I feel nobody gives it the credit it deserves for being such a HUGE song at the time. It's plenty songs from the same year/era that are heard more now, probably because it got played to death.

But I remember first hearing it while riding in a full van with like 8 other kids. People were excited, but I was hype in a whoooooole different way.

Another best:

When Ether first droppped. We had just got home from school, and my boy called and said "AYYYYYYYYYYYY, turn it on 100.3....why is Nas KILLING Jay-Z????"

A few weeks earlier, I remember everybody completely being on Jay's dick after Blueprint, and someone mentioned how hard Nas fell off. Me and my boy were like "I mean, he had a bad album, but I am was dope, and he's still dope as a lyricist" but nobody was listening. My young boy I took to school was just 9th grade, and he was a 100% Jay fan, AND a rapper...you know rappers who idolize Jay are just, different.

So yeah..I heard Ether, and was going wiiiiiild. I found the MP3...and the next day, I asked my boy who rode with me, "you heard Ether?" He said what, nah what's that? I said.........."this......." and showed no emotion....put that shit on.

His reaction:
5 second mark (Fuck Jay-Z): Wait, what? Who's this?

20 second mark: He probably gonna say somethin wack.

1 minute mark: Ohhh....wow.....

2-3 minute mark: WHAT???? WOOOOOW!!!!!! NOOOOO!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK?!!????????????