Forhåbentlig har forretten åbnet godt op for appetitten, nu hvor vi er nået til hovedretten, som udgør hoveddelen af denne massive bøf vi er igang med at æde os igennem.


Det er 2001, Jay-Z er intet mindre end en superstjerne. Rocafella er ikke bare et selskab, men en sand bevægelse. Med et massivt co-sign fra Hot97, og ikke mindst Funk Flex, som nærmest egenhændigt styrer hvad der er hot eller not i New Yorks gader, må Jay have følt sig 100% sikker idet han affyrer det første og ultimative angreb mod Nas, ved Hot97's egen festival "Summer jam". Da han efter at have leveret de to første vers fra det nu velkendte "Takeover" track, gemmer det sidste vers, men lader hele verdenen vide at det er Nas som står for skud

Jay-Z (Takeover - Live Summerjam 2001)
"Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov, noooooo!"

For første gang er der blevet nævnt navne, og der er ingen vej tilbage. Alle vil høre det sidste vers, og alle undrer sig over om Nas overhovedet har en chance mod det altdominerende ROC imperium. Nas virker dog velforberedt, og udsender umiddelbart efter et "freestyle" over "Paid In Full", hvor han ene mand erklærer krig mod den mægtige stormagt

Nas (Stillmatic Freestyle - Unreleased)
I loaded up shells, one by one, you smelled blunts from my room door
Little Nasir was at war
...
N Y City, grab a hold and ride with me
Rip the "Freeway", shoot through "Memphis" with "money bags"
Stop in Philly, order cheese steaks and eat "Beans" fast
And bring it back up top, remove the fake king of New York
You show off, I count off when you sample my voice
I rule you, before, you used to rap like the FU-SHNICKENS
Nas designed your "Blueprint", who you kidding?
Is he H TO THE IZZO, M TO THE IZZO?
For shizzle you phony, the rapping version of Sisqo
And that's for certain, you clone me, your wack clothes line
I'd rather wear Sean John, you bore me with your fake coke rhymes
And those times, they never took place, you liar
UN was your first court case, you had no priors
You master fabricated stories of streets and sound slick
Have you surrounded, you and the faggots you down with
While they riding Nas, trying to boost their careers
Corny as "Corn-Mega", all you Hip-Hop queers
Since "Illmatic", "It Was Written", "I Am...", "Nastradamus"
That's the answers to the puzzle I gave you, now here's a promise
My next few albums, instead of projects
They'll be a difficult test inside the cover for the mind's optics
Come in my hood, but bring the guns with you, it's dark
Headed through Brooklyn, Queens, Harlem, Staten, and Bronx
Headed through Compton, Oaktown, South Central, and Watts
New Orleans, Mississippi, Chi-town, every block
I'm trying to have my positive ways, I put my rhymes on page
Did crimes and headline on stage
I signed a contract, so here it is, you have it
"Streets disciple", I'm Stillmatic"

Med blot en måned til Jay's september udgivelse, er der ikke meget andet at gøre end at vente. Selv to tårne i New York kan ikke tage opmærksomheden fra offentliggørelsen som alle venter på, og den umiddelbare reaktion er da også til Jay's favør

Jay-Z (Takeover - The Blueprint)
"I know you missin all the - FAAAAAAAME!
But along with celebrity comes bout seventy shots to your frame
Nigga; you a - LAAAAAAAME!
Youse the fag model for Karl Kani/Esco ads
Went from, Nasty Nas to Esco's trash
Had a spark when you started but now you're just garbage
Fell from top ten to not mentioned at all
to your bodyguard's "Oochie Wally" verse better than yours
Matter fact you had the worst flow on the whole fuckin song
but I know - the sun don't shine, then son don't shine
That's why your - LAAAAAAAME! - career come to a end
There's only so long fake thugs can pretend
Nigga; you ain't live it you witnessed it from your folks pad
You scribbled in your notepad and created your life
I showed you your first tec on tour with Large Professor
(Me, that's who!) Then I heard your album bout your tec on the dresser
So yeah I sampled your voice, you was usin it wrong
You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song
And you ain't get a coin nigga you was gettin fucked and
I know who I paid God, Serchlite Publishing
Use your - BRAAAAAAAIN! You said you been in this ten
I've been in it five - smarten up Nas
Four albums in ten years nigga? I can divide
That's one every let's say two, two of them shits was due
One was - NAHHH, the other was "Illmatic"
That's a one hot album every ten year average
And that's so - LAAAAAAAME! Nigga switch up your flow
Your shit is garbage, but you try and kick knowledge?
(Get the fuck outta here) You niggaz gon' learn to respect the king
Don't be the next contestant on that Summer Jam screen
Because you know who (who) did you know what (what)
with you know who (yeah) but just keep that between me and you for now"

