Nas's "Undying Love" sounds like response to Big's "I Got a Story to Tell."

The albums came out during the same time period, so I doubt it's an actual response, but it seems like Nas was tired of hearing all that KoNY shit.

He wanted to prove he was the better storyteller. But really, it lacks the charisma and wit of Biggie's story.

Big's got him beat on the storytelling tip.

have been a response or just close to what Nas was actually going through with Carmen

even then, why take offense at the Jay-Z beef years later?

Or was Nas simply playing that card to the public for sympathy in the battle?

"Is That Yo Bitch?" which was all about him f'n Carmen. Nas didn't particularly get made at Jay-z for f'n his girl when "The Takeover" and "Supa Ugly" came out. I mean he was already diss'n her on Stillmatic ("U Da Man" & "One Mic"), which I'm pretty sure he wrote before the Summer Jam thing b/c he was still just going subliminal at Jay-z on those tracks. He I'm sure like a lot of ppl (Including Jay's mom) thought it was low when he went there in such detail (Talking about putting condoms on the baby seat is pretty far imo)

not so much that he was talking about carmen

and i've said it before and i'll say it again
bringing up carmen was some weird groupie shit on jay's part.

>and i've said it before and i'll say it again
>bringing up carmen was some weird groupie shit on jay's part.

And that why lines like in You're Da Man have to sting Jay just as hard as Ether.

"Now you want to hang with n*gg*s I hung with, fuck bitches I hit"

Most people can't read between the line though so they don't understand shit like that.

I mean Jay-z tried to defend it by saying Nas calling him gay was a lowblow too but that's in tons of battleraps (IE//No Vaseline). Going after dude's kid like that is just crazy, imagine somebody saying that about Blue Ivy now. He'd lose his mind.

>Nas's "Undying Love" sounds like response to Big's "I Got a
>Story to Tell."
>
>The albums came out during the same time period, so I doubt
>it's an actual response, but it seems like Nas was tired of
>hearing all that KoNY shit.
>
>He wanted to prove he was the better storyteller. But really,
>it lacks the charisma and wit of Biggie's story.
>
>Big's got him beat on the storytelling tip.

and wit? I prefer "I Got A Story To Tell" but really aren't comparable to me because the songs convey different emotions.
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Big's might seem less sinister, but there's still the aura of danger, but with the added humor to downplay the suspense in a subtle kind of way.

I haven't listened to "Undying Love" in years, but today it just clicked that Nas was aping Big's prototype, putting a Nas spin on it.

This isn't a crack at either of them, but I think a lot of times people forget how incredibly natural Big was at storytelling.

you look bad/vulnerable/weak or not, see: much of Richard Pryor's standup career.

>you look bad/vulnerable/weak or not, see: much of Richard
>Pryor's standup career.
>

Of course there are exceptions but it's an unrealistic expectation for that type of story. Who the hell listens to a song called "Undying Love" looking for charisma and wit? That's some psychotic shit lol.
_________________________________________
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All three are awesome anyway.

As much of a student of the game as he was during that time period, there's no conceivable way he hadn't heard of Organized Konfusion/Pharoahe Monch, esp. with both coming out of Queens.

*Maybe* he didn't hear "Stray Bullet" but I don't even believe that.

especially when they were on the wake-up show freestyle together
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGVzNvwlrrI

>
>Big's got him beat on the storytelling tip.

I love how when and artist puts a word like "story" into their title it gives the dumb ass people a chance to jump at an obvious opinion.

Listen man, there is not an MC in the same realm of Nas when it comes to storytelling period.

From entire tracks like Undying Love to single verse like in The Message, this dude tells a story with attention to detail that other MCs just don't have.

Big is a cool storyteller but his joints are fun little stories...Nas is writing on another level than these other MCs in this category.

There is a reason why I Gave You Power is beyond the best out of the three gun metaphor joints and that's because Nas went deeper with the metaphor and story and actually gave the gun human characteristics while having a moral to the story, which had a beginning, climax, and ending.

I guess people just don't understand the art form. People on here will probably say Snoops Lodi Dodi is a better story joint than Undying Love.

>I love how when and artist puts a word like "story" into their
>title it gives the dumb ass people a chance to jump at an
>obvious opinion.

That has nothing to do with it. If you're calling me a dumbass, that's your ignorance for getting heated about an "opinion column" style post.

>Listen man, there is not an MC in the same realm of Nas when
>it comes to storytelling period.

