This topic has come up multiple times in the past. I've always maintained that while I don't think Nas necessarily lifted the concept from OK and I Gave You Power is a much better song than Stray Bullet, there is zero chance whatsoever that Nas wasn't at least familiar with them or the song on some level.
I remember cats arguing that Nas never heard the song or even knew about OK because they were too underground. I can't buy the argument that Nas was somehow unaware of a group from Queens who were working with the same producers he was working with at the time, and who also had a working relationship with MC Serch at the same time Nas did.
So 2Pac was aware enough of Organized Konfusion to the point that he even shouted them out by name on his album, but Nas wasn't?
Nas did say that but he was lying
This is from Sonicnet's interview with Nas in 97' where he said that. he later admitted he was crazy high, on some bullshyt and not
to take 99% of the interviews he did before the FEDS mag 2001 joint seriously cause he would just get high and say whatever
Nas
January 13, 1997
NAS I love being the mainstream. Everyone
else uses my style, everybody use's everybody's style.
Quif Did you get the idea for "I Gave you
Power" from OK's "Stray Bullet"?
NAS What is Stray Bullet?
iLL-FLaV A song by Organized Konfusion. Yo,
you don't know shyt about hip-hop, huh?
NAS What is Organized Konfusion? I like the
real music by people who I call survivors. Most rappers
are happy for each other, especially my crew. We only
understand survival.
iLL-FLaV Survival? Ain't you livin' in a
mansion in Long Island? What you mean survival?
Jason Survive what? Were you guys in the
war?
NAS Jason, you wouldn't survive one second
in my shoes and I'm going to be here forever.
Nas and Monch was around each other a lot back then him not hearing OK/SB is damn near impossible
