Pharoahe Monch - "Stray Bullet" v NAS "I Gave You Power"

Music: Pharoahe Monch "Yayo"
HighBreedMusic: The Artists That Artists Love
Artists Interviewing Artists: PHARAOHE MONCH x PHASE ONE of The Lesson GK
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Producer: Tariq Khan
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[@purposepassionandlovetv863]

Sometimes creative processes travel amongst creators. I wrote a poem called "Bullet " in the early 90s before I heard either song and I KNOW neither of them read my work but it was a self published work titled "And So I Said..." It was the perspective of a bullet and ended with "bing" that was the Dr. Dropping the bullet in the pan after extracting it from the victim. Sometimes things happen like that with no like inspiration at all.

[@boombapmaniak5357]

I gotta go with Stray Bullet on this one... Also, that jacket that Monch is rockin is dope af!

[@gotjuice9]

Nah, Stray Bullet is way more dynamic and cinematic. The words and music create the visual in your mind.

[@PREEM513]

Stray bullet all day but I gave you power is a classic as well.

[@Nochoice677]

Bless his soul

[@austinbailey5990]

Of course Pharaohe and Nas are on the same frequency. Monch is humblem

[@mukfute86]

looking at the comments I feel none of you peeps have heard the monch track proper. Its a wrong comparison. Nas track is about a gun, monchs track is about a single stray bullet. Im able to visualize the trajectory of a single stray bullet compared to guns pov of its life. there is no comparison - Monch is too underrated.

[@Souleyefilms]

Right!? Pharoh is ridiculously underrated as a brilliant lyricist and the two are very different.

[@Sgtgee]

Facts! While I love and respect both artists, both of their songs focuses on 2 different perspectives, one being about the actual gun itself while the other focuses more on the actual bullet leaving the gun and I think a lot of people missed that aspect. Still very dope music we got from 2 very different hip hop story telling artists. We can leave the conversation saying that Monch’s word play and lyrical style is super underrated as it is intellectually superior to most lyricists, compared to Nas’s great storytelling style-flow that’s in a class by itself. But that’s always up for debate. Shoutout to both for their great contribution to Hip hop music.

[@andresmanzano1138]

That’s a good little part of history

[@sooperheep]

Pharaoh Monche is class personified and just a lyrical and musical force of nature

[@da9elbP]

Tupac also used the sample on Definition of a Thug N'''''a

[@deebaker4671]

Stray Bullet was dope, but I gave you power is way better. The story telling in that track is next level.

[@stephenheath8465]

Because the Gat is reusable.The Slug is not

[@jimmycunningham9433]

Absolutely NOT!

[@CreativeLaelAsif]

I always wanted to hear them collab

[@fairplayterrific147]

Well Guess What DJ Shadow Answered That With "Drone Warfare" And It Was Well Worth The Wait....

[@stephenheath8465]

We almost had a Nas /OC Collab back in 94

[@Don.M.]

I gave You Power is one of the best songs in MUSIC, PERIOD. Stray Bullet is dope though.

[@terrytees]

Stay Bullet is the one, hands down

[@hebrew26commandmentspower55]

I gave you power .....

[@MikeSpexTV]

Similar sample? That’s “wind parade” !!! Either way it’s “Queens Queens“ Props to Pharaoh who did that concept first. When I gave you power came out though that was crazy. Everybody was buzzing bout it

[@LifeFer48]

He didn't explain why Nas said he was featured on his album..

[@chasemorello60]

⚡

[@hegzneptune7327]

Don't forget prince po dropped a dope verse on stray bullet too.

[@eutue]

then came Capone's verse on Capone-N-Noreaga - Queens Finest ft. Mobb Deep.

[@Lux9103]

Crazy Story, Always wanted to know if Nas was inspired by Organized....

[@Maal7432]

I Gave You Power is a lil better. Love both.

[@JA-mj9re]

I gave you power not even a debate. One of the best song ever period. Nas is the greatest ever.

[@deanivan3951]

lol In your opinion. You ain't the arbiter of Dope. My opinion is, Nas is one of the greatest but not on Monch level!

[@leeoreilly6797]

Have to disagree. Monche's verse on Stray bullet is on a whole other level. And I'm a big Nas fan, Illmatic is probably my favourite album from any music genre.

[@JA-mj9re]

@@leeoreilly6797 that opinion dosent even count. Just stupid i gave you power is one of the most powerful songs of all time in any genre. 🤦

[@leeoreilly6797]

@@JA-mj9re I mean, music taste is subjective. I gave you power is a great track, but in my subjective opinion, after listening to Hip Hop for close to 30 years, Monche's stray bullet verse is better.

[@casteltheghettomonk4392]

@@deanivan3951 hahaha 🤣😂 oh man never knew pharaoh had fans

[@valhallan19]

'Stray Bullet' but good video

[@casteltheghettomonk4392]

I gave you power no debating, poetry in motion

[@michaelholmes9752]

I gave you power

[@charlesgilley2121]

Ya when it comes to me an that is due

[@joedorben3504]

No disrespect to Nas, but Stray Bullet is GOAT

[@fairplayterrific147]

Man You Are Bugging Nas Has So Much Detail On I Gave You Power But It's Cool Both Are Equally Phenomenal To Me....

[@deebaker4671]

​@@fairplayterrific147 I gave you power is on a level higher. The story telling is top notch !!

[@casteltheghettomonk4392]

You smoking crack

[@Don.M.]

Definitely not facts. The details and approach, even the hook alone, puts I Gave You Power over it.

[@luistorre669]

All disrespect to Nas, the 🥷 knows he bit the idea

[@jenniferriddle5451]

Yo acted like a baby because the whole crowd wanted to hear Stress and Stray Bullet instead of get the fuck up and refused to perform th verses because he's a huge baby. Made the show thrash...

[@poop_storm]

Pretty much comes down to whether you prefer a conventional narrative song or an abstract impressionistic experience, I definitely find the latter to be more interesting. Comparing the two side by side is like trying to determine if Shakespeare or Thomas Pynchon is a better author.

[@foarfield]

Nas ain't or no Shakespeare or no Thomas Pynchon. Nas ain't no Elmore Leonard. Neither is Monch but he definitely comes a lot closer.

[@SuperBearNeo]

@@foarfield Your right He's better

[@Getyourssbaby]

Sounds similar to nas #1 with a bullet from nas 1991 demo where he was rapping similar to kool g rap. However this is a Pharaoh monch (organized konfusion) classic track no doubt. 9/10. Nas - i gave u power. 9.2/10. I have to give a slight edge to nas here simply based on the level of lyricism and better story telling alone. 🫤