RZA: Nas is one of the greatest rappers ever | Lex Fridman Podcast Clips

Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: • RZA: Wu-Tang Clan, Kun...
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GUEST BIO:
RZA is a rapper, record producer, filmmaker, actor, writer, philosopher, and the mastermind of the legendary hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan.
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[@Bsk8erzero]

Nas has been rapping for 30 years now and I'm still in awe when I listen to his old and new music. How Nas is still relevant and impactful in Hip-Hop for 3 decades is astounding. I hope we give Nas his flowers while he's still alive.

[@Dezzyyx]

"I pick from my own garden"

[@tyshelley9764]

He is an AWESOME individual... I'm glad I was able to witness his GREATNESS! Nasir Jones is THE GREATEST MC OF ALL TIME (no debate)!!! #NASTYTHENICEST 🤷🏽👑🐏

[@michaeldavis8665]

Nas is getting his flowers

[@ilovelilwill22]

absolutely!! Esco is the Greatest

[@mokha099]

amen, well said! timeless. Icon. LEGEND. GOAT

[@leonorancube9854]

Do people understand what RZA just explained. He met a 15 year old Nas and at that point Nas was already a seasoned lyricist.. Nobody ever comes close to Nas.

[@MiguelJimenez-rq9lh]

Pac

[@del_rainv_n6539]

​@@MiguelJimenez-rq9lhpac is good, but nas is better, a real master mind

[@mikaiyelmiah8538]

​@@MiguelJimenez-rq9lhfunny guy😂

[@diinomaaxi]

🐐 for sure

[@darianbirckett1933]

Nas is the greatest and I knew that since the age of 12

[@Shemzinho]

Nas is definitely the 🐐. To make Illmatic as a teenager and continue to drop classics 25 years later, he’s different.

[@screamingeagle11b]

Lupe is a Nas hybrid

[@screamingeagle11b]

Patiently waiting for drill music in zion

[@daweeza42]

RZA always giving it up to people. It’s dope to see him giving Nas his flowers.

[@rayvaughan3197]

Illmatic - announced him ! It was written - crowned him! His whole catalogue of work is brilliant,his lyricism on one of my all time favourite tracks "I gave you power" is phenomenal

[@user-dp4jj5hd2b]

That's the most lyrical song ever I gave u power

[@theallmightydef]

I can honestly say that Nas will always be my number 1 MC. He was a master wordsmith, story teller, street general, battle rapper. Dude had all the best producers in hip hop fighting to produce his first record because of his verse on Live at The BBQ. Thats not a fluke. His flow is timeless and he's proven that he can still drop classics 30+ years in the game. Whats crazy is, I don't think we've got his best work yet. Like, I still feel like we have a magnum opus coming from him in the future. And he still to this day manages to make me fall in love with lyricism all over again. Peace to the god.

[@timmyreg]

Nas' verse on Verbal Intercourse has been described as the greatest verse in hip hop history. It's definately at least one of them.

[@Narquis444]

Facts my favorite verse ever.

[@joep1818]

The greatest verse in hip hop history. No question

[@WassupWassup420]

From the womb to the tomb presume the unpredictable

[@timmyreg]

@@WassupWassup420 your beef is mine

[@biskit8050]

also the World Is Yours

[@longliveknowledge9588]

That's crazy he was only nineteen or younger when he wrote Illmatic!

[@subhero3982]

17

[@jasonlancaster3281]

Goat

[@thegraciousfundamentalists6146]

Absolutely

[@goldymack4754]

16

[@ka9202]

...17 when he started working on it.

[@RighteousFiyah]

“Street’s disciple my raps are trifle, I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle” Nas wrote that at 16. Rza is right those were words of a master wordsmith.

[@OmarScruggs]

And Nas still doing it 30 years later....mastering mcing

[@stonedgfromthelv888]

My only explanation for why nas is my favorite mc is that his catalog kept changing with the times, just like scarface and pac, you keep hearing progress, creative ideas, complex patterns, musical genius in my eyes

[@mactk9511]

U on point bro I'm a big scarface fan but nas is something else he said half man half amazing

[@duffman1876]

Aries Spears use to always say Nas made illmatic round 19 so no excuses for the new guys he'd say😂🍻🍺

[@mentlinc]

He wrote it at 16

[@rhysjones1108]

@@mentlinc no, he started working on it at 17 but only finished around 19

[@rhysjones1108]

@@mentlinc maybe he did start at 16 I just never heard that before I always heard 17

[@bklyncrook]

5 years later he told the world he went to hell at 12 for snuffing Jesus.

