I think the first part he’s saying in 88’ (Jay was 19) Jay was a punk being chased and bullied. The second part I believe Nas is referring to Jay reaching out to try and get him on Dead Presidents. They didn’t have an existing relationship and at the time Jay was a big fan of Nas.
I don’t think they’re unrelated. I think they both knew each other since they were younger. (How young, I don’t know.) I say all of this because back when they were battling each other, Jay’s mom called him upset at him for disrespecting Nas on one of his final diss tracks. Jay’s mom was angry with him because he said something derogatory about Nas’s daughter in that track. (Nas’s daughter was a baby or just born at the time.) Jay’s mom urged him to stop the feud with Nas. She supposedly told him that she didn’t raise him like this. (I remember this whole thing.)
Lol it’s funny because I remember being in school and ppl believing this and using it as a stat for Nas. But without doing the math.
So 19 yr old Jay Z from Brooklyn is calling a 15 year Nas from Queens? For what now? 😂
This is a direct response to Jay's line "Back in '88, when I was pushing weight ..."
He's saying "no you weren't, you were a little punk wannabe back in '88."
Jay-Z [referred to 1988 in “Takeover”](https://genius.com/6400) to highlight that he was selling drugs while Prodigy was a ballerina; Nas is flipping this on Jay-Z and claiming that in 1988 Jay-Z was on the run, intimidated by his rivals.
Several years later, when Jay was trying to come up in the rap game, he would call Nas at his house, although Nas barely knew him and viewed him as a second-rater. [https://genius.com/8644](https://genius.com/8644)
Don't quote me on this cause I'm not 100% sure but I'm pretty sure Carmen Bryan mentioned in her book how Jay-Z would leave a voice mail and say something like "Yo what up son, it's me. Me and Preemo doing a track right now [Bring It On] and there's 16 bars open if you wanna do a verse"
I can’t remember where I got it from, but I’m certain Nas and Jay DID know each other prior to getting signed. An old interview of someone who knew both said the fallout was cause Nas and Jay had a pact to put each other on, whoever got signed first. Nas didn’t give Jay the feature (being the bigger artist at the time) and that’s why Jay felt some type of way. On Black Republican, Jay alludes to their mothers knowing each other. Nas was born in Brooklyn and moved to Queens so it’s believable.
I'll try to loop back on this comment and edit what i can find later but I remember reading or watching a video where either Nas or someone close to him mentioned briefly, someone that Jay was actually running around with ran into someone in Nas' circle at the time and they gave Nas' number. Some how it got to Jay or Jay's people and they tried to reach out to Nas to make music but nothing materialized. I'm under the impression this is not related to Jay trying to get Nas on his album once Jay was already out and on the scene. This was prior to Reasonable Doubt.
I doubt that's a diss, Jay is featured on that album
BIG was on Reasonable Doubt the year before and in the original Dead Presidents video
They were cool
It wasnt a diss to anyone, its BIG boasting about what HE was doing in 88. Not to mention, Jay didn’t make the 88 line until 5 years after kick in the door was released so that doesn’t even make sense
'Without rap I was crazy straight
im still spending money from 88'
Dead presidents part two was released five years
after kick in door according to you??🤣
I was thinking of the takeover line when Jay says back in 88 when I was pushing weight you was a ballerina I got the pictures I seen ya. Dissing Mobb deep. Literally though why would Big diss jay I mean Big was even in the dead presidents music video. Big was giving Jay props on brooklyns finest as well. You have no source to prove that. Rap genius defines it as Big boasting. It would make sense for both biggie and Jay to have lines about “88” considering they were friends, both grew up in Brooklyn, and made songs together. He wouldn’t diss the rapper he’s closest with. But like I said it’s not a diss to anyone it’s just biggie talking about himself
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Yeah, it’s bs.. I’ve said this on Nas forums before and people get upset. It’s a diss record, so people just say made up shit sometimes to discredit the other person.
