Hov literally has easter-eggs in his rhymes. Nas rarely does that. If ever.I'm a 90s nicca,so I have a deep appreciation for both.
that being said...i can listen to any nas track and hear every rhyme and pattern the first go round..and be impressed.
There are times when you back to jay shyt years later and hear a hidden pattern or rhyme or reference and be fukking blown away that not only did the nicca do it years ago...how the fukk am I just now catching it?
Both are best in show tho.
And Hov just has better cadence, command of the verse, song selection, etc.
Dude's sound and production is timeless.
Nas is a notoriously shytty beat-picker. That matters.
tip

10 years

album is still in my rotation