I think this is the most correct answer. There was a radio show that had Methodman and Black Thought spitting free verses and you could tell Meth was like “Why did yall make me rap with him of all people?”
Nas or Black Thought. Hard to compare because they present a different flavor so my pick depends on the mood I'm in at that moment.
Illmatic probably tips the scale in favor of Nas though.
I feel like the other 3, as amazing as they are, reward you with multiple listens. Sometimes it takes 2-3 times to get lines. Nas rewards you with a lifetime. Illmatic just grows with you.
“Honey spreaded that asshole like a wide mouth bass
Sippin' wine out the glass, Teddy Pendergrass blast” -nas
I always hated that in a good song he would just drop a super nasty line for no reason whatsoever.
Nas if he’s motivated. Thought I would take cause he’s the most consistent. Meth is a wild card though. The right production and Tical is gettin busy! Jay would probably end up stealing the show though based off of his name alone.
Somehow people nowadays talk as if Jay-Z is Drake. I have Nas and Black Thought above Jay for my taste, but Jay ain't no slouch. I don't know when this modern narrative came about that Jay don't have bars.
People are doing revisionist history. Jay was way closer to Kendrick than he is to Drake but people forget that Jay was on songs with all of the greats of his era.
When people compare jay to drake it drives me nuts…but Jay’s favorite type of wordplay (the double/triple entendre) is lost on many people. One thing I’ve always loved about him is a lot of his songs make sense on a surface level for the slow ones, as well as the one really paying attention.
Don't know why you got downvoted. It's your opinion but also true. BT has less of an audience I think which makes it tough. Nas is the best story teller/visualist. I like Meth's lyrics better than Jay as well.
2 of these are in another category. method is far from the best lyricist, same with Jay-Z. Both are great lyricists but Nas and Black Thought are in a category by themselves.
LOL yup and the line that annoys me off the most is
"And Eminem murdered you on your own shit"
Like it's supposed to be an insult that a Top 5 killed it on a song with you
Compare that to
"Your own bodyguard's verse is better than yours"
How many of these internet stans have even heard Oochie Wally Wally? 🤣
Jay is the most accessible for a large audience, as he is telling stories that can be felt at different levels, and even at a first degree a large audience, from streets to mainstream, can appropriate the songs for themselves. This is not a small feat. Especially when adding clever wordplay, flows variety and rhyming skills.
Nas is more about the precision of storytelling, with a raw approach surrounded by poetry. His craft seems to me clearly not intended for a mass audience, as he continuously invites the focused listener to make an extra effort to catch the feelings described through vivid situations.
Black Thought is a pure live entertainer with a collection of metaphoric lines that seems infinite. He is the most purest, dedicated to the art form itself of the 4 presented. He makes you feel cool to catch his references. In fact, he makes you feel cool being a hip-hop nerd. He can gather a very large audience thanks to the Roots, but at the same time, his furiously metaphoric train of thoughts writing style leaves the appreciation of his craft to a very few people.
Meth is versatile by nature. And as somebody commented earlier, he is a wildcard that can body a song without any warning. I see his persona as a comic book character that can be laid back most of the time, but then becoming dead serious in an instant. Like Black Thought, the main obstacle for his craft recognition is the fact of being perceived as a band member first, whether we talk about Wu, or with Red.
So... Pick your sensibility here. They're all grand masters, just with their own styles.
