2) Takeover – Jay-Z
If you followed Hip Hop closely in the mid to late 90’s, you knew it was inevitable that Jay-Z and Nas were going to have to battle at some point. The two traded subliminal disses for years as they both tried to position themselves as not only the King of New York, but the King of Hip Hop.
Add to the mix Prodigy of Mobb Deep having some not so nice words for Jay-Z in an article featured in The Source magazine, and you have the perfect storm for what would turn out to be the most memorable battle in Hip Hop history.
On Takeover, Jay starts off his onslaught by destroying Prodigy. His verse towards Prodigy was first made famous at the 2001 Hot 97 Sumer Jam where he showed an embarrassing picture of a young Prodigy dressed in not so flattering dance attire. The picture was the least of the sting, as Jay mocks Prodigy’s height (You little fuck, I got money stacks bigger than you), his childhood (when I was pushing weight, back in 88/You was a ballerina, I got the pictures I seen ya), and his record sales (No, you’re not on my level, get your brakes tweaked/I sold what your whole album sold in my first week). This turned out to be so damaging to Prodigy that many believe this ended his career as an elite MC in Hip Hop.
Jay finally takes aim at Nas and delivers nearly fatal blows to the Queens MC. Jay attacks Nas with precision, referencing his fall from grace (Went from Nasty Nas to Esco’s trash/had a spark when you started but now you’re just garbage), his street credibility (you ain’t live it, you witnessed it from your folk’s pad/scribbled in your notepad and created your life), his business acumen ( so yeah I sampled your voice, you was using it wrong/you made it a hot line, I made it a hot song/and you ain’t get a coin ni—a, you was getting fucked/I know who I paid God, Serchlite Publishing), his rapping ability (Ni—a switch up your flow/your shit is garbage, what you trying to kick knowledge), and using innuendo to point out that he slept with the mother of his daughter (because you know who, did you know what with you know who/just keep that between me and you).
The consensus thought there was no way Nas could recover from this and that his career was finished. But…..
