The Don
The greatest of my time.
Nuff Said--but, I'll continue.
From recently perusing this journal, I see my openly-expressed (and documented) affections for NaS go back to about January 2002 or something. I remember becoming BIG on buddy when "Ether" came out because I absolutely "HATED" Jay-Z. It was so deep that I felt like if I saw him on the streets near my new, temporary Brooklyn domicile (aka dorm), I would personally fight his ass...and I believed I would win.
Anyway, NaS gained my complete adoration with "Ether" because of the fact that he was ballsy enough to be a big enough named dude going at another equally big name--and not just on any pussyfoot type of diss--assassinating "Jigga." He killed him..and because it was expressing some of my exact sentiments, I was GOT--in a major way. The writing and storytelling throughout Stillmatic didn't hurt my ever-growing enchantment for Nasir either.
I remember being a lil shorty feeling like I was on something because I bought and played the Street Dreams single cassette--and I rocked with other radio singles/popular tracks like "Firm Biz" & "Phone Tap" put out by his group, The Firm. He lost me with "You Owe Me" and even though I wasn't nearly as in tune with Illmatic, It Was Written etc...I was somehow disappointed in that. From that time throughout his most recent album release, "Life is Good," he still disappoints me--his divorce with Kelis, certain phrases (which lead me to believe certain things about him--speculation, of course), and OF COURSE LET ME NOT FORGET TO MENTION his public defense of Gwyneth Paltrow after her tweet about being with her Niggas in Paris, but overall--as far as his intelligence, wit, writing skill, flow and eternal sex appeal--I can't let go, and he remains THE GREATEST thus far.