He's definitely up there. There's a lot of amazing storytellers in rap music. I think Big and Nas are probably my two favorite, for different reasons.

>From entire tracks like Undying Love to single verse like in
>The Message, this dude tells a story with attention to detail
>that other MCs just don't have.

"The Message" isn't much of a story, imo. Nas does have intangibles and creates details that others would miss. But he doesn't have the same intangibles as Biggie. They approach things differently.

>Big is a cool storyteller but his joints are fun little
>stories...Nas is writing on another level than these other MCs
>in this category.

Not really.

>There is a reason why I Gave You Power is beyond the best out
>of the three gun metaphor joints and that's because Nas went
>deeper with the metaphor and story and actually gave the gun
>human characteristics while having a moral to the story, which
>had a beginning, climax, and ending.

IGYP is the best for the reasons you listed. But Pac wasn't a great storyteller. He also had a little help on the idea from OK.

>I guess people just don't understand the art form. People on
>here will probably say Snoops Lodi Dodi is a better story
>joint than Undying Love.

Again, if this is a jab at me for an opinion piece, that's your ignorance. I understand the artform plenty. "Undying Love" isn't the best story track of all time.

Perhaps we should look more in-depth at the two songs? You know, to have an actual discussion, instead of diversion.

>>I love how when and artist puts a word like "story" into
>their
>>title it gives the dumb ass people a chance to jump at an
>>obvious opinion.
>
>That has nothing to do with it. If you're calling me a
>dumbass, that's your ignorance for getting heated about an
>"opinion column" style post.
>


Youre the one catching feelings because I wasn't even directing that at you. But there are many people with that cliche way of thinking.


>>Listen man, there is not an MC in the same realm of Nas when
>>it comes to storytelling period.
>
>He's definitely up there. There's a lot of amazing
>storytellers in rap music. I think Big and Nas are probably my
>two favorite, for different reasons.
>

That's cool.


>>From entire tracks like Undying Love to single verse like in
>>The Message, this dude tells a story with attention to
>detail
>>that other MCs just don't have.
>
>"The Message" isn't much of a story, imo. Nas does have
>intangibles and creates details that others would miss. But he
>doesn't have the same intangibles as Biggie. They approach
>things differently.
>

The Message is an example of how Nas will randomly tell stories in songs and have the story be a metaphor for what the song is about and it will relate to the other verses.


>>Big is a cool storyteller but his joints are fun little
>>stories...Nas is writing on another level than these other
>MCs
>>in this category.
>
>Not really.
>

Really.


>>There is a reason why I Gave You Power is beyond the best
>out
>>of the three gun metaphor joints and that's because Nas went
>>deeper with the metaphor and story and actually gave the gun
>>human characteristics while having a moral to the story,
>which
>>had a beginning, climax, and ending.
>
>IGYP is the best for the reasons you listed. But Pac wasn't a
>great storyteller. He also had a little help on the idea from
>OK.
>
>>I guess people just don't understand the art form. People
>on
>>here will probably say Snoops Lodi Dodi is a better story
>>joint than Undying Love.
>
>Again, if this is a jab at me for an opinion piece, that's
>your ignorance. I understand the artform plenty. "Undying
>Love" isn't the best story track of all time.
>

It's not a jab at you. It's a state to whoever takes offense to it, which you did. And please show me where I said Undying Love is the best story track of all time. Fact is, it's still better than IGASTT when we break down the detail and emotion put into the story.

>Perhaps we should look more in-depth at the two songs? You
>know, to have an actual discussion, instead of diversion.

Go ahead...I'm not diverting a damn thing. Undying Love is better in the sense of the set-up of the story, the details, the emotion, the imagery, the setting, damn near every aspect of storytelling. I won't vouch for the hook but every other part is better than IGASTT.

Oh, and don't forget that he told entire story BACKWARDS!

Although I totally have respect for the skills he displayed on that song, plot was definitely not one of them. Put it in order and all it is is he gets a message that they found a guy they're looking for, gets a blowjob, gets a call to go downstairs, smokes and kills the guy. Not exactly "Shootouts" or even "Get Down"

shit, "Children's Story" isn't really that elaborate of a tale, but the way Slick Rick told it was undeniable. Same thing with "Rewind"

But imagine if he did a song like "I Gave You Power" backwards.

Also, Slick Rick's verse on "Auditorium" is more imaginative than I've heard Nas be in years.

I agree 100%

got him on storytelling.

need any more ?

Ok

Shootouts being my personal fave, and The Setup being more in the vain of what youre talking about in this post here, just, better....