Printmatic: From the Other Side of Singularity
"...just sound stupid when [Blueprint] already made an album called..."

July 26, 2025 (Final edit: 7/30/25)

The 21st century signifies a milestone for hip-hop and rap music. At nearly 30 years, a culture born from the continuum of Black experience and culminating in the South Bronx evolved into the most influential phenomenon in music, culture, and political thought around the world. In an era defined by fallout from foreign wars, Reganomics, and ‘tough on crime’ law enforcement priorities, emcees, DJs, bombers, and breakers illustrated parallels between the ‘third world’ and America’s slums. 

While the projects were designed to isolate Black and Brown people, hip-hop gave rise to the voice of the ghetto. 

Similarly, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and the ‘war on terror’ precipitated everlasting transformations in geopolitics, national identity, and living in New York City. 

The whole world was changing and hip-hop set the stage for the next level of life.

Between popular hysteria and the progress of rap music in the mainstream, two legends engaged in battle for the title of “King of New York” and ultimate supremacy in hip-hop.  

The clash of these titans approached its zenith with the release of two significant albums: Jay-Z’s The Blueprint, a return to sample-based beats and straight up MCing, and Nas’s Stillmatic, an exploration of musical roots and personal growth. 

The rivalry between Jay-Z and Nas also represented divergent philosophies on the trajectory of hip-hop music and culture. Would superstar status and iconography define hip-hop in the new millennium, or would inner-city griots take the culture back from the industry?

The answer is an emphatic ‘Yes!’.

Both artists accomplished their desired objectives and chose their respective paths to longevity, with indelible influence on the future of rap. However, to determine the impact of this battle on hip-hop history, we need some context. 

Hip-Hop was out of control circa 1999. 

We lost Big L before his time.. 

The Wu collectively left the world in a state of uncertainty as RZA stepped down from production on member projects.

Swizz Beatz reinvented the sound of New York hip-hop with hype synths and heavy drums.

Eminem arrived on the scene to shake up the game.

While New York City maintained its status as Mecca, vibes from the South and West diversified rap music on the air. Radio played B.G. ‘Bling Bling’ and Dr. Dre ‘Next Episode’ alongside Jay-Z’s ‘Big Pimpin’’ and the latest from Big Pun, Cam’ron, or Noreaga. BET’s Hits from the Street and Rap City: The Bassment featured guests and music videos from all coasts while continuing to highlight New York’s finest.

To the universal listener, hip-hop was in the middle of a latter day renaissance that allowed for appreciation of all regions.

However, as we moved into the early-2000s, some essential elements got lost in the mix.

By the year 2000, ‘urban’ music stations offered only a few hot tracks besides mostly nondescript singles.

Around this time, the longstanding rivalry between Jay-Z and Nas would enliven the entire culture and change the course of hip-hop for all time. 

Towards the end of the 1990’s, as Jay-Z adopted and established industry trends, Nas struggled to appease a fickle fanbase that wanted him to recreate the magic of his debut LP.

After the crossover success of In My Lifetime, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life in 1998, Jay-Z albums consistently reached #1 on the Billboard charts and sold multi-platinum. The acclaimed releases of In My Lifetime, Vol. 3: The Life and Times of S. Carter in 1999 and Roc-La-Familia: The Dynasty in 2000 solidified his stature as the symbol of hip-hop in the eyes of the world. 

On the flipside, Nas’s planned 1999 magnum opus -a semi-autobiographical LP depicting his life, death, and rebirth- fell victim to internet piracy and record label politics, forcing him to modify his vision and release two albums within a year of each other. Both I Am... and Nastradamus received lukewarm reviews. His own posse project, the ‘QB’s Finest’ album in 2000, failed to reach the heights of Roc-A-Fella’s The Dynasty (led by the Neptunes-laced ‘I Just Wanna Love You [Give It 2 Me]’) and suffered from fracture amongst the ranks.

These comparative dynamics culminated in the most definitive rhyme bout in hip-hop history.

After trading subliminal shots for a few years, Jay declared war during the Roc-A-Fella ‘takeover’ of the Funkmaster Flex show on Hot 97 in 2001. During a live freestyle session, Hov’, Memphis Bleek, and Beanie Sigel dissed Nas (I still can’t help burst out laughing when Beans says, “Nasir Jones…Play-Doh nI$%@!”) on air. 