[@dancehallvibes42]

Distant Relatives is one of my all time favorite albums

[@Lordguesser]

I never thought I'd heard someone give props to Distance Relatives; it's a great album.

[@veksone77]

So underrated!!

[@eddiethebutcher]

I met Damian Marley at a movie theater and told him that

[@newyorker6890]

That album is unbelievably underrated

[@henryhoward2728]

Several gems on that album

[@terrance3248]

Nas made the greatest Rap album of all time at 19 that is incredible

[@jkrichardson5304]

Name it please

[@jkrichardson5304]

Illmatic. Got it

[@Ebs321]

@@jkrichardson5304 I'm sure you've listened to it already. What do you think?

[@miiiiisvibes]

And he wrote the songs years before

[@ghostshipone]

I’m a huge Hip hop fan and have listened to thousands of MC’s.. love all of their styles.. but there’s something about Nas that’s magical.. dunno what it is.. maybe it’s like RZA said.. he mastered it early and has it locked.. and anyone that tries to put Tupac in the conversation can walk!

[@2KILLAVILLE]

Thannnkkk Youuuu!! Pac was good but became highly overrated in death..So Many Greater & Sharper Complexed Rhyming Lyrical Emcees than pac!

[@chronicillz1879]

2pac is more of a cultural icon than a rapper

[@j2323j]

Said the guy who mentioned him lmfao 🤣 2pac is a goat 🐐 to don’t hate Check out them OG versions of 2pac tapes . Still I raise OG is flames 🔥 you tripping bro

[@ghostshipone]

@@j2323j you drunk buzz?

[@IRank.]

Pac is the G.O.AT. I like Nas but Pac is on a league of his own.

[@EFNRND]

“Bag big from laying these ad-libs, my photo the Jordan logo for this rap shit”

[@screamingeagle11b]

The only rapper who comes close to Nas in my opinion is Lupe fiasco, whose a lyrical hybrid of Nas

[@shonedwards8511]

Nas is one of the GOATS In other news, water is wet.

[@Aprylbaby]

🤣

[@andreworrell8407]

😂😂😂

[@chandrastar5939]

Yh me too.

[@nodistractionzpodcast3897]

Thee goat, has surpass your favorite rappers a long time ago

[@thehamburgerler3626]

@@nodistractionzpodcast3897 Your right about that. Because, most ppls favorite rapper from my generation is 2Pac & Biggie. & they been gone..Nas still rocking

[@VeegovonDOOM]

Nas is an elite story teller he paints a very clear mental picture of what he's rapping about. To me that different from being a word smith.

[@itlentertain]

Crazy thing is , Rakim was like 17-18 when he first was out with the preceding singles from Paid in Full and then the Paid in Full album and was already a master at mc’ing and he was the originator/ innovator of internal rhyming that’s existence even allowed Nas to emerge. So Rakim was a master probably right around the same age Nas was but Rakim was the creator of that whole internal rhyming/ deep writing wave that Nas and Wu grew out of.

[@rickhunter1317]

That's why RZA stated you have to start with Rakim.

[@itlentertain]

@@rickhunter1317 Fax I caught that but, I just came to this realization a while ago that I think a lot of Nas fans neglect which is that you almost have to put Rakim ahead of Nas when you talk about the goats because Rakim is just as dope if not Doper And he’s the father that whole style 🤷🏻‍♂️. Dont mean Nas aint fire or is not one of the best ever. It’s just Rakim is that good that original that influencial. In my mind he’ll always be the greatest.

[@jamesosei6888]

It ain't hard to tell Nas is the goat

[@ovdeja]

@The commentor this the goat lyrics? I dont think so

[@rhysjones1108]

Ya I feel he gets disrespected with how many people put others like jay z in front of him. Which Jay is in the convo but Nas clearly takes it imo

[@garry3465]

@@rhysjones1108 how is it disrespectful to have Jay be put ahead of him? Both of them are elite rappers. Surely it's just preference.

