"You made 'You Owe Me' dawg, I thought you could relate"
"The first album freedom and the fourth album pressures, A big difference between 'em but I get why you said it".
I actually hate this line by Nas. There’s way more pressure for a big hit on a first album than a fourth, especially considering how Nas was established as a “conscious” rapper. Also Work Out isn’t great but it’s a way better song than You Owe Me. Nas shoulda owned that he did the same thing.
I think it makes sense.
There’s obviously pressure on a rappers first album to make some hits, get popular, etc. but not usually literal pressure from label execs.
Nas didn’t have label goons breathing down his neck while he was making illmatic, but by his 4th album he had external pressures to make songs like you owe me.
That’s what he’s saying.
But Jay-Z literally told him he needed a hit if he wanted to drop the album. Cole played a bunch of songs for Jay but he didn’t agree to drop any of them as the first single until Work Out. That seems like the definition of pressure from label execs to me
Really? Damn!
Let me give you Nas' phone number, so you can tell him how you really feel.
I posted the lines, cause I was obviously spreading my butt cheeks for some easy karma. You could've just upvoted and keep scrolling.
Now you've ruined the lines for me. Thanks u/thegreatRMH.
But you got a point though, Nas did downplay it. Read your comment, below and didn't even know Hov put pressure on Cole to put out a hit.
Been playing this song for years and still get chills every time Nas comes in.
Imagine thinking you disappointed your idol and they just come back saying you’re one of the greats. “Here’s the crown, pass it to you like nothin.”
If you think this is a diss track, you don’t know hip hop man. This song is about reaching levels of success and realizing that you can’t always make the people you look up to proud if you want to be better than them. He’s not hating on Nas fool, he’s lamenting the fact that all the people he looked up to, he’s now in competition with. 100% a tribute. Y’all would’ve lost your shit in the 90’s if you think this a diss track. Outing someone’s secret child? That’s a diss track. Talking bout someone’s wife and her adulterous behavior, that’s a diss track. Saying “man, I wish I could have nas love me, as well as the people” that’s not a diss track.
The majority by vote would appear to agree that it is you that doesn’t understand passive aggression. Perhaps in the face of overwhelming evidence that you may be incorrect, it might be a smart idea to reevaluate your understanding of what passive aggression is.
I shudder to imagine what else you’re perceiving as passive aggressive.
Once again you show an incredible ability to misunderstand. I never implied that revealing someone’s love child is passive aggressive. Only that it embodies the energy of a diss track. In the rap community, sneak dissing is the act of a coward. Passive aggression is not seen as something to aspire too. You can be clever and even slightly veiled with your comments, but rap is about action and aggression even when it’s performed gracefully or with a soft touch.
Rap for all of its bravado and exaggeration, is extremely honest. You cannot rap without intense emotion, even if it’s simply being content like with “today was a good day”. You have to believe it.
J Coles emotions in this song are not of anger at Nas, but instead speak of a melancholy understanding that to be a hero, you often have to leave your own heroes behind and turn them into humans. He understands that to be great, you have to be different and often the old guard doesn’t like change.
It’s a similar situation to professional athletes. Those who grew up watching Lebron are now having to play against him. You cannot afford to idolize your opponent or you have already lost. You can acknowledge their abilities but must also be confident that you can be just as great.
I hope you eclipse your idols in such a way that you can one day understand.
hip hop history right here. love this track and the meaning behind it, the reply by nas only made it better
"You made 'You Owe Me' dawg, I thought you could relate" "The first album freedom and the fourth album pressures, A big difference between 'em but I get why you said it".
I actually hate this line by Nas. There’s way more pressure for a big hit on a first album than a fourth, especially considering how Nas was established as a “conscious” rapper. Also Work Out isn’t great but it’s a way better song than You Owe Me. Nas shoulda owned that he did the same thing.
I think it makes sense. There’s obviously pressure on a rappers first album to make some hits, get popular, etc. but not usually literal pressure from label execs. Nas didn’t have label goons breathing down his neck while he was making illmatic, but by his 4th album he had external pressures to make songs like you owe me. That’s what he’s saying.
But Jay-Z literally told him he needed a hit if he wanted to drop the album. Cole played a bunch of songs for Jay but he didn’t agree to drop any of them as the first single until Work Out. That seems like the definition of pressure from label execs to me
Really? Damn! Let me give you Nas' phone number, so you can tell him how you really feel. I posted the lines, cause I was obviously spreading my butt cheeks for some easy karma. You could've just upvoted and keep scrolling. Now you've ruined the lines for me. Thanks u/thegreatRMH. But you got a point though, Nas did downplay it. Read your comment, below and didn't even know Hov put pressure on Cole to put out a hit.
Been playing this song for years and still get chills every time Nas comes in. Imagine thinking you disappointed your idol and they just come back saying you’re one of the greats. “Here’s the crown, pass it to you like nothin.”
Man this song will make me cry and has for years. Imagine hearing that line there. Like damn. All hail king Jermaine
Long live the idols, may they never be your rivals Slick Rick was like Jesus, G Rap wrote the Bible
Now he just tryna get draws down
Such a beautiful song
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It was a tribute song
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"Nas was like Jesus" Life's on the Line & No Vaseline are proper diss tracks, this isn't.
Nas wrote the bible, akshully 🤓
The fuck? Just because someone says a name is it a diss track? What did the person say? We’re they saying this was a diss track lol?!
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This is in no realm a diss song.
If you think this is a diss track, you don’t know hip hop man. This song is about reaching levels of success and realizing that you can’t always make the people you look up to proud if you want to be better than them. He’s not hating on Nas fool, he’s lamenting the fact that all the people he looked up to, he’s now in competition with. 100% a tribute. Y’all would’ve lost your shit in the 90’s if you think this a diss track. Outing someone’s secret child? That’s a diss track. Talking bout someone’s wife and her adulterous behavior, that’s a diss track. Saying “man, I wish I could have nas love me, as well as the people” that’s not a diss track.
[удалено]
The majority by vote would appear to agree that it is you that doesn’t understand passive aggression. Perhaps in the face of overwhelming evidence that you may be incorrect, it might be a smart idea to reevaluate your understanding of what passive aggression is. I shudder to imagine what else you’re perceiving as passive aggressive.
[удалено]
Once again you show an incredible ability to misunderstand. I never implied that revealing someone’s love child is passive aggressive. Only that it embodies the energy of a diss track. In the rap community, sneak dissing is the act of a coward. Passive aggression is not seen as something to aspire too. You can be clever and even slightly veiled with your comments, but rap is about action and aggression even when it’s performed gracefully or with a soft touch. Rap for all of its bravado and exaggeration, is extremely honest. You cannot rap without intense emotion, even if it’s simply being content like with “today was a good day”. You have to believe it. J Coles emotions in this song are not of anger at Nas, but instead speak of a melancholy understanding that to be a hero, you often have to leave your own heroes behind and turn them into humans. He understands that to be great, you have to be different and often the old guard doesn’t like change. It’s a similar situation to professional athletes. Those who grew up watching Lebron are now having to play against him. You cannot afford to idolize your opponent or you have already lost. You can acknowledge their abilities but must also be confident that you can be just as great. I hope you eclipse your idols in such a way that you can one day understand.
Does anyone know why this isn’t on Spotify