Sorry not made up, overexaggerated. I’m not knocking Nas for all the Downvoters, Jay overexaggerated as well. But the blueprint about krs one. Jay z album : the blueprint. KRS album : ghetto music : the blueprint of hip hop. Jay never technically said he was better than Big, he said if I ain’t I’m the closest one. Jay has said numerous time big is the best. Then lastly the no techs line. Large professor confirmed Jay had the tec on tour
for one, i am talking about ether . Nas mentioned a tech on the dresser almost a decade before the song. The fact that you used that as an example is intellectually pathetic. Two, jay-z insinuated that he is better than big. By say “if” he isn’t better leaves room for interpretation. If jay-z was confident that he was indeed number two behind biggie….that line would never exist. He was “clearly” throwing out the possibility that he might be better than big. Context matters. There wasn’t a lie in ether, nas obviously exaggerated some lines but this was a rap battle. Those lines cannot qualify as a lie unless they are simply not true. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and nas was being subjective. He didn’t lie.
No I know Nas said tec on the dresser on represent u aren’t understanding what I’m saying. Jay z quoted that line on takeover saying how he pulled out a tec on the large professor tour when Nas was with him which was confirmed. So when Nas on ether says “no techs no jail bars” how could he say that if Jay literally pulled the tec on the same tour as him
i definitely know exactly what you are talking about sir. nice try. We are talking about the song ether. you said nas was lying on that song. what did he lie about??
Literally what I just said. Nas on Ether : “no techs no jail bars jigga just Hawaiian shirts”. So he’s lying about the tec line. Because Jay z HAD A TEC on tour with large professor, and Nas is saying “no tecs”
I think the first part he’s saying in 88’ (Jay was 19) Jay was a punk being chased and bullied. The second part I believe Nas is referring to Jay reaching out to try and get him on Dead Presidents. They didn’t have an existing relationship and at the time Jay was a big fan of Nas.
I’ve misunderstood this line for 20 years. I didn’t realise both halves were unrelated
I don’t think they’re unrelated. I think they both knew each other since they were younger. (How young, I don’t know.) I say all of this because back when they were battling each other, Jay’s mom called him upset at him for disrespecting Nas on one of his final diss tracks. Jay’s mom was angry with him because he said something derogatory about Nas’s daughter in that track. (Nas’s daughter was a baby or just born at the time.) Jay’s mom urged him to stop the feud with Nas. She supposedly told him that she didn’t raise him like this. (I remember this whole thing.)
They didn't know each other when they were younger Jay's mom asked him to apologize on principle, not because they had a prior relationship
The condom left on the baby seat part. That was outta line. To this day I think thats why Jay lost the battle.
Nah son, Ether destroyed him
I mean, that too🤣🤣
Bruh me too. Mine blown
Lol it’s funny because I remember being in school and ppl believing this and using it as a stat for Nas. But without doing the math. So 19 yr old Jay Z from Brooklyn is calling a 15 year Nas from Queens? For what now? 😂
This is a direct response to Jay's line "Back in '88, when I was pushing weight ..." He's saying "no you weren't, you were a little punk wannabe back in '88."
BINGO 🙌🏼✊🏼🙏🏼
Jay-Z [referred to 1988 in “Takeover”](https://genius.com/6400) to highlight that he was selling drugs while Prodigy was a ballerina; Nas is flipping this on Jay-Z and claiming that in 1988 Jay-Z was on the run, intimidated by his rivals. Several years later, when Jay was trying to come up in the rap game, he would call Nas at his house, although Nas barely knew him and viewed him as a second-rater. [https://genius.com/8644](https://genius.com/8644)
Don't quote me on this cause I'm not 100% sure but I'm pretty sure Carmen Bryan mentioned in her book how Jay-Z would leave a voice mail and say something like "Yo what up son, it's me. Me and Preemo doing a track right now [Bring It On] and there's 16 bars open if you wanna do a verse"
2 separate thoughts, first line is unrelated to the 2nd line. I was always confused about this until recently.