Roc-A-Fella’s vendetta against Queens continued as Jay-Z performed a snippet of ‘Takeover’ targeting Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Nas during Hot 97’s Summer Jam 2001. In retaliation, Nas dropped his most scathing diss track with ‘Stillmatic Freestyle (H to the Omo)', mocking Jay-Z’s recent radio single, ‘Izzo (H.O.V.A.)’, with vicious verses over the instrumental for Eric B. & Rakim’s ‘Paid in Full (7 Minutes of Madness Remix)’.

If Hard Knock Life made Jay-Z a pop star in 1998, releasing The Blueprint on September 11, 2001 elevated him to superstar status. Jay accomplished what LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Run-DMC, and so many of his OGs aimed to achieve - he became a household name and recognized brand in music.

On The Blueprint, Jay-Z exhibited his mastery of Brooklyn braggadocio, drug-dealer narratives, and heartfelt songwriting. Enlisting up-and-coming producers Kanye West, Just Blaze, and B!nk to craft catchy, soulful soundscapes, he brought listeners back to their parents’ record collections and Saturday afternoons in front of the family room TV in the 1970s and 80s. 

Ultimately, old-school beats and rhymes uplifted a project that changed the way fans and artists listen to rap music.

While bangers like ‘U Don’t Know’, ‘Ain’t No Love’, and ‘Song Cry’ kept the internet buzzing and radio shows blazing in summer 2001, Nas quietly plotted his retribution against Jay-Z and other artists he felt disrespected him. 

Nas ascended into the new millennium stratosphere from the ground. While Jay enjoyed higher levels of success by the end of the 1990s, Nas intended to remind the people of his own legacy. 

Arriving late in the winter of 2001, Stillmatic did not include any radio-friendly singles or aim for the record sales. Rather, a promotional street single, ‘Salute Me (The General)’, produced by Swizz Beatz, set the countdown to Nas’s highly-anticipated return. 

Featuring few similarities to its exalted predecessor, Stillmatic stands as an album for the streets and culture. Nas writes as an elder statesman seeking to escape the ghetto mentality while maintaining ties to the hood. Although he responds to Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella with the infamous ‘Ether’, he also addresses internal strife within his own circle and issues that prevent unity in Queensbridge. Having already killed two of his own personas, Nas comes ready for war-sending shots at all those who oppose while never losing sight of the project. 

Stillmatic examines life in the hood, street tales, and personal reflections while celebrating life and observing world affairs. Production from Large Professor, DJ Premier, and L.E.S. invoke the sonic palette of Ilmatic without replicating it. As a result, Stillmatic incorporates sounds from Nas's previous work while taking the artistry in new directions.

Stillmatic did not raise Nas's popularity a la It Was Written in 1996, yet its lyrical content and coveted 5-mic rating in The Source reestablished his credibility as a supreme lyricist and pure hip-hop artist.

The feud between Jay-Z and Nas continued to escalate after the release of their landmark albums in 2001. Jay responded to ‘Ether’ with the flagrant ‘Super Ugly’ freestyle, where he brags on fucking Nas’s baby-mama and got talked down by his own mom for such unprecedented levels of disrespect. Nas answered by preparing to lynch a mechanical effigy of Jiggaman at the 2002 Hot 97 Summer Jam - ground zero for the sequel to the Bridge Wars. When concert programmers refused, Nas took to Power 105 to voice his grievances.

Although a 2002 Hot 97 poll ranking ‘Ether’ and ‘Supa Ugly’ declared Nas the victor in his battle versus Jay-Z, the influence of The Blueprint and Stillmatic demonstrate how neither artist took an actual loss, while the culture came out on the positive side of the rivalry. 

Between 2000-2001, whereas Jay-Z attempted to paint Nas as a hip-hop golden child who never got off the floor, Nas created a plate for New York City that captured the soul of the street. Stillmatic sounded like an unadulterated Queensbridge project when rappers from Queens’s largest public housing complex lacked the brotherhood of the Juice Crew era. 

Conversely, Nas desired to portray Jay-Z as an industry sellout. Despite his efforts, The Blueprint proved that Jay could craft a classic set with mass appeal and not compromise.

Although the streets finally recognized Nas at the turn of the millennium, the changing rap game gravitated towards the undeniable swagger of Jay-Z.

