Why hasn't Nas gotten the credit that Kanye gets for pushing the envelope?

[Thatrogueassdiaz]

Sure, there are plenty of artists that push the envelope who get looked over, but many of them aren't really trying to do that. But Nas has consistently tried to push the envelope during his career, and he's never received half the attention and coverage that Kanye receives for his antics.

The name of his albums and the content in his albums are just as controversial: Hip hop is Dead, Untitled, It was written, Life is Good. All those albums had a lot of controversial topics and themes and perspectives.

Is it that the GOAT really can't sell himself as much as Kanye?

Is it that Nas' lyrics aren't as accessible as Kanye? I may go with this one. It's not as easy to withdraw meaning from Nas' lyrics; the lyrics aren't as perceptible to the average listener.

Or is it just that the height of his reign is over, and that Kanye is more relevant for today?

Don't get me wrong, Nas has had more success than 95 percent of other hip hop artists. I just wonder why he can't sell as much as some of his peers, if it's his work ethic or personality or possible lack of business acumen that holds that back.

What say you, brehs?

 

[jaylav_]

I love Nas and 50. I could give a fukk about sales.. their musics good fukk anyone's opinion. And Untitled got some good press for a bit.. but Kanyes overrated idk.. Nas was never really in the public eye like kanye jayz. Etc.. people probably assume getting on Nas won't bring up sales or popularity maybe

 

[OG Talk]

Because Kanye made a calculated decision early in his career to embrace the gay mafia...

 

[prophecypro]

Depending on who you ask, despite those provocative titles, the music wasnt good enough to back the lyrics and concepts (Not my opinon) and that still he's best (or at least most people wanna hear him anway) just doing Illmatic street rap type shyt.

His growth as an artist has always come with a little struggle due to perception. But you're right he should credited for being a concept artist rather than met with cynicsm, which seems to be the case with some people.

 

[Canada Goose]

Breh, I'm a Nas fan, but exactly did he push the envelope?

Many rappers had conversial themes before Nas breh, those early 90s west coast "Gangsta" rappers, Pac, also some rappers back then was on that pro black tip before Nas.

Kanye pushed the envelope much more than Nas IMO.

 

[Cynic]

Kanye is a producer first and fore most. He not only has an ear for good beats but makes them his damn self.

Stellar top notch production plus subpar lyrics >>>> Lyricism and subpar beats


On another front, Kanye is a big fashion head hence able to generate mass appeal from that. Nas just strikes me as gifted and non-chalant that's it.

 

[Thatrogueassdiaz]

Depending on who you ask, despite those provocative titles, the music wasnt good enough to back the lyrics and concepts (Not my opinon) and that still he's best (or at least most people wanna hear him anway) just doing Illmatic street rap type shyt.

His growth as an artist has always come with a little struggle due to perception. But you're right he should credited for being a concept artist rather than met with cynicsm, which seems to be the case with some people.

Agree completely. I think it may boil down to this. It's not that those albums aren't great, but perhaps he didn't play up the concept enough? Untitled may be the only one, and even that album had issues with production. Lyrically he went off on all of his albums, but there's always been some kind of weakness with each album (outside of illmatic and it was written).

Maybe he only pushed the envelope with the titles, but not enough with the lyrics and the song concepts?

Breh, I'm a Nas fan, but exactly did he push the envelope?

Many rappers had conversial themes before Nas breh, those early 90s west coast "Gangsta" rappers, Pac, also some rappers back then was on that pro black tip before Nas.

Kanye pushed the envelope much more than Nas IMO.

How didn't he push the envelope. You have an album about the word Nigg3r, it's history and how slavery has impacted American blacks; you have an album about unifying the bond between Black American's and Africans (pan-africanism); you have a few of his albums that tie philosophy, religion, and african history together in a way that comments on today's black artist. A lot of his stuff is controversial, in the sense that he's explicitly making music about topics that other hip hop artists don't; he's using his platform to comment on what others don't.

Sure there are other artists that do controversial shyt, but only a handful have the clout and popularity for their topics to reach the masses.

 

[boskey]

You answered your own question, "pushing the envelope" doesn't usually get you a lot of credit cuz it makes you less accessible...

Kanye turning into David Bowie or whatever made him more accessible. Nas rapping about Ivan Van Sertima, censorship and cockroaches made him less accessible...

 

[Canada Goose]

You answered your own question, "pushing the envelope" doesn't usually get you a lot of credit cuz it makes you less accessible...

Kanye turning into David Bowie or whatever made him more accessible. Nas rapping about Ivan Van Sertima, censorship and cockroaches made him less accessible...

But at Nas making a song from the prospective of a roach, nikka also made a song about Fried Chicken + the random Busta Rhymes feature

 

[boskey]

But at Nas making a song from the prospective of a roach, nikka also made a song about Fried Chicken + the random Busta Rhymes feature

lol Busta murdered it tho

"despite I prepare it the best I specialize in cookin swine as chef, I'ma eat the shyt to death"

 

[vaudevillevillain]

Kanye knows how to make a hit, plain & simple. Also very underrated as a rapper imo. Just cause he made beats first doesn't mean he isn't a rapper or can't become a great rapper.. look at Will Smith in film. One dimensional ass nikkas need to give Yeezus his props for saving the game

 

[FrankieLymon757]

lol Busta murdered it tho

"despite I prepare it the best I specialize in cookin swine as chef, I'ma eat the shyt to death"

two classics breh...F the hate...

 

[prophecypro]

Agree completely. I think it may boil down to this. It's not that those albums aren't great, but perhaps he didn't play up the concept enough? Untitled may be the only one, and even that album had issues with production. Lyrically he went off on all of his albums, but there's always been some kind of weakness with each album (outside of illmatic and it was written).

Maybe he only pushed the envelope with the titles, but not enough with the lyrics and the song concepts?




How didn't he push the envelope. You have an album about the word Nigg3r, it's history and how slavery has impacted American blacks; you have an album about unifying the bond between Black American's and Africans (pan-africanism); you have a few of his albums that tie philosophy, religion, and african history together in a way that comments on today's black artist. A lot of his stuff is controversial, in the sense that he's explicitly making music about topics that other hip hop artists don't; he's using his platform to comment on what others don't.

Sure there are other artists that do controversial shyt, but only a handful have the clout and popularity for their topics to reach the masses.

Thats the perception of him but personally speaking I think those albums all stood out compared to what was out in the game and became underrated on a mass level despite being reverred with core heads

 

[The Message]

Nas doesn't really come across as that in the spotlight kinda dude. He'll do it in flashes, Grammys, VMAs, the reality show with him & Kelis. He'll come close, then pull back. For the most part he doesn't seem like he likes too much attention. In interviews, dude looks like he's not even there sometimes. haha I think he just likes the work to stand on its own.

I remember reading an article in the Source before It Was Written came out and he was talking about how he wished he go and sit in a park with a bag of fruit with no one knowing who he was.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Breh, I'm a Nas fan, but exactly did he push the envelope?

Many rappers had conversial themes before Nas breh, those early 90s west coast "Gangsta" rappers, Pac, also some rappers back then was on that pro black tip before Nas.

Kanye pushed the envelope much more than Nas IMO.

Exactly.

The only envelope that even came REMOTELY close to being pushed was "Distant Relatives"

Kanye reinvented himself with every release.