From the always-informative Kevin Nottingham blog…
I’ve always wanted to put together the musical history of the tracks that may have started the beef. From what I’ve found neither Jay or Nas have ever discussed the beginnings of the beef or discussed the perceived shots at one another over the years.
I present my interpretation of the The Genesis of Beef. I referenced wiki for the song list and OHHLA for the lyrics. Major props go out to the homieEuqnichtims for the dope sketches!
Artist: Jay-Z
Song(s): “Dead Presidents” (Original)
Year: 1996
Lyrics: “Presidents to represent me/Get money!/I’m out for presidents to represent me…”
“I’m out for dead *fuckin* presidents to represent me”
Interpretation: Jay wanted Nas on the track, but used his vocals from “The World Is Yours” (Q-Tip Remix) instead. I’ve always thought Jay caught feelings behind the snub.
Artist: Jay-Z
Song(s): “The City Is Mine”, “Where I’m From”, & “Rap Game/Crack Game”
Year: 1997
Lyrics: “Don’t worry about Brooklyn I continue to flame/Therefore a world with amnesia won’t forget your name/You held it down long enough, let me take those reigns…/I ain’t a player get it right, I’m controllin the game/From now until they blow holes in my frame/I’ma stand firm, holdin my aim, feel me?/I’m the focal, point like Biggie in his prime” (”The City Is Mine”)”.
“I from where niggas pull your card, and argue all day about/Who’s the best MC’s, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas” (”Where I’m From”)
“Somehow the rap game remind me of the crack game” (”Rap Game/Crack Game” vocal sample from “Represent” by Nas)
Interpretation: The city of New York was up for grabs once B.I.G. died as he was hailed as the King of New York by many in the Hip Hop world (July 1995 Source Cover). Jay wanted the crown and boldly stated on “The City Is Mine” that he was taking the “reigns” from B.I.G.
Jay makes another reference about Nas in “Where I’m From” and samples his voice again for “Rap Game/Crack Game”.
In My Lifetime…Vol. 1 also marks the first time Jay starts using B.I.G. lyrics: See “Friend or Foe 98′” and “Real Niggas”.
Artist: Nas
Song: “We Will Survive”
Year: 1999
Lyrics: “It used to be fun, makin records to see your response/But, now competition is none, now that you’re gone/And these niggaz is wrong — using your name in vain/And they claim to be New York’s king?/It ain’t about that”
Interpretation: This joint was off of Nas’s third album “I Am”, which dropped April 6, 1999. Straight forward shot at Jay. By this time Jay was in full superstar mode especially after the commercial success he garnered from Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life. Jay wasn’t shy about acknowledging he was the King of New York. Obviously Nas didn’t think so. Nas was acknowledging Jay wasn’t on his or B.I.G.’s level with these lines.
Artist: Memphis Bleek feat. Jay-Z
Song: “What You Think Of That”
Year: 1999
Lyrics: “I’ma ball till I fall what you think of that?” (Memphis Bleek) - Line from the chorus of “What You Think Of That”..
“Round here frontin like my shit don’t sound like nuttin/Like I ain’t got the crown or suttin/Like I ain’t the nigga you base ya life on” (Jay-Z)
“I guess I ain’t the reason you rhyme the way you do” (Jay-Z)
“Like I ain’t 5 mill, and what do ya joint go?/Excuse me? Nigga don’t confuse me” (Jay-Z)
Interpretation: Memphis Bleek dropped Coming of Age on August 3, 1999 with a buzz worthy single (”Memphis Bleek Is…”), but everybody from what I can remember was talking about the track he had with Jay: “What You Think Of That”. Bleek doesn’t go at Nas, but Jay takes exception to Nas questioning his “King” status of New York. Obvious answer to Nas’s lines on “We Will Survive”.
Artist: Nas
Song: “Nastradamus” and “Come Get Me”
Year: 1999
Lyrics: “You wanna ball till you fall, I can help you with that/You want beef?/I could let a slug melt in your hat” (”Nastradamus”)
“You don’t like me clown? Now you wanna take me down?/If I bring my face around, you gon’ do what?/You butt/Your crew knew I blew up, I been shinin - baseball diamonds…” (”Come Get Me”)
“You make hot songs, but she know you steal from me/Who ill as me?/I wild on haters in album three” (”Come Get Me”)
Interpretation: The “ball till you fall/slug melt in your hat” is a play on words from the sung Chorus” by Memphis Bleek on “What You Think Of That”. Memphis Bleek wore a tilted hat on the cover of Coming of Age, thus the “slug melt in your hat” line.
“Come Get Me” was all over the place, with with lines like “you steal from me” and “your crew knew I blew up…” screams subliminal at Jay.
Artist: Jay-Z
Song: “Come and Get Me”
Year: 1999
Lyrics: “I got, shots to give come and get me nigga/Y’all wanna rob the kid? Come and get me nigga/I won’t, part with this come and get me nigga/I worked, hard for this come and get me nigga/I got, shots to give, COME AND GET ME../COME AND GET ME..”
Interpretation: The song itself is Jay talking to rappers in general, but the chorus is a play on Nas’s “Come Get Me”. I’ve never thought the song was about Nas because Jay doesn’t believe Nas is a street dude or did any street dirt. He wouldn’t give Nas props with lines such as “I’m a crook like you, I took like you/I disobeyed the law threw out the book like you”
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