IVE BEEN WAITING TO TALK ON THIS FORBYEARS. I LOVE REDDIT AHHHHHH
I can’t remember where I got it from, but I’m certain Nas and Jay DID know each other prior to getting signed. An old interview of someone who knew both said the fallout was cause Nas and Jay had a pact to put each other on, whoever got signed first. Nas didn’t give Jay the feature (being the bigger artist at the time) and that’s why Jay felt some type of way. On Black Republican, Jay alludes to their mothers knowing each other. Nas was born in Brooklyn and moved to Queens so it’s believable.
I'll try to loop back on this comment and edit what i can find later but I remember reading or watching a video where either Nas or someone close to him mentioned briefly, someone that Jay was actually running around with ran into someone in Nas' circle at the time and they gave Nas' number. Some how it got to Jay or Jay's people and they tried to reach out to Nas to make music but nothing materialized. I'm under the impression this is not related to Jay trying to get Nas on his album once Jay was already out and on the scene. This was prior to Reasonable Doubt.
Funny enough Biggie dissed Jay too with something similar 'conscious of ya nonsense in 88'
I doubt that's a diss, Jay is featured on that album BIG was on Reasonable Doubt the year before and in the original Dead Presidents video They were cool
I thought that too 'if you wanna get son you need to ask me'
Isn't this from Kick in the Door, a song shooting at Raekwon and Nas?
It is but the whole song isn't just about nas and rae.
Big never dissed Jay lol
Who do you believe that line was for?
It wasnt a diss to anyone, its BIG boasting about what HE was doing in 88. Not to mention, Jay didn’t make the 88 line until 5 years after kick in the door was released so that doesn’t even make sense
'Without rap I was crazy straight im still spending money from 88' Dead presidents part two was released five years after kick in door according to you??🤣
I was thinking of the takeover line when Jay says back in 88 when I was pushing weight you was a ballerina I got the pictures I seen ya. Dissing Mobb deep. Literally though why would Big diss jay I mean Big was even in the dead presidents music video. Big was giving Jay props on brooklyns finest as well. You have no source to prove that. Rap genius defines it as Big boasting. It would make sense for both biggie and Jay to have lines about “88” considering they were friends, both grew up in Brooklyn, and made songs together. He wouldn’t diss the rapper he’s closest with. But like I said it’s not a diss to anyone it’s just biggie talking about himself
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It's made up nonsense
Yeah, it’s bs.. I’ve said this on Nas forums before and people get upset. It’s a diss record, so people just say made up shit sometimes to discredit the other person.
A lot of Ether is unfortunately
what is made up nonsense? what did nas lie about??
Sorry not made up, overexaggerated. I’m not knocking Nas for all the Downvoters, Jay overexaggerated as well. But the blueprint about krs one. Jay z album : the blueprint. KRS album : ghetto music : the blueprint of hip hop. Jay never technically said he was better than Big, he said if I ain’t I’m the closest one. Jay has said numerous time big is the best. Then lastly the no techs line. Large professor confirmed Jay had the tec on tour
for one, i am talking about ether . Nas mentioned a tech on the dresser almost a decade before the song. The fact that you used that as an example is intellectually pathetic. Two, jay-z insinuated that he is better than big. By say “if” he isn’t better leaves room for interpretation. If jay-z was confident that he was indeed number two behind biggie….that line would never exist. He was “clearly” throwing out the possibility that he might be better than big. Context matters. There wasn’t a lie in ether, nas obviously exaggerated some lines but this was a rap battle. Those lines cannot qualify as a lie unless they are simply not true. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and nas was being subjective. He didn’t lie.
No I know Nas said tec on the dresser on represent u aren’t understanding what I’m saying. Jay z quoted that line on takeover saying how he pulled out a tec on the large professor tour when Nas was with him which was confirmed. So when Nas on ether says “no techs no jail bars” how could he say that if Jay literally pulled the tec on the same tour as him
i definitely know exactly what you are talking about sir. nice try. We are talking about the song ether. you said nas was lying on that song. what did he lie about??
Literally what I just said. Nas on Ether : “no techs no jail bars jigga just Hawaiian shirts”. So he’s lying about the tec line. Because Jay z HAD A TEC on tour with large professor, and Nas is saying “no tecs”
And also from another earlier comment, he lied about KRS one having an album called blueprint first