Originally Posted by SoundgardenRocks

Nas' rhyming style and flow is quite different from a rapper like Eminem. But I would certainly say that Nas is a technically excellent rapper. Illmatic is often held up as one of the greatest rap albums of all time, and for good reason.

Nas' flow though is quite standard for the time among his style (mid 90s east coast boom bap rap) and I'd be inclined to say that Eminem switches his flow up more than Nas does. Despite this, Nas has an indelible ability to paint a picture and a story with his rhymes - full of progression, characters, plot twists, and climaxes - plus, he's often thought-provoking.

With this said, there are some beats on Illmatic that I don't think have aged as well as others. For comparison, Jay-Z's debut, Reasonable Doubt, released two years after Illmatic, has aged much better in the realm of beats (comparable albums because both are NY rappers and producer DJ Premier had an almost equal hand in both).

Doesn't mean you'll like Nas or even find him to be a staggeringly great rapper - I simply think he perfected the fundamentals. There are more colorful rappers and if someone were to ask me for rappers who I considered to extremely technical, Nas would come after guys like Pharohe Monch, Chino XL, Canibus, Ras Kass, El-P and perhaps even Andre 3K.

Originally Posted by SoundgardenRocks

Nas would come after guys like Pharohe Monch, Chino XL, Canibus, Ras Kass, El-P and perhaps even Andre 3K.

Originally Posted by [MERIT]

When did Nas go after Chino?

Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien

There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power-stations; I hope that, encouraged now as ‘patriotism’, may remain a habit! But it won’t do any good, if it is not universal.

Originally Posted by [MERIT]

Ah, I interpreted the phrase "come after" erroneously LOL. My bad.

EDIT: Don't do drugs.

Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien

There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power-stations; I hope that, encouraged now as ‘patriotism’, may remain a habit! But it won’t do any good, if it is not universal.

Originally Posted by 66Sexy

Your advice can kiss my ass.

Originally Posted by Lucem Ferre

But, like, is he skilled in the technical department like Eminem is? Does he have as many syllable rhymes?

Originally Posted by SoundgardenRocks

First, know thyself. Then, seek thy truth by pursuing empirical evidence.



Lyrics on Genius

Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien

There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power-stations; I hope that, encouraged now as ‘patriotism’, may remain a habit! But it won’t do any good, if it is not universal.