After pouring their souls into their most compelling projects of the past few years, both Jay-Z and Nas capitalized on their momentum. On God’s Son, released in 2002, Nas took an introspective approach, reflecting his somber state while dealing with the death of his mother, drama in Queensbridge, and battle with Jay-Z. The earthy production from Salaam Remi, The Alchemist, and Eminem recalled sounds of the mid-1990s, when rap, R&B, and dancehall started to mature around a distinct vibe. 

As if to offset Nas's rekindled credibility in hip-hop culture, Jay-Z expanded his pop appeal with the follow-up to The Blueprint. The Blueprint²: The Gift and the Curse, also released in 2002, comprised two discs that elevated the previous formula, blending numbers for the ladies, club bangers, and futuristic boom-bap with stadium rock-style  soul, funk, and gospel. Unlike the first installment, The Blueprint²  featured a heavy rotation of guests, including Beyoncé, Dr. Dre, Pharrell, Big Boi, Scarface, and most of the Roc-A-Fella family, including Philadelphia-based State Property and newly-signed M.O.P. 

Having set their pieces on the table, Nas and Jay-Z left their treatises on the direction of hip-hop music. 

As the Dirty South gained further dominance in the early-mid 2000s, influential artists like Lil’ Wayne, Clipse, Young Jeezy, and T.I., who pioneered the new trap styles, admired Jay-Z. In fact, Hov' appeared to gain even greater fame following his decisive defeat.

Ironically, Nas's perception as a street level New York rapper attracted grief to him for making the same moves Jay-Z made, such as opening his audience and collaborating with southern rappers, to become the more celebrated artist.

This oversight and distortion of Nas's history, caused partly by 'Takeover', enabled Jay-Z  to extend his influence and build on the rise of the third coast. 

Jay's respect in the South had already been established via 'Big Pimpin’’ featuring UGK in 1999, as well as the slept-on gem, ‘This Can’t Be Life’, with Scarface and Beanie Sigel from The Dynasty in 2000. The soulful sounds of The Blueprint also resonated in the South, which tended to create organic, musical rap tunes. The lead single, ‘Izzo (H.O.V.A)’, also mentioned Jay-Z’s youth pushing dope in Virginia, which caught the ears of hustlers and hip-hop heads below the Mason Dixon. 

Houston's very own Scarface reunited with Jay, Beanie, and Kanye for the first single off his 2002 Def Jam South debut, The Fix. ‘Guess Who’s Back’ lit up airwaves and music video shows, representing folks in the struggle as well as the lavish life. Jay-Z's hustler spirit related to players in the dirty-dirty who understood his music as motivation to get up and get it. 

Although Nas also appeared on The Fix, on the contemplative ‘In Between Us’, originally featuring an alternate version of the second verse on ‘Ether’, the differences of their performances reinforced a dichotomy between the two legends. 

After trading a series of lines back-and-forth for the next couple years, Nas and Jay-Z settled their issues in 2005. 

In the aftermath of the most thrilling rap war of the generation, Nas and Jay-Z offered varying commandments for artists and fans to abide.

The Blueprint showed how hip-hop's pop-stars could also occupy the pantheon of the greatest emcees of all time. This lesson courses through the New South, where synth-heavy beats and focus on the hustle altered the sound of hip-hop circa 2004. 

On Stillmatic, Nas proved how artists could redeem their image and remain hood-oriented while taking creative risks. Although this formula took a while to absorb, it expresses in a lineage of renowned rappers from Lupe Fiasco to Kendrick Lamar.  

During a conversation with Funkmaster Flex and Angie Martinez on Hot 97 in 2001, Nas noted that, as with the fateful East vs. West of the prior decade, the record industry instigated friction between him and Jay-Z to increase ratings. Angie Martinez also recalled how the bad blood between the two artists spilled onto the streets and created an atmosphere of negative energy.

Between the greatness of Nas and Jay-Z, the culture and industry brought into existence a force of immense density that no listener could escape. 

Fortunately, beyond madness and media machinations, both Nas and Jay-Z retained a sense of brotherhood and mutual respect for one another. Although their rivalry caused a schism that continues to divide hip-hop heads from cell-blocks to suburbs, the culture emerged from their battle with new creative spirit and aspirations that inspire even today’s rap music scene.  

Time is printmatic.
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