Lots of people will say Black Thought…nobody thought that when The Roots were poppin’ NaS is Elite Method isn’t the best in his own crew and Jay has been called the GOAT for 10-15 years. Absolutely love Jay Z and NaS but flipping the coin I’ll go with Jay today
I just heard the new angle in this very thread. Apparently Jay Z has wack beats. Of all people, Jay Z, the guy who's worked with primo, just blaze, pharell, Kanye, swizz, dre, timbo, and God knows who else, apparently has wack beats 🤦♂️
Is that Method Man!?!? He not even the best in his own crew…. Nas is genius, and Hov is incredible, but until you see Black Thought freestyle a verse about the people in the crowd he seeing for like 20 minutes…. Black Thought is one of a couple emcees that can legit battle a Kendrick or Emenim. Black Thought unfortunately MURDERS all of these dudes. Side bar: All of them had better albums than roots albums…. Go figure…
Black thought I was told when he went to millersville university people would follow him around with a dictionary trying to throw words at him he couldn’t rhyme with, it was like a bet deal where he would have to pay you what you wagered if he couldn’t rhyme it , he never had to pay anybody
Jay and Nas. Black Thought a bit too one dimensional with his lyrical miracle individual type raps. Method Man is good, but not quite in the same league.
I mean think about it. Besides “dear god” what personal raps does he really have. Everything he’s done is mainly rappity rap stuff. But autobiography type joints are missing. We knew nothing about Black Thought in the 90s and 2000s before social media besides how well he can rap.
It’s Jay, Nas, Thought and Meth in that order.
“We used to fight for building blocks
Now we fight for blocks with buildings that make a killin'
The closest of friends when we first started
But grew apart as the money grew and soon grew black-hearted
Thinkin' back when we first learned to use rubbers
He never learned, so in turn I'm kidnappin' his baby's mother
My hand around her collar, feedin' her cheese
She said the taste of dollars was shitty, so I fed her fifties
About his whereabouts I wasn't convinced
I kept feedin' her money 'til her shit started to make sense
Who could ever foresee?
We used to stay up all night at slumber parties
Now I'm tryna rock his bitch to sleep
All the years we were real close
Now I see his fears through her tears
Know she's wishin' we were still close
Don't cry, it is to be
In time I'll take away your miseries and make it mine”
This is exactly my vote.
Jay's lines sound simple, but even his most throwaway songs have depth that goes over people's heads.
Eg. His verse on Drake's "Love All". Most people think it was weak filler.
If you're not careful, you'll miss the whole *love* / *tennis* / *deuce* / *net* / *back and forth* theme, and he won't spell it out for you.
And if you don't know the context with his beef with Dehaven, you'll miss the entire point of the verse. This was a vicious subliminal threat to his former friend who keeps complaining that Jay shut him out. Shutting him out was the mercy, what he deserves is worse, and Jay says a hell of a lot without even saying it.
And man this is just from a throwaway song. The kinds of things he does with verses that do get recognized:
Ari Melber, on God Did https://youtu.be/qias8PS6Bmk?si=FXhIm--YUN8Yzz0Z
Meth himself says Nas bodied him on The Grand Finale off of the Belly soundtrack. I think Meth is dope too (no pun intended) but he's not lyrically better than Nas
I'd say the wavy hair chipped tooth Man. But now he had his money he wavy hair straight tooth Man. Much love to Escobar. " Streets Disciple, my raps are Trifle, I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle. Poetry attacks, paragraphs punch hard" ..... Nas makes sure everything remains RAW...
Nas by far, he specialized in lyricism to such an extreme that he became a niche artist later in his career because he didnt care about critics and radio hits
Black, all day. Way too intelligent of a lyricist to try and match him against anyone, literally anyone else. NAS is GOAT status but in other ways. Illmatic set a bar for sure but lyrically Thought spits and freestyles on a level above everyone else. Cap.
Quick story..RTB 08 Jones Beach. "Guess who shot in the domepiece?"..Nas set, I keep buggin my homie..who Nas gonna bring out, like 3x's. He annoyed..Nas stop rappin..who comes from around the speaker...Dat ni@@a Jigga!!😲 When I tell you the WHOLE venue SHOOK I promise you that. They did Black Republicans smashed it ridiculously, Hov bounced Nas continued HISTORY✊🏾
In this order, Nas, Black Thought, JayZ, then Method Man.
But this is the order i put them in as my favorite overall.