Battlen er for alvor skudt igang, og selvom Jay egentlig fortsætter med de samme angreb og beskyldninger, er der nu kommet navn på. Der er ingen tvivl om Jay's syn på Nas' karriere, som han - alt andet end Illmatic, ikke er imponeret af. Derudover pointerer han endnu engang, hvem han har "ordnet" - hvilket som sagt har været et rimelig gennemgående tema i hans disses.

Måneder går og Jay kan sole sig i rosen, få tror Nas kan komme tilbage, idet Jay fremlægger mange synspunkter, som mange deler omkring Nas' karriere. Hot97 tilegner en hel time til "Takeover" med Funk Flex, med en timelang freestyle session med hele ROC lejren - som yderligere cementerer Jay's dominans i New York. Jay's position som New York's nye konge virker sikret, og Nas har endnu ikke givet et officielt svar.

I mellemtiden tager Nas det roligt, men viser at der er en mening med den lange ventetid. Samtidig med at han lufter sin frustration over Hot97 situationen, som i mellemtiden har nægtet at spille hans "Stillmatic Freestyle", fremlægger han sin strategi for den kommende krig

Nas (The General (salute me) - Unreleased)
"Many fought teams and for green this is war
This is life and I'm the hardest, got ya label all scared
Callin up the radio, don't want my records to air
Y'all ain't playin fair, to every rapper in the game
I'm comin fo y'all blood, make room for the king... Nas
...
I'm the leader, that's it, nobody higher
Nobody touchin my crown, nobody dyin
Nobody smoother, harder, tougher, believe it
I'm much more smarter, much more strategic
Scholarships and hollow tips, a lot of walkin caskets
They talk a good one but there's never no action
...
Enlighten you quick, teach you how a king wins wars
Keep your ears to the street, love your enemies more
'Cuz hate can frustrate, and confuse
Too eager you lose, patience, plan your attack then you move - ghetto
Green Berets, got freaks got hoes
who be jumpin out of movin cars and land at my feet - because"

Selvom den almindelige befolkning næppe har hørt ovenstående nummer, var det en klar besked til sine fans om at mere var i vente - meget lig Jay havde gjort tidligere på "Queen Bitch 2". Med Nas kom der dog ingen forvarsel, som Jay havde gjort det ved Summerjam, og han var i stedet opsat på at ende bøffen én gang for alle

Nas (Ether - Stillmatic)
("Fuck Jay-Z")
What's up niggas, ay yo, I know you ain't talkin 'bout me dog
You, what?
("Fuck Jay-Z")
You been on my dick nigga, you love my style, nigga
("Fuck Jay-Z")

(Omkvæd)
(I) Fuck with your soul like ether
(Will) Teach you the king you know you
(Not) "God's son" across the belly
(Lose) I prove you lost already

