this again touches on the difference between talent and the ability to make a hit song.

To me, Jay hasn't written a whole shitload of compelling songs. The best songs he's ever written were on Blueprint or Black Album, IMO, as far as touching on different subjects (Song Cry being the most glaring example). The rest of his career was a bunch of crack talk and general braggadocious shit talk for the most part. So to me, saying he's the "best songwriter" is overexaggerating a bit, as I think he really hasn't reached too too far outside of his comfort zone.

However, what you're referring to (IMO, at least) is his HIT-making ability, a talent for which in hiphop, he is second to none, no question in my eyes. Someone on here once called him a "glorified party rapper" and while I think that's a harsh way to put it, it's really not that far off. He's made a ton of hits, and sure many of them are great songs, but I just don't think he was writing compelling shit or anything like that.

My basic point being that I think there's a difference between being a "all time great song writer" and an "all time great hit maker", and I think Jay is the latter.