I dont think jigga even denies this... jigga is on his real professional stylo... he is not going to beef with 50 for 'rep' or to 'swing swords'. Jigga has been 'that dude' in rap many many times for short stints... there is almost always someone 'bigger' than him, he knows how to get out their way, maintain his number 2 status and then resurge when the number 1 dude falls off... if you think about it... Jigga came out -> Biggie and Pac was running it...Nas was running it... Next phase DMX was running it... Next Phase Nelly was running it... Next Phase 50 Cent was running it... Next Phase Lil Wayne was running it... Next phase Drake was running it... One could add Ja Rule and Kanye to that list... and its not like jigga didnt have his runs, dude is like the defacto running it guy who falls back everytime someone elses peak comes in...
Jigga always knows how to fall back and ally himself with folks at their peak... and when he does beef with someone he waits until they are at their weakest and he has the most ammo... he dont go against you when you got a chance of winning... he either crushes you before you can get all the way on, or kicks some dirt on you once your in the gutter...
Only time he slipped up was going at nas... and really nas was in an absolutely unwinnable position... dude was out of popularity, didnt know how to make a 2001 era hit, with most of the new fans feeling he was oldschool, and most of the oldschool fans saying he fell off through trying to go commercial, and jigga had the ultimate possible ammo on nas... jigga never expected nas to respond to takeover directly... the whole u know who did you know what with you know who was literally supposed to be the guarantee... nas just reacted irrationally and somehow the fans got behind him.
Jigga learns from his mistakes he aint gonna do that again... he gonna stick with the 'ohhh you running rap now? aight cool... i will be back for the throne when you fall off' strategy...