Brace yourself for the main event
Y'all impatiently waitin
It's like an AIDS test, what's the results?
Not positive, who's the best? Pac, Nas and Big
Ain't no best, East, West, North, South, flossed out, greedy
I embrace y'all with napalm
Blows up, no guts, left chest, face gone
How could Nas be garbage?
Semi-autos at your cartilege
Burner at the side of your dome, come outta my throne
I got this, locked since '9-1
I am the truest, name a rapper that I ain't influenced
Gave y'all chapters but now I keep my eyes on the Judas
With Hawaiin Sophie fame, kept my name in his music
Check it
...
I've been fucked over, left for dead, dissed and fogotten
Luck ran out, they hoped that I'd be gone, stiff and rotten
Y'all just piss on me, shit on me, spit on my grave (uh)
Talk about me, laugh behind my back but in my face
Y'all some well wishin (bitches), friendly actin envy hidin snakes
With your hands out for my money, man, how much can I take?
When these streets keep callin, heard it when I was sleep
That this Gay-Z and Cockafella Records wanted beef
Started cockin up my weapon, slowly loadin up this ammo
To explode it on a camel, and his soldiers, I can handle
This for dolo and his manuscript just sound stupid
When KRS already made an album called "Blueprint"
First, Biggie's ya man, then you got the nerve to say that you better than Big
Dick suckin lips, won't you let the late, great veteran live
...
Y'all niggas deal with emotions like bitches
What's sad is I love you 'cause you're my brother
You traded your soul for riches
My child, I've watched you grow up to be famous
And now I smile like a proud dad, watchin his only son that made it
You seem to be only concerned with dissin women
Were you abused as a child, scared to smile, they called you ugly?
Well life is harsh, hug me, don't reject me
or make records to disrespect me, blatant or indirectly
In '88 you was gettin chased through your buildin
Callin my crib and I ain't even give you my numbers
All I did was gave you a style for you to run with
Smilin in my face, glad to break bread with the god
Wearin Jaz chains, no tecs, no cash, no cars
No jail bars Jigga, no pies, no case
Just Hawaiian shirts, hangin with little Chase
You a fan, a phony, a fake, a pussy, a Stan
I still whip your ass, you thirty-six in a karate class
You Tae-bo hoe, tryna' work it out, you tryna' get brolic?
Ask me if I'm tryna' kick knowledge
Nah, I'm tryna' kick the shit you need to learn though
That ether, that shit that make your soul burn slow
Is he Dame Diddy, Dame Daddy or Dame Dummy?
Oh, I get it, you Biggie and he's Puffy
Rockefeller died of AIDS, that was the end of his chapter
And that's the guy y'all chose to name your company after?
Put it together, I rock hoes, y'all rock fellas
And now y'all try to take my spot, fellas?
Philly's hot rock fellas, put you in a dry spot, fellas
In a pine box with nine shots from my glock, fellas
Foxy got you hot 'cause you kept your face in her puss
What you think, you gettin girls now 'cause of your looks?
Ne-gro please
You no mustache havin, with whiskers like a rat
Compared to Beans you wack
And your man stabbed Un and made you take the blame
You ass, went from Jaz to hangin with Kane, to Irv, to Big
And, Eminem murdered you on your own shit
You a dick-ridin faggot, you love the attention
Queens niggas run you niggas, ask Russell Simmons
Ha, R-O-C get gunned up and clapped quick
J.J. Evans get gunned up and clapped quick
Your whole damn record label gunned up and clapped quick
Shaun Carter to Jay-Z, damn you on Jaz dick
So little shorty's gettin gunned up and clapped quick
How much of Biggie's rhymes is gon' come out your fat lips?
Wanted to be on every last one of my classics
You pop shit, apologize, nigga, just ask Kiss

Tracket rammer scenen som en atombombe og deler straks hip hop land i to, hvor Jay har taget en mere overordnet og underspillet tilgang, tilegner Nas et helt track til sin nemesis og påpeger overfor alle Jay's fascination af Nas fra dag ét. Jay's overlegen jeg-har-allerede-vundet tilgang på "Takeover", bliver mødt af en langt mere personlig Nas, som fremsætter påstande om hele Jay's måde at operere på. Derudover spilder Nas absolut ingen kræfter på at give Jay den mindste anerkendelse, en klar indikation om at Nas ikke har meget tilovers for Jay.