[@changemymind8692]

Rza trying education my man here. If you didn’t live through the 90’s era you will never know the exact impact Nas had in hip hop.

[@freddyw3675]

Greatest HipHop LYRICIST of all time to me. The most consistent flow. He sounds exactly the same the last 20+ years! .. It's not about how fast you rap, or how many dictionary/vocabulary words you can put into a verse. It's about story telling, cadence & introspection.

[@NarutoManiac300]

Imagine dropping Illmatic at 19

[@user-gm7pb2ou2t]

That’s Crazy !!!!

[@thegraciousfundamentalists6146]

He was actually 20 going on 21 when the album was released in April 1994... He would turn 21 that September.. It's just a masterpiece of work/music... "From the f**kin dungeon of rap, where fake n***as don't make it back..." 💪🏿💯

[@NarutoManiac300]

@@thegraciousfundamentalists6146 facts and he said it took em like 4 years to write so he had been writing it since 16/17 that's even wilder. Queens 🐐 #QGTM

[@KardiFan2000]

@@thegraciousfundamentalists6146 The raps were written in his teens though...

[@thegraciousfundamentalists6146]

@@KardiFan2000 right 👍🏾💯absolutely..

[@christiaanafrikaner8964]

The Wu forever🔥🔥

[@sellophakoe7245]

Shout out to Lex, man. As both a heavy hip hop head, and a physics undergrad, I truly appreciate this episode. Never have I been disappointed by the guests or content. Great stuff. Respect from SA 🇿🇦 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@dinganemamadhusen4436]

My favorite podcast talking about my favorite artist/mc of ALL TIME!!!! This is so surreal 💎 but one more thing to add about NAS is that with all the fame and money his character is the same and for me that’s the cherry 🍒 on top of the cake 🍰 at the end what matters is that you were a good human being

[@jerrynelson5289]

Nas is the greatest Hands down.

[@samsohn]

Big Pun #1

[@lethalassassin1754]

@@samsohn Big L > Big Pun. I love Puns style he’s insane with his flows but he doesn’t have the rawness guys like L had so did Nas. They were born to hold a mic.

[@samsohn]

@@lethalassassin1754 love the conversation because all opinions are basically legit.

[@lethalassassin1754]

@@samsohn that’s why i love talking to actual hip hop heads lol. We can discuss our favorites and have a good discussion about it.

[@AB-hi6ru]

Nas Rap album of the year 100%

[@funnelcakes8812]

i LOVE when RZA speaks & how he breaks conversation down

[@jizza7173]

Real recognize real, it ain’t hard to tell. For a Legend like Bobby Digital to acknowledge Nasir, dayuuuuum!!!! Lucky ass generation.

[@jakeb3055]

The GOAT is in the eye of the beholder. My GOAT is Rakim. He paved the way for every prominent wordsmith in the 90’s and since.

[@jimmywallhanger8402]

Microphone Fiend is the hardest shit ever

[@Kuruptsentience]

Ether is still the hardest diss track all time.

[@BallerBrownsWorldMusic1]

Forever ever, ever, ever…

[@22antricha]

@@JTD472 nas took a lot of stuff out of ether. Fat joe and someone else heard it before it was released and some some stuff went too far and hit too many people.

[@ronaldjames7843]

I like Ether but in my opinion Common - The bitch in you is the best for me. When he was going at Ice cube & the Westside connection

[@thedizzfunktionalb.m.c8125]

Greatest Emcee of all time, the complete package. I am literally obsessed with his latest album KD3. Nasir Jones - the king of rhythmic poems! I cannot wait to see him in Dublin.

[@tayluc777]

Nas merged all styles into one. He has his arrogant tracks but still have gems in them.

[@h.m.5724]

I love Nas and RZA but I wish just one MC would 1 day mention K-Rino because that dude is just out of this world

[@Alfie_7]

Listen to Undying Love you will understand

[@misterwallace3479]

Showing my age: Rapper delight was the bomb going to and coming back from our high school basketball games. It was badass. No racial divide, just brought us all together.

