>was getting even bigger in L.A. By the time "Bow down" came,
>L.A. folks LOVED it, especially the Mexicans LOL...but the
>rest of the country was over it.

He was still a star, he just wasn't the Cube WE came to love. I mean, my rappity rap fan crew hated on "It Was Written" too. But there are many people all over the US who didn't start checking for Nas until "It Was Written".
I knew the Westside Connection thing was huge, but I hated feeling like Cube had been taken from us somehow (the East Coast rappity rap fans).

Let my love slide in and never slip out