"Ether" er ude, men "Stillmatic" har endnu ikke ramt masserne. Snakken går, og Jay's nye plads på toppen af New York's rap scene virker knap så sikker, som for blot to måneder siden. Samme dag som "Stillmatic", udgiver Jay en unplugged plade, sandsynligvis for at tage opmærksomheden fra Nas' udgivelse. I et bonus nummer på skiven, anerkender Jay, Nas' angreb og at han er klar til at gå hele vejen for at vinde denne krig

Jay-Z (People Talkin' - Jay-Z: Unplugged)
"I peep you creeps three months in advance
I SEE RIGHT THROUGH YA, JUDAS!
The man that I am and damn you dont know
The harder you go at me the harder I flow
Lets do this
I'm just a mirror reflectin your image
The minute you switch up your face I pick up the pace
There's nothin to it
Pull hammers from my waist
We can clap at this amateur pace
If that's what's crackin
Or we can play this on All Madden
Can you even fathom not havin a fear in the world
I'm cool in my afterlife
If I'm readin these chapters right
Please what have you, I breeze through Matthews
Bleed if I have you, you cowards die a thousand deaths
Fate fucks face-down on your house's steps
Are yall even gettin this message?
I aint bein aggressive
But if you testin my life then, shit I gotta answer
Gotta cut off the cancer, young'n, pull your pants up
You gettin too big for ya britches
You fuckin wit a dude that did it wit digits
Breathing's a privilege
Dont you know... when youre defeated?
Wont you throw? Throw in the towel
I'm better with vowels
I'm a man of principles; damn-near invincible
In my own mind now that my soul's aligned
I didnt know before now my role's defined:
Take hold and control what's mine
COME AND GIT MEEEEEEE
Come and take my life, you comin wit me
Come and try to take me for granted
I'll take you off this planet
Dammit, man this is the gift from God
This aint have to stand
'Til your arms are too short to box
Plus we knuckle up unorthodox
You can't take me off my grind GET OFF MY COCK!
Whatchu thought? It's da ROC!"

For yderligere at dække over Nas' nye udgivelse, gæster han - på selve udgivelsesdagen, endnu engang hot97, og leverer et "freestyle" til stationen, i et forsøg på at afvæbne Nas' angreb

Jay-Z (Super Ugly - Unreleased)
"Yeah, I got myself a gun, Brooklyn stand up!!!
I got myself a gun

But really I don't need the heat
Your heart pump project Kool Aid you sweet nigga
I don't got a 2 way you gays
This is not beef this is rap homey, I don't have a scratch on me
You feel Jay soft rip Jay off
Damn I'm only worth over a hundred million
Look I got beef with like a hundred children
Niggas with pink suits, tryin to get cute
You a little outta line homey, don't let the nine hold me
Put you out your mind homey, shit just rhyme homey
Kick your little lies I kick my real facts
Like you sneakin out the back of the source sound lab
Huh, we wasn't chasin you, we had a tapin too
We came through to do our one two thing
It wasn't a Roc-A-Fella come through thing
Cause if it was on like that niggas would come through Queens
With Queens niggas you know how I do
Look, I got more shooters in Queensbridge than you
Niggas will tie you up on the colliseum roof
And open beer bottles off the boy chipped tooth, look here
...
Listen, I'm the J, the A to the fuck this broad
Nigga never sold aspirin how you Escobar?
Had to buy your chain back last time you got robbed
The nerve of this coward nigga oh my god
And I know rap rumors are in the windows
I bring em to ya live lift up your windows
Let the public peek in to your dirty laundry
Y'all don't wan't me to continue HOV!!!
...
Me and the boy AI got more in common
Than just ballin and rhymin get it, more in Carmen
I came in your bentley backseat, skeeted in your jeep
Left condoms on your baby seat
Yeah nigga the gloves is off, the love is done
It's whatever, whenever, however nigga one
And since you infatuated with sayin that gay shit
Yes you was kissin my dick when you was kissin that bitch
Nasty shit, you though I was bonin Vanette
You callin Carm a hundred times I was bonin her neck
You got a baby by the broad you can't disown her yet
When does your lies end? When does the truth begins?
When does reality set in or does it not matter?
Gotta hurt I'm your baby mama's favorite rapper
And ask your current girl, she knows what's up
Holla at a real nigga cause nigga (I don't give a fuck)"

Jay-Z har endelig anerkendt Nas' ligeværd, og indser at et enkelt vers ikke var nok til at rydde ham fra hip hop landkortet. Desværre bliver Jay's nye track modtaget med knap så megen begejstring, da mange anser indholdet som værende infantilt og under Nas' og Jay's eget niveau. Direkte referencer til Nas' baby-moma, og en affære som for længst var kendt, virker som billige point, og ikke en anerkendt lyriker værdig. Nas' nye album viste sig desuden også at være en stor kritisk succes, og Jay's påstande om Nas' faldende niveau begyndte at falde for døve øre.

