Twos to Cashmere Thoughts as the three rapping for the sake of rapping songs focusing on Jay's competition with Biggie and why he's the nicest MC and his underground and club rapping experience on Two's and on Jay's classic smooth style and persona with Thoughts also going in on the mafioso influence.
Politics As Usual to Bring It On, the first throwing you right into the tired fray after the defiant first track and the latter another perfect penultimate Jay song wrapping in the mafiaso movie influences on the album with an amazing verse.
Can I Live encompassing all of Jay's ambition and tired wit as he deals with people just trying to bring him down as he wants to live life.
Ain't No nikka and Coming Of Age touching on the two different types of important relationships you can hold.
Feeling it as a celebration of life song that also coasts right along negative factors but still pulls ahead.
Easily as good as whatever journey Ready To Die was supposed to give me.

I can't agree on production.
Nothing on Ready To Die matches up with the production on RD in terms of how perfect it was for the MC imo nor do they sound as good today.
But that's just me.
I see what you mean on varied song writing though.

I value entendres, punchlines, and other clever wordplay the most as long assume rhyming is already good and since I believe Jay Z also excels in that it only makes sense for me to place him as high as I do.

I guess I just don't see anything special about Warning.
Friend Or Foe 96>
It all just seems tacky to me and they don't really work as songs imo.
He really levels up on LAD for me, love the storytelling there.

It's one of any absurd Jay criticisms.
Thoughts on my points on the songs on RD and the overall journey of the album

 

[Pifferry]

i think Biggie has more charisma, i prefer his style as far as delivery. I love RD but one thing i felt about Jay is that it almost always sounds like he's trying to convince you of something. most rappers are but with him you actually feel it. RTD, biggie just sounds more confident than Jay.

i don't know i just prefer Biggie's album overall but i could see why someone prefers RD

LAD Big doesn't sound forced to me.
RTD Big I deifnetly feel how you feel about Jay.
RD Jay doesn't sound forced at all imo, his flow is laid back and on autopilot.

 

[Turbulent]

LAD Big doesn't sound forced to me.
RTD Big I deifnetly feel how you feel about Jay.
RD Jay doesn't sound forced at all imo, his flow is laid back and on autopilot.

i think i just view jay as a semi cornball and that bias is tainting my view of all of his work.

 

[FreshAIG]

Jay Z took you on a journey as well.
The whole album was him making a case for himself as a best MC and a life in de day of a hustler.
From Can't Knock The Hustle to Regrets as the confident start with the end saying that maybe you can knock it but that doesn't mean you have to live with those regrets.
Brooklyn's Finest to 22 Twos to Cashmere Thoughts as the three rapping for the sake of rapping songs focusing on Jay's competition with Biggie and why he's the nicest MC and his underground and club rapping experience on Two's and on Jay's classic smooth style and persona with Thoughts also going in on the mafioso influence.
Politics As Usual to Bring It On, the first throwing you right into the tired fray after the defiant first track and the latter another perfect penultimate Jay song wrapping in the mafiaso movie influences on the album with an amazing verse.
Can I Live encompassing all of Jay's ambition and tired wit as he deals with people just trying to bring him down as he wants to live life.
Ain't No nikka and Coming Of Age touching on the two different types of important relationships you can hold.
Feeling it as a celebration of life song that also coasts right along negative factors but still pulls ahead.
Easily as good as whatever journey Ready To Die was supposed to give me.

I can't agree on production.
Nothing on Ready To Die matches up with the production on RD in terms of how perfect it was for the MC imo nor do they sound as good today.
But that's just me.
I see what you mean on varied song writing though.

I value entendres, punchlines, and other clever wordplay the most as long assume rhyming is already good and since I believe Jay Z also excels in that it only makes sense for me to place him as high as I do.

I guess I just don't see anything special about Warning.
Friend Or Foe 96>
It all just seems tacky to me and they don't really work as songs imo.
He really levels up on LAD for me, love the storytelling there.

It's one of any absurd Jay criticisms.
Thoughts on my points on the songs on RD and the overall journey of the album

It did but not like Biggie. Ready to Die took you through basically all kinds of emotions. And done in a way that made you see the desperation of a young black male from the projects.

Jay basically showed you the highlife and that there's trials and tribulations when you make it in the streets that coincide with the balling. But it was pretty much I'm rich from selling drugs and nikkas want to kill me and I have homies that are dead because of it.

