I cant remember what exactly it was called, but I distinctly remember Jay-Z was picked over Rakim and Biggie in a top 50 greatest list some weeks prior on a BET special. I still remember watching the list on TV while visiting family over Thanksgiving. For the life of me I could never find it. I remember Snoop being interviewed. Mac 10 talking about DMX making the list. It was a legit list. Top 5 was Pac, jay, Biggie, Rakim, and Nas. Then the last 5 were LL, PE, Snoop, Cube and Face. Its kind of hard to re-live that time period. Not being from NYC, and unless you were aware of what was happening and what the atmosphere was like, its really hard to re-live it because our images of the both of them has changed over time.
Not being from NYC, and that NY movement in the early 00s, Nas was sort of left behind. He was really lagging in a lot of people's minds.
Ether was really just a critique of jay-Z. And it made him look and react like a petulant little child. Retorting to TMZ tactics. That alone is why Ether is so great. made this supposed boss, GOAT, untouchable persona, react like a spoiled brat.