Questlove defends Vol 1, Jay-Z responds

Killalex

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Has some of Jay's greatest songs but the bad songs are so fukking horrendous that they can't be excused.
3.5/5.
 

spliz

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Vol 1 >>>> to Illmatic according to the suckas. Now let’s get this out the way. For @Piff Perkins for asking the question and for nikka like @Tommy Gibbs talking about dikkriding this and that. The reason Nas is brought up. Is because a thread recently happened shytting on Nas fans yet u see these nikkas doing the same exact thing in this thread but even worse but people don’t like to call that bullshyt out. My point is nikkas gotta stop talking about Nas fans when they do the same shyt. Also. Thread ain’t bout Jay vs Nas. The bullshyt that goes on on this site. @Cladyclad said Vol 1 is better than Illmatic. In the Illmatic vs Doggystyle thread.
 

Piff Perkins

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Vol 1 >>>> to Illmatic according to the suckas. Now let’s get this out the way. For @Piff Perkins for asking the question and for nikka like @Tommy Gibbs talking about dikkriding this and that. The reason Nas is brought up. Is because a thread recently happened shytting on Nas fans yet u see these nikkas doing the same exact thing in this thread but even worse but people don’t like to call that bullshyt out. My point is nikkas gotta stop talking about Nas fans when they do the same shyt. Also. Thread ain’t bout Jay vs Nas. The bullshyt that goes on on this site. @Cladyclad said Vol 1 is better than Illmatic. In the Illmatic vs Doggystyle thread.
:dead:

I didn’t see that. If that’s true and he’s not just trolling…breh’s entire rap credibility is gone.
 

ThirdAct

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Vol 2 don't have the highs of Vol. 1 but is just a smoother overall listen. Worst track is Paper Chase but that's not even close to as awful as Vol 1s lows. My breakdown would be this

Vol. 1:

Intro - 10
City Is Mine - 6.5
I Know What Girls Like - 1
Imaginary Player - 9.5
Streets Is Watching - 10
Friend or Foe 98 - 8.5
Lucky Me - 6
Sunshine - 7
Who You Wit - 8.5
Face Off - 5.5
Real nikkaz - 7
Rap Game/Crack Game - 8.5
Where I'm From -10
You Must Love Me - 9

Vol 2:
Intro - 9
Hard Knock Life - 8
If I Should Die - 7
Ride or Die - 9
nikka What nikka Who - 9
Money Cash Hoes - 7.5
A Week Ago - 10
Coming of Age - 8.5
Can I Get A - 9
Paper Chase - 6
Reservoir Dogs - 8.5
It's Like That - 9.5

More cohesive, better sequenced, and consistent

Switch I Know What Girls Like and Face Off with In My Lifetime Remix and Only a Customer and Vol 1 is damn near as good as RD. What holds me back on thinking Vol 2 is a classic is the production, most of those beats just haven't aged well. I agree A Week Ago is a 10 though. Also you forgot Money Ain't a Thang and It's Alright?
 

Cladyclad

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Vol 1 >>>> to Illmatic according to the suckas. Now let’s get this out the way. For @Piff Perkins for asking the question and for nikka like @Tommy Gibbs talking about dikkriding this and that. The reason Nas is brought up. Is because a thread recently happened shytting on Nas fans yet u see these nikkas doing the same exact thing in this thread but even worse but people don’t like to call that bullshyt out. My point is nikkas gotta stop talking about Nas fans when they do the same shyt. Also. Thread ain’t bout Jay vs Nas. The bullshyt that goes on on this site. @Cladyclad said Vol 1 is better than Illmatic. In the Illmatic vs Doggystyle thread.
I didn’t bring it up lol

u mentioned Nas name like 5 times in a thread that’s about another artist liking a album that he said was not judged right
 

FunkDoc1112

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Switch I Know What Girls Like and Face Off with In My Lifetime Remix and Only a Customer and Vol 1 is damn near as good as RD. What holds me back on thinking Vol 2 is a classic is the production, most of those beats just haven't aged well. I agree A Week Ago is a 10 though. Also you forgot Money Ain't a Thang and It's Alright?
I don't count bonus tracks since they're not really part of the sequencing.
 

ThirdAct

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coming of age II (jiggas most underrated storytelling track)
Reservoir Dogs
A Week Ago
Ride Or Die
It’s Like That

Coming of age II
Reservoir Dogs
If I Should Die
A Week Ago
Money Cash Hoes
Hard Knock Life

the "commercial" records are just as dope. Although I would agree that Where Im from is probably a top 5 Jay record of all time...

Vol 2 is pretty much a flawless album to me

Some cool songs but I wouldn't put any of them in Jay's top 20 expect maybe A Week Ago. Where I'm From, a Million and One and Imaginary Player you'd be crazy not to have in Jay's top 20. Money Cash Hoes on the same level as them? Lol nah.
 

Piff Perkins

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Because I'm annoyed by the Jay/Nas forever war I'm going to switch jerseys for one moment and potentially spark a bomb. Does Vol 1...an album most of us with taste argue is mid/mixed...have more classic tracks than any Nas album outside Illmatic and IWW?
Phm4qls.gif


I'm labeling "classic" tracks as the following: enduring hits, enduring relevant tracks (quotables, songs that became staples of live performances, etc), tracks that stood the test of time basically. Consider the following:

-Million And One Questions (classic intro, classic Premo track)
-Imaginary Player (multiple classic quotables, live performance staple)
-Streets Is Watching (classic street single, classic movie)
-Where I'm From (classic beat, created/acknowledged the "Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas" GOAT triumvirate)

Illmatic is obvious, virtually every track is classic outside of maybe One Time 4 Your Mind. IWW you have The Message, Street Dreams, I Gave You Power, Affirmative Action and If I Ruled The world. Outside of that?
:francis:
 
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