 

[Monoblock]

Ready to Die > Any 2pac album

Let's not do this

 

[SirBiatch]

Now let me preface this by saying that Biggie is on my personal top five MC's list (mainly off of his features and work on Life After Death) and that I have a high level of respect for his skill, and being that Jigga is my favorite rapper of all time I have a high level of bias going into this, but going through and listening to both of these albums side by side leaves me baffled as to how i'm supposed to conclude that RTD is in any way shape or form the superior product.
I mean their are a lot of things we could discuss about this project, production is one but i'll leave that alone considering it isn't relevant to their actual skill besides how they flow on a beat.
But if we're talking about comparing the rapping ability of the two, Biggie sounds incredibly rough on this album (compared to his appearance on Life After Death) and even simplistic for a large portion of the time, when if you compare that to Hov, his flow is already at (what could be considered as but probably isn't) it's zenith, there's no choppiness or roughness in the rhymes, and if we're going to compare who's more clever between the two Jay Z ultimately has much better punchlines and metaphors/entendres and other technical measurements.
(This isn't to say Biggie didn't flow his ass off on this album, but compared to LAD?)
And I understand from reading on here, that Biggie's roughness is apart of the appeal of the album, but skill wise between the two there's a clear gulf in my honest opinion.
And when were looking at the albums as pieces on their own, obviously they're both going for two different goals, Biggies is more geared towards basic "street goonery" for the most part, and the struggles the people around him would go through (like with Everyday Struggle) or the "street level" heights of being a dealer/hustler.
While RD alternates between Jay Z's heavy mafioso themes/images like with Politics As Usual, and New York "street" influenced records like 22 Two's, so I could easily see RTD connecting with the every man more especially with the party record.
But I certainly feel like in terms of having a message/theme to get across from beginning to end and how they show it off from beginning to end is at the very least equal (the contrast from Can't Knock The Hustle and Regrets is seriously great).
And when we're talking songs I believe this really comes down to which songs you believe are more powerful/superior out of the well "serious" ones in conjunction with the throwaways or "for fun" tracks.
So if we were to compare them side by side how would this go:
Things Done Changed vs Can't Knock The Hustle (A toss up though I prefer CNTH by far)
Gimme The Loot vs Politics As Usual (One of the best storytelling songs of all time vs another track I prefer which is why I'm also giving this a toss up, either way is fine)
Brooklyn's Finest vs Machine Gun Funk (another toss up, probably the closest so far though i'd go with BK)
Warning vs Dead Presidents (Is their really a question here? Most definitely DP)
Ready To Die vs Feeling It (two very different types of song, though I'd say Feeling It is at minimum as well written as RTD, and is definitely more proficient/skill lyrically in all categories)
One More Chance vs D'Evils (is their really a question once again?)
The What vs 22 Two's (22 Two's is definitely more lyrical and superior in concept/execution and impact)
Juicy vs Can I Live (Juicy is without a doubt the more iconic song but any beyond surface level hip hop listener knows the greatness of Can I Live, but i'll give it a toss up even though I love CIL much more and think it's better)
Everyday Struggle vs Ain't No nikka (Clearly Biggie)
Me & My bytch vs Coming of Age (COA easy)
Cashmere Thoughts vs Big Poppa (BP wins, not to diminish CT's place on the album or Jay's skill)
Respect vs Bring It On (possibly a topic but i'm going to have to go with mixed like a mulatto easily)
Friend Of Mine vs Regrets (Regrets obviously)
And then there's Unbelievable and Suicidal Thought's and Unbelievable is another great song, but doesnt really tip anything but Suicidal Thoughts certainly gives Big an extra point.
If I'm going to compare these two albums from the songs I listed Biggie had a lot more rapping just for the sake of rapping without an actual direction songs or crude or basic songs talking about clits and dikks and techs with simple language compared to Jay.
Can someone explain to me where i'm supposed to see this gulf in quality? Because if there's anything it's probably in the other direction as far as I can see.

That's arguably the best song on the entire album. Certainly one of the top records.

I prefer Unbelievable and Suicidal Thoughts to anything on Reasonable, including D'Evils and Can I Live

 

[SunZoo]

I'll give RTD the nod due to production even though RD had some heat.

Jay > Big though.