En offentlig undskyldning (et krav fra Jay's mor) omkring indblandingen af Nas' baby-moma, var muligvis det sidste strå for mange Jay fans. Da Jay efter en afstemning på Hot97, tabte kampen mod Nas via en lytterafstemning. Et efterfølgende interview med Jay-Z, umiddelbart efter afstemningen, vidner om en stærkt rystet Jay-Z, som dog ikke helt afskriver sig resultatet.

I mellem tiden, er "Stillmatic" ved at lave runderne, og det er ikke kun på "Ether" at Nas slipper skud efter sin nemesis

Nas (You're Da Man - Stillmatic)
"They plan was to knock me out the top of the game
But I overstand they truth is all lame
I hold cannons that shoot balls of flames
Right in they fat mouth then I carve my name
Nas - too real, Nas - true king
It's however you feel, g'head, you swing
Your arms too short to box with god
I don't kill soloists only kill squads
Fame went to they head, so now it's "Fuck Nas"
Yesterday you begged for a deal, today you tough guys
I seen it comin
Soon as I popped my first bottle I spotted my enemies tryna' do what I do
Came in with my style, so I fathered you
I kept changin on the world since "...Barbeque"
Now you wanna hang with niggas I hung with
Fuck bitches I hit, it's funny I once said..."

Krigen er i fuld gang, og selvom den for mange står ved de to hovedangreb "Takeover" og "Ether", fortsætter de to slaget, som i højere grad begynder at orienterer sig omkring hvem som kan kalde sig sejrherre. Da Jay i mellemtiden har fået sig et par fjender, og Nas ligeledes, bliver begge parter angrebet fra forskellige sider - men fokusset hos de to, ligger stadig låst fast hos hinanden.

Nas er langtfra færdig med Jay og planlægger i mellemtiden at tage hævn under samme arena, som Jay havde benyttet året før. Umiddelbart inden en planlagt koncert med Nas under Hot97's "Summer Jam 2002", kommer det frem at han planlægger at lynche en Jay-Z dukke. Hot97 aflyser koncerten med Nas, hvilket yderligere skader Nas' forhold til stationen, som han efterfølgende beskylder for at stå i ledtog med Jay-Z.

Jay-Z selv får dog ikke så mange ord med på vejen, og perioden er generelt præget af lidt stilstand i bøffen. Selv om Jay's håndlangere tirrer Nas på diverse freestyles, er det først efter endnu et klart angreb fra Jay-Z selv, at Nas reagerer

Jay-Z (Don't You Know? - Paid In Full OST)
"How could niggas stand there
Say I sound like them? Hell no
...
Perhaps if you was into
Half of the shit I've been through
That'd make your pen move
Your mind would open, your heart would bleed
Instead y'all niggas flow oh so retardedly
You sound retarded to me!
How could you stand there, pants near down to your ass, you wanna spar with me
I'll put you down in the grass, it's the God MC, Young V-I-T-O
Young'n, you are my hijo
My son dula
I clean the cess pool up
Rap stinks
You cats are the sphinx
You cut off your nose to spite your face
Bet you like it that way don'tchya?

(omkvæd)
Don't you know?
When you're defeated, young punk?
Won't you throw
Won't you throw in the towel, stop running your mouth
Don't you know that we know you're just running your mouth
Cause when this shit pops off, we gonna run in your house
Don't you know
When you're defeated, young punk?
Won't you throw?
Won't you throw in the towel? I'm better with vowels
My vocabulary murders the dictionary
Flow switches every 16, shits mean, man