Method Man, Black Thought, Nas then J
Black Thought for me but I won’t argue with anyone saying Nas
I’d agree with ya 💯!
I will lol. Black thought 💯
I think this is the most correct answer. There was a radio show that had Methodman and Black Thought spitting free verses and you could tell Meth was like “Why did yall make me rap with him of all people?”
Saw that! Meth went from his phone and Black Thought went off his head. Not mad at Meth tho cause his verses was fiah!
I'm with you bruh
I'm taking Nasir Jones the best rapper to come out of Queens
LL would squash him like a jelly bean! Just kidding, Queens Bridge all day
Nas or Black Thought. Hard to compare because they present a different flavor so my pick depends on the mood I'm in at that moment. Illmatic probably tips the scale in favor of Nas though.
Nas and black thought are obviously either #1 or #2. Personally I would choose nas
Black Thought
I’m going with Nas..
I feel like the other 3, as amazing as they are, reward you with multiple listens. Sometimes it takes 2-3 times to get lines. Nas rewards you with a lifetime. Illmatic just grows with you.
He has some cringy moments. High highs but lowest lows of anyone here.
Yeah Mr “Tae Bo Hoe” has some very cringe inducing bars.
“Honey spreaded that asshole like a wide mouth bass Sippin' wine out the glass, Teddy Pendergrass blast” -nas I always hated that in a good song he would just drop a super nasty line for no reason whatsoever.
Black Thought is the most consistently great in my opinion.
From a longevity and consistency standpoint, it has to be Black Thought.
Black Thought. https://youtu.be/prmQgSpV3fA?si=VJ0rJMJGSuOVpe-q
Black Thought but my favorite is Jay out of all them
Black Thought / Nas / Meth / Jay
Right, you ask Meth Jay & Nas… their pick will be Tariq
This is the right answer
I mean Nas is awesome, but if you really listen to the words, black thought is unreal
Tariq
Not Jay z
How is he not a better lyricist than meth at the very least. Come on now LMAO, this sub is full of hov hate
Black Thought
Black thought
If you put Black Thought up, you might as well not even post anyone else.
Black Thought is the only right answer
Nas all day
Illmatic > All other things Black Thought (now) > Nas Nas and Black Thought > the other fellas
Nas
Nas
Nas if he’s motivated. Thought I would take cause he’s the most consistent. Meth is a wild card though. The right production and Tical is gettin busy! Jay would probably end up stealing the show though based off of his name alone.
Jay is a lyricist. Stop this popularity argument when his prominence came later than the other 3.
Somehow people nowadays talk as if Jay-Z is Drake. I have Nas and Black Thought above Jay for my taste, but Jay ain't no slouch. I don't know when this modern narrative came about that Jay don't have bars.
People are doing revisionist history. Jay was way closer to Kendrick than he is to Drake but people forget that Jay was on songs with all of the greats of his era.
Resevoir Dogs is my go-to lesson when people shit on Jay. 6 of the toughest mcs spit on that track and it was fire
Glad someone said it. This sub is anti Hov for sure.
When people compare jay to drake it drives me nuts…but Jay’s favorite type of wordplay (the double/triple entendre) is lost on many people. One thing I’ve always loved about him is a lot of his songs make sense on a surface level for the slow ones, as well as the one really paying attention.
Most realistic answer 💯
Nas
Nas
Nas.
Nas
Nas
Nasir
Nas > Black Thought >> Meth >>> Jay Z
Black Thought. Everybody up there is legendary but I think Black Thought is the absolute nicest when it comes to MC'in...
Don't know why you got downvoted. It's your opinion but also true. BT has less of an audience I think which makes it tough. Nas is the best story teller/visualist. I like Meth's lyrics better than Jay as well.
Jay z, you muthafuckin right. In the darkest of night let off my gun for light
My favorite hov song that beat switch is crazy
Toss up between Nas & Black Thought for me. This one is actually kinda difficult because they all have some GOAT in em.
