Shots Fired? Jay-Z & Nas’ Sneakiest Diss Lines
Complex does some research and pulls off a comprehensive look at the sneakiest diss lines ever, from Hova and God’s Son.
Nas fans are probably giddy because his collaborative album with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives, hits stores today. We hear the record deals with themes of African culture, poverty, and overcoming struggle. The positivity and “being enlightened” shit is cool and all, but we also know Nas as a battle-tested rapper who’s made classic dis songs like “Ether” and taken shots at everyone from Jay-Z to the late great Notorious B.I.G.—even Diddy. That last one surprise you? It shouldn’t; Nas has taken so many subliminal shots over the years that even the biggest Nas fan has probably had a few lyrics fly over their head.
Roughly 93.7% of rap beefs are the result of underhanded slights that go unnoticed by all but the “victim.” To be honest, usually these perceived shots fired are, in fact, not shots at all, and just taken that way due to a confluence of weed-induced paranoia and artist-sized ego. But sometimes they are. In an effort to psyche out their competitors, MCs occasionally fire stealthy lyrical bullets of ether at each other. If they’re successful, they knock their peers off their pivot, and then make them look like crazed paranoids when they respond. It’s ingenious, really. And, of course, no one is more the king of subliminal shots than Jay-Z.
So it should surprise none that rap’s master strategist recently licked off a questionable line on “Thank You” “This way after the Ruger shoots through a few clips/You can lay in your casket just as you is” begging the question of whether or not he’s going at Complex cover boys Clipse, whose LP is called Til The Casket Drops. Hov again ruffled feathers last week with his verse on one of many I Wanna Rock” remixes, saying, “It’s no Biggie, I’m the king.” But this is just the tip of the iceberg, Jay-Z’s got a body of nameless slights big enough to sink the Titanic. Enjoy here as Complex has compiled, in chronological order, Jay’s most memorable sneak-disses…
i still think Nas won that battle. lol
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