10 Best Diss Tracks In Hip Hop

Nas is considered one of the most significant rappers of '90s hip hop. At a time when the West Coast was dominating, his debut, Illmatic, sparked a renewed interest in the East Coast scene. But, it's true, that his follow up records didn't reach the same height as his seminal first release.

Although critics had been slowly tearing at the fraying edges of his legacy, Nas proved he wasn't done. Motivated by Jay-Z's takedown in Takeover, he responded with a furious retribution. Ether was entirely dedicated to the insults levelled at him. He systematically addressed and dismantled each and every one of Jay-Z's claims, deflecting the insults while expertly turning the fire on his opponent.

And damn, did Nas go hard. He tore into everything, from Jay-Z's flow, claiming he ripped of Biggie, to his tendency to use misogynistic language. Jay-Z responded with several more tracks, but Nas had already established he was back in the game. His record Stillmatic confirmed this, reaching a critical acclaim he hadn't received since his debut.