Rakim vs. Nas

[AmerikazMost]

Nas and its really not even close imo hes surpassed rakim

More longevity, more consistent albums, and hes kept hes still relevant in the mainstream after more than a decade in the game

both are legends but i'd prefer nas over rakim

1986-1999.. 13 years
1994-2004.. 10 years

you could can't back before nas's first album because of other appearances, but then you'd have to count forward for some of ra's

thus, long jevity goes to rakim

more consistent albums? every one of rakim's first four albums is better than all of nas's except illmatic (btw, paid in full > illmatic)...and the 18th letter is great, and the master is good...nastradamus is nothing more than average, as is god's son

more relevant in the mainstream? when's the last time you heard "one love" on the radio?

didn't snoop just do "paid in full" on old school, a hit movie, a year or two ago?

 

[2pacnbiggie]

outside guest appearances rakim hasnt done shit since like 99 and nobodys been talkin about him

Hes had chances to put out shit wit dre and left due to "creative differences" and every since he left he still hasnt done anything...thats consistent to u?

I never said all of nas albums were perfect but he releases albums more consistently than rakim. When was da last rakim album released? wasnt it 98 or 99? how many albums has nas released since then???

one love hasnt been on the radio but i've heard got urself a gun, one mic, if i ruled the world, hate me now, made you look, and alot more nas songs on the radio than any rakim song

and also...if u all say rakim is better than nas then that would make rakim better than pac also right? just tryna see how u all think

 

[AmerikazMost]

outside guest appearances rakim hasnt done shit since like 99 and nobodys been talkin about him

Hes had chances to put out shit wit dre and left due to "creative differences" and every since he left he still hasnt done anything...thats consistent to u?

I never said all of nas albums were perfect but he releases albums more consistently than rakim. When was da last rakim album released? wasnt it 98 or 99? how many albums has nas released since then???

one love hasnt been on the radio but i've heard got urself a gun, one mic, if i ruled the world, hate me now, made you look, and alot more nas songs on the radio than any rakim song

yea, it does sound consistent to me...it says to me that the god won't put up with any shitty producing

how many album sdid nas release before 1994? huh? what? this isn't a "what have you done for me recently" thread, it's a who's better thread. just look at what they've done, not when they've done it, then tell me who's better.

 

[AmerikazMost]

and also...if u all say rakim is better than nas then that would make rakim better than pac also right? just tryna see how u all think

only if you assume that nas is better than pac, which he isn't

 

[2pacnbiggie]

Lyrically nas >>>>>>>>>>> pac

only thing pac has over nas is charisma


When rakim dropped his albums he stopped puttin out albums in da early 90's when big and nas was comin out he didnt put out anything else for a while til like 99. Thats why his longevity is different from nas...the only average album nas put out was nastradamus all the rest where above average or better

Illmatic, It Was Written, Lost Tapes, Stillmatic = Classics
I Am, Gods Son, Streets Disciple = Above Average
Nastradamus = Average

 

[sniper]

Lyrically nas >>>>>>>>>>> pac

only thing pac has over nas is charisma


When rakim dropped his albums he stopped puttin out albums in da early 90's when big and nas was comin out he didnt put out anything else for a while til like 99. Thats why his longevity is different from nas...the only average album nas put out was nastradamus all the rest where above average or better

Illmatic, It Was Written, Lost Tapes, Stillmatic = Classics
I Am, Gods Son, Streets Disciple = Above Average
Nastradamus = Average

yeh charisma doesnt mean much does it, lets all listen to robot soundin dudes

 

[2pacnbiggie]

^^ if thats the case nas has more charisma than rakim

theres alot more to rappin than just charisma like i said...

lyrically ... nas >>> pac
charisma nas <<< pac
storytellin nas >>>> pac
creativity ... nas >>> pac (or about even...this ones debateable)

and theres alotta other topics u can break it down into..

 

[MATW95]

Rakim's the most influential rapper of all time. Almost every rapper today branched from his style

 

[CalcuoCuchicheo]

Rakim is a better rapper than Nas.

Rakim is better lyrically & in terms of flow.

The only thing Nas could possibly have over Rakim is quality/consistency of albums & creativity. That said, while Rakim doesn't release albums as often as Nas, he does have a solid catalogue. And creatively, well, while Nas has had some creative concepts for songs, some may look at Rakim's flow & content back then & say that his level of creativity was off the scale.

 

[malek_5]

yeh charisma doesnt mean much does it, lets all listen to robot soundin dudes

hahahahaha, word

 

[RIPPAC4]

Nas, because he also have longevity but don't get me wrong Rakim is tight and you can't go wrong with either

 

[yayo]

I prefer Nas.

 

[Duke]

Rakim changed the fuckin game. Nas polished it, but he didn't innovate it.

 

[linx]

I've always been a big fan of both. I don't wanna pick one and I look like I like that one alot more than the other. Like Duke said though, Rakim changed the game and Nas polished it. They are both great rappers with good albums, so it's really a pointless question in my opinion. It's obviously debatable either way. Alot of these newer hiphop heads we got coming up don't really listen to Rakim and there is a good chance they listen to Nas or have atleast heard a good portion of his music.

As far as who I think is better though, I already said I won't name one over the other. I listen to just as much old school hiphop as I do the new shit, so i've listened to all of Rakim's music and I enjoy it very much. The dude was a beast back when he was doing it and he is still a beast today. He changed the game, period. Based on impact, you gotta go with Rakim. I think that's why most people will pick him as well, atleast the people who know what kind of impact Rakim made on the game back in the day. I've always bumped Nas in the ride and he has always been one of my favorite rappers as well. I can honestly say I haven't bumped much of Rakim in the ride. When it comes to just listening to the music at home or on a portable cd player or something though, it doesn't matter whether the music they make sounds good in the ride. Personally, I enjoy Nas' music more than Rakim's, but look at how the beats have changed from when Rakim started to when Nas was starting out.

 

[Zero Cool]

Lyrically nas >>>>>>>>>>> pac

only thing pac has over nas is charisma

Nas is the better MC, Pac is the better rapper.

 

[Hellrazor1978]

Dont kid yourselves, Pac beats Nas in more than just charisma. He had a better voice, more verstality (meaning he made more kinds of songs), and was a more prolific artist all around.

but Nas is still in my top 5 all time. Overall, id pick him over Rakim, just because I enjoy his music more and he's one of the mc's I grew up listening to. I know of Rakim's impact and respect it and even own a couple of his cd's but I cant appreciate him the way someone who grew up listening to hip hop in the 80's can.

 

[2pacnbiggie]

Nas is the better MC, Pac is the better rapper.

when it comes down to it i'd say technically nas is the better rapper. Pac has a better character, personality for the business...

thats how i'd prefer to put it...

and Nas has diversity in his music as well as pac...he'll have his song for uplifting black people (doo rags, black zombies), his party songs (made you look, oochie wally, hate me now, know my style), his creative stories (one love, rewind, sekou sstory, get down, undyin love)

 

[one mc on dj]

That's bullshit....

Pac may be the better rapper in your eyes..but a Nas groupie will most likely tell you something else...it is about what you like..and you obviously think pac is the better rapper..@ zero cool...

@ 2pacnbiggie I agree with you I agree with everything you have said...

I DUNNO WHO USED THE VOICE COMMENT AGAIN..That's bullshit too..cuz again ur expressing how you feel about Pac's voice...Don't state it as a fact if it is an opinion...

fact= 90 % of the posts in this thread are based on opinions...BUt since we are talking about music we will always have to deal with that..

 

[killahill187um]

rakim

 

[Tonio1986]

I say Nas, I like his music more.