Shit, I'm heavy in the game
I ain't worried bout a thing
Last man standing
Blam-blammin the cannon
...
Baby, I'm comfy, cozy, my spot is solidified
Roc-a-bye baby, I sing you a lillabye
...
It's S Carter, the archer, I throw darts at ya
Arrows through your apparel, I will dearly depart ya
It's clearly hard for ya, what God has bestowed on me
You nah destroys me nigga; nigga I'm poetry
...
Like I said
Try to bring em life, but they want dead
You won't listen
Hov is a nice guy, but you don't diss him
That'll piss him off quick, you won't listen"

Ovenstående track optræder på et soundtrack, og Nas er hurtig til at give igen af samme skuffe. Med lanceringen af "8 Mile" soundtracket - en skive som Jay ligeledes optræder på, bruger Nas endnu engang samme kanaler som Jay og gør alt for at miskreditere Jay-Z og underspille hele affæren
Nas (Wanna Be Me - 8 Mile OST)
"Now slowly, thinkin of all the things that oppose me
I think of kings who died and rappers out to dethrone me
For they crown they head is cut off, bodies is laid
Dead in the street, it's so fuckin pitiful
...
(omkvæd)
Wanna be me, you can't you faggot, you bitch
You coward, you clown, you just wanna be down
So you... wanna be me, you bitch, you phony
You clone me, you wanna be son, I'm the one and only
But you... wanna be me, you suckers, you weak
You flunkies, you fake, you couldn't come close on my worst day
But you... wanna be me, I burn you and learn you a lesson
Concernin this mic profession, turn your direction

You can't be me, not in your wildest fantasy
It's childish; should I have to resort to violence?
Pay me a half a million, I'll consult your album
And show you how to stay off my dick
That's the thing I hate the most, can't even call you a man
When you gotta call out my name to get you some fans
No talent, you need direction; you a pussy with a yeast infection
You unlucky, I'm your fuckin C-section
Plus I'm the last real nigga alive
Toast glass, Ill Will, the label get high
Realize, how many classics I gave you
Perhaps if you think back you'll realize that I made you
This is God son, and I've come from the God under pure peace
To represent the streets, you'll see that my plan
is not to destroy your man
But to bring more to mankind and teach
Every MC reach for your pens and papers
Lesson one be creative; what you made of junior?
Cause soon you'll be a grown man with the mic in your hand
And understand, to battle Nas not in your plan
I'm the last real nigga alive, understand that
And you my offspring, the boss sting
A bulletproof Porsche things, hard for you to understand that
Nas the king, where my bricks, where my band at?
Play me a gangster's theme, while you entertain me
If I ain't cryin laughin, to the lions, throw your ass in
What the fuck was you niggaz thinkin?
Guns'll clutch if I get a inklin that you comin for the kingpin
But I laugh at you cowards, ha ha ha
Take me out, try try try..."

Udgivelsesdagen for "The Blueprint 2" nærmer sig, og mange undrer sig over om Jay-Z vil komme med et nyt diss track. Mange anser på dette tidspunkt bøffen som værende godt gennemtygget, og det forventes at Jay vil tage "the high road" og derved bibeholde et officielt uafgjort resultat. Det var dog ikke helt hvad Jay havde i tankerne