[@thehamburgerler3626]

I been a Nas fan from the 1st time i saw the video "it aint hard to tell" on the Box video channel in the 90's.

[@shannawaller]

He’s right and he produces great for Nas too. Need more music!

[@KrazyRaisin]

What song besides verbal intercourse did he do that Nas was on?

[@shannawaller]

@@KrazyRaisin he did Tanasia which was featured on his Lost Tapes 2

[@each1teach1academy43]

Greatest MC ever. Greatest producer speaking

[@matj3296]

"Be, b-boys and girls, listen up You can be anything in the world, in God we trust An architect, doctor, maybe an actress But nothing comes easy, it takes much practice..." NAS

[@Dezzyyx]

I know I CAN

[@AliveSince1975]

illmatic set the standard for hip hop!

[@officialtmpwavesmedia8753]

RZA breathing on the mic is legendary

[@The-Enigma-S7]

One of the reasons why he's one of the greatest is because he pays homage, respects and studies the craft of the greats that came before him. This is why emcees like J-Cole in today's era will always be great.

[@atob2056]

Grandmaster Caz deserves his flowers

[@187Wretched]

Kool G Rap is the goat for me. His multi-syllable rhyme schemes and flows influenced the rapping styles of legends like Nas and Pun and countless others

[@ylracci]

thank yu..peace from kinshasa

[@mamalit2901]

Distant Relatives in first disc slot in all my cars for a decade!

[@TheApeWonder]

I mean, as someone said - he dropped something Illmatic then it was simply written…

[@twitchoff1114]

The rap prodigy

[@screamingeagle11b]

Nas aka Esco🙏🏿🤴🏿🐐KD2🔥🔥🔥edit:MAGIC🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@supremesun4580]

True indeed RZA… Nas & Wu Tang Clan are My #1s

[@adamandeveaae8406]

Nas is the best to ever do it!!!

[@feynmanschwingere_mc2270]

Nas is the GOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Period. I could write a 100 page essay on his genius. Nas took Rakim and Kool G Rap and TOOK IT ANOTHER LEVEL. "The Bible has words that Christ wrote, evil men sacrifice GOATS, I speak all my life under oath" - Nas, THE GOAT

[@camm8642]

rza was super cold to esp in his younger days pre bobby digital.....

[@marylewis5860]

Nas is a classical maestro. He is just as relevant today as when he first started. Craftsmanship matters!

[@ismaildelorenzo836]

Big Pun was crazy nice on the mic too

[@jkrichardson5304]

Words can’t describe

[@thefatalveli1]

Caz is my favorite ol skool Mc.... of course Kool G Rap and Rakim... also BDk.... and Nas for sure is an Icon.... RZA & Nas tape, would be EPIC... RZA is a Living Legend !

[@larryburks592]

Nas is the #GOAT

[@jasonlancaster3281]

Wu tang forever!!

[@OGGOAT23]

Biggie my favorite wordsmith

[@princejay9661]

My list: Mos def/yasiin bey Nas Black thought Rza Gza

[@bactrianbish4296]

automatic props anytime i see gza on someone's list, respect

[@marleyjanim5033]

Nas and Chappelle

[@CipherSerpico]

Even as a Lyricist/Musician-that emulated Artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Neil Young, & Radiohead… _Tupac’s “Keep Ya Head Up”_ and _The Pharcyde’s “Passin Me By”_ had a *significant* impact on how I wrote Lyrics. Not only, do I think that those are two of the Greatest Lyrics ever written… But, I legitimately don’t know if I would’ve became a Lyricist if I hadn’t heard those Songs.

[@miketan8857]

WUUUUUUUU!!! R.I.P. ILL WILL

[@Skylivedk]

Props to RZA for throwing light on Polgar (Judith though, not Susan)! And huge fan of Nas. Probably my GOAT. More of lyricist, artist, and story teller than a punchline rapper. Taking a look at his catalogue though, and I see no other rapper who's managed to cover so many different aspects of life and such a combination of depth and detail.

[@benjaminvullers2359]

Nas was also the first guest featured on a Wu joint. As expected he bodied it.

