Nas has revisited his past beef with JAY-Z on his new album King’s Disease 3, revealing they sometimes joke about their feud over text.
While the project marks the opening of yet another chapter in Nas’ illustrious career — not to mention his prolific partnership with multi-platinum producer Hit-Boy — KD3 finds the legendary MC in a reflective mood throughout.
On “Thun” — a nod to the Queens, New York slang popularized by the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep — Nas looks back on his early days dreaming of covering The Source while trying to navigate the street life with his “thoroughbred” crew.
Halfway through his verse, Esco turns his attention to his bitter conflict with JAY-Z and marvels at how far they’ve come, admitting he sometimes texts Hov joking about how their rivalry “ain’t over.”
“No beef or rivals, they playing ‘Ether’ on TIDAL / Brothers can do anything when they decide to / In a Range Rover, dissecting bars from ‘Takeover’ / Sometimes I text Hova like, ‘N-gga, this ain’t over,’ laughing,” he raps over mafioso production that evokes earlier albums like It Was Written and The Firm.
Nas and JAY-Z have certainly come a long way since warring on diss songs like “Takeover” and “Ether” — as well as “Supa Ugly” and “Last Real N-gga Alive” — in the early 2000s.
After formally reconciling on stage during Hov’s I Declare War Tour stop in New Jersey in 2005, the New York giants have collaborated numerous times on tracks like “Black Republican,” “Success” and, most recently, DMX’s “Bath Salts” and DJ Khaled’s “Sorry Not Sorry.”
As Nas revealed in a FaceTime call with JAY-Z that was shared on Instagram by Khaled last year, the latter song brought out his competitive side.
“Alright, I’m just here tweaking lines and shit,” he told his former foe over the phone. “I’m in here, curating, rewriting four bars here and there … Oh, no no no. I gotta come back! [Laughs] Yo bro, this is one. The queen at the end, the harmonies, that gave me chills … this is definitely one for the books.”
Ahead of the collaboration, JAY-Z even paid homage to Nas by curating a TIDAL playlist highlighting some of his finest lyrical performances, including “N.Y. State of Mind,” “One Mic” and “Made You Look.”
Fans have long clamored for Nas and JAY-Z to rekindle their rivalry in a Verzuz battle, which would make for arguably the biggest match-up in the series’ history. According to former Roc-A-Fella rep Memphis Bleek, however, the contest wouldn’t be a close call.
“There’s no comparison,” he claimed in a Bally Sports interview last year. “Because Nas doesn’t have enough songs to compete. And it’s no disrespect to him but, he just don’t. Jay can battle somebody with just his B-Sides concert catalog, and it’ll still be better than people’s A-Sides.”
King’s Disease 3 arrived on streaming services on Friday (November 11) and features 17 new songs. It serves as the third installment in Nas and Hit-Boy’s acclaimed trilogy, which began with the Grammy-winning King’s Disease in 2020, and follows last year’s surprise drop Magic.
At least neither one was killed over petty beef.
Nas is the greatest album is the classic
Nas GOAT…. He is now 4-0! Nas is Michael Jordan of rap. We need 2 more Nas! This album is fire bruh!!!!
LOL at the username being Beyonce, haha!
Nas GOAT…. He is now 4-0! Nas is Michael Jordan of rap. We need 2 more Nas! This album is fire bruh!!!!
This isn’t news, its minor detail. Thanks fpr sharing though.
Of course it’s not over for Nas, the big loss he suffered will haunt him forever. And having the GOAT Jay-Z as his boss afterwards put the final nail in the coffin. And now, Jay-Z is living the billionaire life with the Queen Bey and their lovely children.
Nas lost? Odd how when someone loses a battle people say they got Ether’d.
Straight goof talks. NaS is worth hundreds of millions. Why talk on Jay being a billionaire? What’s one have to do with rap/music? Why bring up beyonce? You ha e a crush on her? ……..NYC voted and NAS won that battle and Jay Z knows he took the L with that…… Illmatic for NYC >>>>> Anything Jay has ever put out and I. A jay fan. ON Jay’s best day he couldn’t touch kings trio.
Some inconsistencies with your statements. Nas won the battle with Ether. LA Reid was the CEO of Def jam not Jay-Z and why we bringing Jay family in this . We talking music. Keep it to that .Smh .GET HELP!!!!!!
La Reid was the president, not CEI like Jay Z was.
Jayz was president la Reid was ceo. This is public information jay was making 12 million year as president of Def ja
King NAS keep sending shawn camel memes ruining his day
GODS SON ACROSS THE BELLY I PROVE YOU LOST ALREADY
Jay z wasn’t joking. He knows he bodied nas at his own game and can do it again
Lol u mad mad, suck a dick u bitch Nas the GOAT
Queens in da house!
Nas is too prolific lyrically and nobody want that smoke, including Jay in a friendly and professional competition. I actually want a joint EP from those guys to be honest. All produced by Hit Boy of course.
The beef was 20 years ago. You could remove all the diss songs and they’re both still top 3 all-time along with Scarface IMO.
Cant erase history. Thats like removing South Bronx, bridge is over, No Vaseline, etc…
Is hip hop dx affiliated with def jam? Nas had one mention. Of Jay. And you guys write an article. Highlighting Nas and Jay. Feud which we all know is long over . Finding a way to drag Jay z in Nas light
Hip Hop Dx you are not my guys for this one
Celebrate this Historic Run from Nas the Goat
Is hip hop dx affiliated with def jam? Nas had one mention. Of Jay. And you guys write an article. Highlighting Nas and Jay. Feud which we all know is long over . Finding a way to drag Jay z in Nas light
Hip Hop Dx you are not my guys for this one
Celebrate this Historic Run from Nas the Goat
Nas and Jay z should do a collabo album with production from premiere,alchemist conductor Williams and a slew of others
When was the last time J dropped a album?
Folks this Nas song slaps! Please, please I beg of you, please appreciate Nas. We will never see another consistent rap artist ever again like Nas. This dude is simply unbelievable with lyrical content and flow. Folks always ask me who the GOAT of rap? Simply easy to me, Nas! Easily!!!
I beg to different with bleek but respect his loyalty tho.