Jay-Z (The Blueprint 2 - The blueprint 2: The Gift And The Curse)
"H O V A
I got my mojo back baby, oh behave
Naw, naw, don't be afraid
Y'all and your articles, hard to spit at Jay
Y'all from afar threw thoughts my way
What you thought, I would naught have nothing to say? Nope!
Y'all fell into the booby trap
I set the trap just to see dude react, and now
And now you'se can't leave
You opened the door god, I'm at you annually
And I'm sorry Miss Rosie Perez
I call a spade a spade, it just is what it is
But you can't give cred to anything dude says
Same dude to give you ice and you owe him some head
(Shortyyyy!) It's time to wake up the dead
You sound a little naive in them articles that I read
...
Can't y'all, see that he's fake, the rap version of TD jakes
Prophesizing on your CDs and tapes
Won't break you a crumb of the little bit that he makes
And this is with whom you want to place your faith?
I put dollars on mine, ask Columbine
When the Twin Towers dropped, I was the first in line
Donating proceeds off every ticket sold
When I was out on the road, that's how you judge Hov, no?
Ain't I supposed to be absorbed myself?
Every time there's a tragedy, I'm the first one to help
They call me this misogynist, but they don't call me the dude
To take his dollars to give gifts at the projects
These dudes is all politics, depositing checks
they put in they pocket, all you get in return is a lot of lip
And y'all buy the shit, caught up in the hype
Cause the nigga wear a coofie, it don't mean that he bright
Cause you don't understand him, it don't mean that he nice
It just means you don't understand all the bullshit that he write
Is it "Oochie Wally Wally" or is it "One Mic"?
Is it "Black Girl Lost" or shorty owe you for ice?
I've been real all my life, they confuse it with conceit
Since I will not lose, they try to help him cheat
But I will not lose, for even in defeat
There's a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me
When the grass is cut, the snakes will show
I gotta thank the little homie Nas for that though
Saving me the hassle of speaking to half of these assholes
...
My mama can't save you this time, niggas is history
Who you know flow vicious as me?
Yet so religiously, that's why they call me Hov
I get the spoils cause the victor is me (me, nigga)
You're an actor, you're not who you're depicted to be
The "Street dreamin", all y'all niggas living through me
I gave you life when niggas was forgetting you emcee
I'm a legend, you should take a picture with me
You should be happy to be in my presence, I should charge you a fee
I'm Big Dog, Glenn Rob, listen God you a flea
And the little homey Jungle is a garden to me
What's the problem B? You not as hard as me
Nigga hard as we, nigga R O C, nigga
That's why they follow me, they feel my pain and my agony, nigga
I won't rest till you on one knee
You want war then it's war's gonna be, nigga
Until you on one knee, you want war then it's war's gonna be, nigga"

Jay-Z er tændt og klar til at genoptage kampen, med hvad der må siges at være den officielle opfølger til "Takeover". Denne gang er det dog ikke kun Nas han langer ud efter, men ligeledes medierne og deres genvundne kærlighed for Nas, hvis karriere havde ramt et lavmål efter to meget skuffende udgivelser. Jay-Z benytter dog ikke kun et enkelt track på den nye plade, og hele pladen er gennemgående gennemsyret med små referencer til nas - nogle mere direkte end andre

Jay-Z (The Watcher 2 - The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse)
"All of these rap singers claimin they bangers
Doin all sorts of twisted shit with they fingers
Disrespectin the game, no home trainin or manners
I was doin this shit when you was shittin Pampers
...
You niggaz ain't know how to floss 'til I came through the door
like "Eric B. for Pres," respect me in this BITCH!
You can't disrespect us cause you got a little check cut
You was suckin for so long, fuckin your little neck up
Now you too big for your britches, you got a few little bitches
You think you Hugh Hefner, you just ridiculous
I blew breath for you midgets, I gave life to the game
It's only right I got the right to be king"

Jay-Z (Hovi Baby - The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse)
"Can't see me skill for skill or check for check
It's the bow tie flow dog, I bring it to your neck
Live and correct I will bring it to your set
I got now, I don't care who got next
Rapper slash exec, Kordell Stewart
Your flow all y'all usin' is mine, you're all useless
You ain't a factor, who are you foolin?
You all are faggots, you takin' it backwards (takin' it backwards)
I'm tryin to progress with this rap shit
Nigga, nigga your whole career is a accident
Who was gassin 'em? (Fuck outta here!)"

Desværre for Jay-Z får de nye numre knap så meget opmærksomhed, den brede befolkning er ligeglad og Nas udnytter situationen til at komme med små stikpiller mod Jay-Z - og hvad han anser som en klar sejr, på sit nye album

Nas (The G.O.D. - God's Son)
Went to war with New York's Hot radio station
Lost my patience, had to zone out
Rappers blown out, I have the throne now
The real shall reign, I feel your pain
You R&B, follow me, spell my name

Hvor Jay stadig er i fuld battle mode, er Nas derimod mere afklaret og har allerede påtaget sig vinderrollen. I et forsøg på at afvæbne fremtidige hug fra Jay (Hvis i har set 8 Mile, så kender i fidusen), fremlægger Nas baggrundshistorien omkring ham selv, sine mange personlighedsskift, og hans bøffer med Biggie og Jay, i tracket positionere han sig selv i hip hoppens top-klasse, hvor Jay ikke hører med