[@jsteeles]

Nas is a mastermind

[@mondlism]

Nas dropped illmatic at 19 🤯

[@donguapo7862]

Rza: how do you condense and make it feel like all of this Nas: makes deja vu

[@JA-mj9re]

Nas is the best to ever do it. 🐐

[@dynamic9016]

Nas is really amazing.

[@henryandkhloeschannelsquan5672]

Gza was dope.

[@duranuptown3040]

I been saying the same thing since illmatic came out to the light!!!!

[@coldkid6]

Verbal intercourse one of my favorite tracks of all time.

[@udinelumbu2351]

"I rap for listeners, blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners."

[@dickhardpicard]

Memory lane

[@salvatorecontec7232]

he is the greatest for me idgaf

[@abrahampalmer8761]

Same

[@MichaelBatmanKeaton]

Nas has always been my favorite MC

[@Jhonny50cash]

NAS is the G.O.A.T dead or alive.

[@AndrewMiller-xw9yx]

Nas NY state o mind is unreal

[@AI-Hallucination]

Some of favourites christ thank you

[@itsactuallytony5699]

If you think abt it, the goat of music started really young was a master by 14‼️ Michael Jackson of course: he had 5 number one hits, 6 top 15 albums, and 3 national tours🔥🔥

[@kivanihabhouse3467]

By one of the greatest you mean the greatest period

[@skhumbuzonkomo8850]

I so wish we could get a Nas album produced by the RZA

[@Raydensheraj]

Lost Tapes 2 had a couple RZA produced tracks.

[@heruapocalypse2021]

Hip-Hop as a Music/Culture went through various Stages.When Emcees became Rapper's.That was when Wordsmithing became it's Own Dynamic.And The Primes of Rapping are in My estimation.It started with Grandmaster Caz,Grandmaster Melle Mel and Kool Moe Dee along with Treacherous 3.Late 70's and early 80's MC'S became Lyricists.And after Them were Guy's like T LA Rock and The Orignator of The Triplett Style The Great BIG JAZ aka The Jaz aka JAZ-O.All of this is mostly early 80's work.Then after Those Guy's came The God RAKIM,KANE,KRS,G-Rap and Ll Cool J.And can't forget the slept on MC Shan.Shan was actually rather complexed with His Rhymes too! But He doesn't get much credit.Run-Dmc influenced EPMD and many olothers as well.But I also would have to say that in terms of being Lyrical! All of Those Guy's gave birth to Nas and many others that came out in the late 80's and early 90's.

[@jkrichardson5304]

Birth of a prince. Great album.

[@tn5671]

Nas is the greatest lyricist of all time, followed by GZA, Rakim, KGR, KRS and Black Thought. Top 6.

[@bostonred162]

And Em

[@forgottenstreets]

Prodigy

[@502skater502]

I wanna here Lex freestyle

[@HibiscusHonee]

Agreed

[@albertperez1]

That analogy of condensing energy is incredible! So spot on

[@ditshego_media]

Great to see Nas get his flowers

[@francoroccapinnuzza2511]

True

[@jameshayes4390]

We already knew this.

[@MultiBillionHeir]

As a youngin I knew Nas was different after he dropped one love muzik video .. video used to be in heavy rotation.. I was like this kid won’t stop spitting.. why isn’t he tired? lol Later on if I ruled the world video dropped & said to myself dude got the game locked

[@sonofmann]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX6UdGychN-cfNEsi=8OH1c1hv946ckDPX

[@krl52]

In the Old School it was Rakim,then KRS One&Big Daddy Kane shared the #2 Slot.(3 Greatest Old School's Ever)Then Nas was called the "2nd Coming of Rakim,New and Improved."Then Pac&Biggie. Now for this Generation ~ it's J.Cole,Kendrick lamar&Drake. But Nas&Pac share the Crown as the Greatest of the Great. ~HANDS DOWN. They are Eternally Untouchable.

[@carmenbertios6586]

I saw an interview with Jlo and she says in her opinion it’s Nas❤

[@litman5584]

None he listed seeing Earl sweatshirt

[@cryosteam3944]

NaS IS the greatest of all time