10 Best Diss Tracks In Hip Hop
8. Takeover - Jay-Z (2001)
Takeover was the flag Jay-Z planted in the world of hip-hop, staking his claim as one of the greatest artists of his generation. Augmented by Kanye West's exquisitely tailored beat - which sampled both the Doors and David Bowie - Jay-Z devastated a number of his contemporaries.
His take down of Prodigy from Mobb Deep made reference to the rapper's former time as a ballerina - a sure fire way to insult a man in a world of overt masculinity. But his most infamous verses took aim at rap icon Nas. It was a bold move.
Nas' Illmatic had been hailed as a defining component of East Coast hip hop. He was considered one of the more influential players in the game, even though his subsequent records had resulted in a less enthusiastic response. Jay-Z co-ordinated his strike with pinpoint precession, praising Nas' debut but going on to slate his more recent releases.
Alluding to Nas being a has-been sparked a long running feud between the two. Jay-Z inadvertently rekindled his opponent's career, when Nas released his response...