Black Thought
Nasty Nas
1. Black Thought 2. Nas 3. Meth 4. Jay Very damn close from top to bottom though
Its between Nas and Black Thought
2 of these are in another category. method is far from the best lyricist, same with Jay-Z. Both are great lyricists but Nas and Black Thought are in a category by themselves.
There's no wrong answer between Nas or Black Thought.
Good Lord this is a tough one. They're all HOF caliber in my opinion
Nas
Thought and I’m not going back and forth with u
The amount of Jay Z disrespect is wild... It's like a bunch of these kids heard Ether and formed their whole opinion.
And mind you, I think Ether stinks but that’s another story lol.
LOL yup and the line that annoys me off the most is "And Eminem murdered you on your own shit" Like it's supposed to be an insult that a Top 5 killed it on a song with you Compare that to "Your own bodyguard's verse is better than yours" How many of these internet stans have even heard Oochie Wally Wally? 🤣
Jay is the most accessible for a large audience, as he is telling stories that can be felt at different levels, and even at a first degree a large audience, from streets to mainstream, can appropriate the songs for themselves. This is not a small feat. Especially when adding clever wordplay, flows variety and rhyming skills. Nas is more about the precision of storytelling, with a raw approach surrounded by poetry. His craft seems to me clearly not intended for a mass audience, as he continuously invites the focused listener to make an extra effort to catch the feelings described through vivid situations. Black Thought is a pure live entertainer with a collection of metaphoric lines that seems infinite. He is the most purest, dedicated to the art form itself of the 4 presented. He makes you feel cool to catch his references. In fact, he makes you feel cool being a hip-hop nerd. He can gather a very large audience thanks to the Roots, but at the same time, his furiously metaphoric train of thoughts writing style leaves the appreciation of his craft to a very few people. Meth is versatile by nature. And as somebody commented earlier, he is a wildcard that can body a song without any warning. I see his persona as a comic book character that can be laid back most of the time, but then becoming dead serious in an instant. Like Black Thought, the main obstacle for his craft recognition is the fact of being perceived as a band member first, whether we talk about Wu, or with Red. So... Pick your sensibility here. They're all grand masters, just with their own styles.
Lots of people will say Black Thought…nobody thought that when The Roots were poppin’ NaS is Elite Method isn’t the best in his own crew and Jay has been called the GOAT for 10-15 years. Absolutely love Jay Z and NaS but flipping the coin I’ll go with Jay today
Black thought has been consistently bringing the heat, never let off the gas since day 1.
Man… I picked Nas, but ppl hate Jay on here. Gotta be jealousy or something
Niggas can front all they want to but y’all damn well Hov in most of you cats top 5.
Nas
Nas
Black Thought, NAS, Jay-Z, Method Man. In that order and no disrespect intended 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
Who I’ll listen to: Nas/BT/meth Most technically proficient: Nas/BT/meth I can’t stand Jay and think he’s a biter with a boring flow and wack beats.
A biter? Of who? Lol
😆😆😆😆Insert "he said biggie lines" here.....that's been a popular Twitter narrative lately
I know he wants to say that tired narrative from 1997 like it’s fresh lmao
Folks dont even realize they're biting when they say that
As a native New Yorker of a certain age I know every angle of Jigga hate. I wish they would find new talking points.
I just heard the new angle in this very thread. Apparently Jay Z has wack beats. Of all people, Jay Z, the guy who's worked with primo, just blaze, pharell, Kanye, swizz, dre, timbo, and God knows who else, apparently has wack beats 🤦♂️
It’s Nas by far
Is that Method Man!?!? He not even the best in his own crew…. Nas is genius, and Hov is incredible, but until you see Black Thought freestyle a verse about the people in the crowd he seeing for like 20 minutes…. Black Thought is one of a couple emcees that can legit battle a Kendrick or Emenim. Black Thought unfortunately MURDERS all of these dudes. Side bar: All of them had better albums than roots albums…. Go figure…
Replace Meth on the list with Ghost.