Nas (Last Real Nigga Alive - God's Son)
Y'all don't know about my Biggie wars
Who you thought 'Kick In The Door' was for?
But that's my heart, y'all still trippin of this Jigga shit
Real niggaz listen up and I'ma tell you how the whole thing start
Off top I brung Queens up from hard times
Rockin at the Fever, streets was all mine
It was my version of the blues, droppin our schools
The crack epidemic had rap representin new rules
So I, got in 'em shoes, tried 'em wore them
Wasn't a perfect fit, so I couldn't sport em
Young murderers ride, I knew all them
Jungle got shot, Will died, we was warring
I wrote it in my album
I was 18 when Lake seen the Island
And Lord held me down and
My surroundings started changing
I had a baby, I was making my rounds with AZ
Niggaz started noticing my flow and was open when
The Golden Child closed 'em in with more style than them older men
Puff tried to start a label, Prince Rakeem had formed Wu-Tang
Snoop and Dre had a new thang
So Puff drove his new Range through Queensbridge Projects
He let me drive it, before Ready to Die hit
BIG and I hit blunts performing at the Arc
Next thing you knew, BIG blew and all the balling starts
He had Kim and his crew, I found Fox
Only niggaz in New York with number one charts
B.I.G. was ahead of his time, him and Raekwon my niggaz
But dig it, they couldn't get along
That's when Ghostface said it on the Purple tape
Bad Boy biting Nas album cover (no way)
BIG told me Rae was stealing my slang
And Rae told me out in Shaolin BIG would do the same thing
But I borrowed from both them niggaz
Jigga started to flow like us, but hit with 'Ain't No Niggaz'
Had much Versace swagger
B.I.G. admired the Brooklyn knight and it took him in as Iceberg the rapper
Today don't know nothing, about this bullshit
There's more shit than wanting to be this King of New York shit
...
To diss niggaz with Jigga too much, he used to say Jay wanted my spot
I laughed, stayed home, never hung a lot
A quiet man who used to be alone planning
Baby moms thought I was too quiet, couldn't stand it
She hit the streets, later on she hittin the sheets
With a rapper who wanted me on his songs, thinking he strong
I taught her how to watch for cars that might follow
Tauht her street shit that I know
Her weakness was Shawn yo
But that's her, I ain't mad baby, it made me stronger
...
I gave it all up so I can chill at home with mama
She was getting old and sick so I stayed beside her
We had the best times, she asked would I make more songs
I told her not till I see her health get more strong
In the middle of that, Jay tried to sneak attack
Assasinate my character, degrade my hood
Cause in order for him to be the Don, Nas had to go
The Gam-B-I-N-O rules I understood
What you want, see, I already had
"The Gift and The Curse"? Fuck that shit, the first shall be last
I'm the man's man, a rapper's rapper
G-O-D S-O-N, they'll be none after
I was Scarface, Jay was Manolo
It hurt me when I had to kill him and his whole squad for dolo..."

Stilheden fra Jay-Z's side efter udgivelsen af "God's Son" er til at føle på, og Nas som uomtvisteligt må føle sig på toppen, er hurtigt ude og tirre sin tidligere så kæphøje nemesis, som dog ikke griber maddingen

Nas (Quick To Back Down - Bravehearted)
I know your type, I know your kind your
Quick to back down
You be leaving when there's drama
Quick to back down
Fucking fake ass nigga
Quick to back down
Soft and cornflake nigga your
Quick to back down
You ya whole crew your
Quick to back down
Ya'll don't want none of this your
Quick to back down
And I hate ya'll niggas your
Quick to back down
Soft and cornflake nigga your

First of all this is Nas I'ma Braveheart veteran
And y'all already know who I'm better than
Yall know the beef in the hood it'll never end
...
Who's the next label I'ma bury
CEO's, rappers and A&R's go to the rap cemetary
And ya all got guns but ya scared to use 'em
Six million ways to die, nigga choose one
I'm a Braveheart I'll be right here
Y'all talk shit but I smell fear, motherfucker!"

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