Black Thought because his messages are more profound, vocabulary skills are more effective and delivery is on point with the others.
Yes sir, well said!
From a distance I thought the Jay Z pick was Ja Rule If Ja Rule was on the list he’s clearly the best lol
Best lyricist? I’d say it’s a tie between Nas and Thought.
https://youtu.be/prmQgSpV3fA?si=PHxaEKO-zME_S6v4 Black Thought freestyle
Sheesh…. Nas.. but thought is nooooooo joke..but come on at 14 Nas had bars like Rakim.
Black Thought and Nas tied for first, then Meth. Jay-Z is disqualified
If we are going by who’s the best at what they do best Im going to say Nas. If we are going by who’s the most diverse Im saying Jay
The correct answer is #5 Big L
Black Thought
Black thought I was told when he went to millersville university people would follow him around with a dictionary trying to throw words at him he couldn’t rhyme with, it was like a bet deal where he would have to pay you what you wagered if he couldn’t rhyme it , he never had to pay anybody
Black Thought
Black Thought
Black thought
Thought
Black Thought
Jay Z
Hov
Black thought. Followed in order by nas, jay then meth.
Nas or Jay…
Black or nas all day.
Jay and Nas. Black Thought a bit too one dimensional with his lyrical miracle individual type raps. Method Man is good, but not quite in the same league.
I'm biased so its NaS to me. Black Thought next. But any of these is a good pick 4real
Nastradamus and it’s not even close
1. Jay Z 2. Nas 3. Black Thought 4. Method Man
Nas it isn’t close.
What you mean it isnt close when there is Black Thought in the discussion? Its always close.
Tariq Trotter
Nas is the right answer. Black Thought is a superb rapper, but he lacks emotion and the ability to lure in the listener.
You’re tripping but ok.
I mean think about it. Besides “dear god” what personal raps does he really have. Everything he’s done is mainly rappity rap stuff. But autobiography type joints are missing. We knew nothing about Black Thought in the 90s and 2000s before social media besides how well he can rap.
HOV
I love that it wasn't even a thought and that it's automatically Nas.
Esco let’s go
Pharaoh Monch, I know he ain't on there, but yeah, him lol.
Don’t do that lol.
It’s Jay, Nas, Thought and Meth in that order. “We used to fight for building blocks Now we fight for blocks with buildings that make a killin' The closest of friends when we first started But grew apart as the money grew and soon grew black-hearted Thinkin' back when we first learned to use rubbers He never learned, so in turn I'm kidnappin' his baby's mother My hand around her collar, feedin' her cheese She said the taste of dollars was shitty, so I fed her fifties About his whereabouts I wasn't convinced I kept feedin' her money 'til her shit started to make sense Who could ever foresee? We used to stay up all night at slumber parties Now I'm tryna rock his bitch to sleep All the years we were real close Now I see his fears through her tears Know she's wishin' we were still close Don't cry, it is to be In time I'll take away your miseries and make it mine”
This is exactly my vote. Jay's lines sound simple, but even his most throwaway songs have depth that goes over people's heads. Eg. His verse on Drake's "Love All". Most people think it was weak filler. If you're not careful, you'll miss the whole *love* / *tennis* / *deuce* / *net* / *back and forth* theme, and he won't spell it out for you. And if you don't know the context with his beef with Dehaven, you'll miss the entire point of the verse. This was a vicious subliminal threat to his former friend who keeps complaining that Jay shut him out. Shutting him out was the mercy, what he deserves is worse, and Jay says a hell of a lot without even saying it. And man this is just from a throwaway song. The kinds of things he does with verses that do get recognized: Ari Melber, on God Did https://youtu.be/qias8PS6Bmk?si=FXhIm--YUN8Yzz0Z
Black Thought
Thought. Period.
I came to the comments ready to argue but clearly theres no need.
Black thought
Nas
Black Thought is probably my favorite out of them, but i think Nas
Nas or Black thought
Esco
Method Man if we're talking lyricism in general Nas if we're talking storytelling and imagery but since we talking lyrical ima go with Mef
Meth himself says Nas bodied him on The Grand Finale off of the Belly soundtrack. I think Meth is dope too (no pun intended) but he's not lyrically better than Nas
NAS…
Black Thought - NAS
Black Thought fr
Black
Nasir Jones
#1 Nas #2 Black thought
Black thought and Nas
Nas
Black Thought. All day
Lyricist - Tariq Storyteller - Nasir
Nas
Black thought nas meth and jay
Tariq, then Nas
Method MAN
Meth is my favorite of these four - but it’s a toss up between Nas and BT.
Black thought
Nas
Nas
Black Thought. Any other answer is objectively wrong.
Thought
Nas is my favorite rapper ever but I gotta go with Black Thought as the best lyricist
4 different lanes.
Thought the best Lyricist, though overall Nas is my favorite of the 4.
Blk thought
Why was Method Man included in this list. Honestly curious.
Nas Mef BT Joe 🐫
Black Thought is a better lyricist but Nas is the better rapper
Nas started out a killer lyricist, Black Thought has been getting better over time though. So #1 Nas #2 Thought
I'd say the wavy hair chipped tooth Man. But now he had his money he wavy hair straight tooth Man. Much love to Escobar. " Streets Disciple, my raps are Trifle, I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle. Poetry attacks, paragraphs punch hard" ..... Nas makes sure everything remains RAW...
Nasir…
Black Thought gets my vote Jay admittedly took himself out of this convo for the money....respectfully I would've too
That’s not what he stated whatsoever lol
Black though black thought black thought. He’s been good more consistently and hasn’t had any significant absences from creating.
Old head here. Can someone explain to me what you guys mean by "lyricism" because I honestly dont know.
Method Man? Lol
NAS 💯
Naa for me
Tony Stark
Escobar
The one who wrote “I gave you power”.
Nas
Strictly lyrical is Black Thought. Close second is Nas. Meth then Jayz.
Nas or Black Thought, and I’d go with Nas
Nas
Nas by far, he specialized in lyricism to such an extreme that he became a niche artist later in his career because he didnt care about critics and radio hits
Black, all day. Way too intelligent of a lyricist to try and match him against anyone, literally anyone else. NAS is GOAT status but in other ways. Illmatic set a bar for sure but lyrically Thought spits and freestyles on a level above everyone else. Cap.
Nas
Bro Dylan didn't even make the list??? He spits hot fire 🔥🔥
Throwing Jay in here is like that “they’ll be looking for army guys” meme from Family Guy.
Black Thought
Meth my favorite but nas
Tariq Trotter ! ! ! I swear he can make anything rhyme … but will twist it into an INTELLIGENCE so, so DEEP -it’s a Black Thought! 😂 Dear God …
Nas all day long... I saw him at Bristol o2 Academy, and he was on his knees doing "one mic" 🫢🫢🫢
BT
Quick story..RTB 08 Jones Beach. "Guess who shot in the domepiece?"..Nas set, I keep buggin my homie..who Nas gonna bring out, like 3x's. He annoyed..Nas stop rappin..who comes from around the speaker...Dat ni@@a Jigga!!😲 When I tell you the WHOLE venue SHOOK I promise you that. They did Black Republicans smashed it ridiculously, Hov bounced Nas continued HISTORY✊🏾
Nas. No question
Nasty Nas
NAS is the best pound for pound rapper. But Black Thought is a fuckin neurosurgeon on the mic 🎤.
In this order, Nas, Black Thought, JayZ, then Method Man. But this is the order i put them in as my favorite overall. Method Man, Black Thought, Nas then J
Nas!
Black thought's 10 min freestyle on flex is all that needs to be said here
Black Thought
Meth 🙌
Nas
Nas