Em vs Jay, GOAT?

Something I did a a little while back but that was not read by many. I think its pretty interesting, give it a read

Today Eminem performed in front of thousands in Chicago and although I could not be there it got me thinking about if Em truly is the G.O.A.T. or even the greatest rapper alive.

Eminem's accomplishments are monumental and he has accomplished what no rapper before him has ever been able to do, break through to a mainstream audience with a pure hip-hop sound. Em is the most profitable recording artist of the decade in terms of album sales. Every album of his has gone platinum and his list of chart topping singles is unmatched. With that being said I have always had a problem calling him the G.O.A.T. Don't get me wrong Eminem is as gifted with the mic as anyone in the game and his rhyme scheme/cadences are contested by few. However, in my opinion Jay-Z is simply better. The main reason for this is more very good albums consistently with the same amount of missteps. Em is still the 2nd best rapper alive but let me make my case for Jay without getting too technical about his double entendres (for that read: Decoded) or debating his flows vs Eminem's (both are equally great).

Jay has two undeniable hip-hop classics in The Blueprint and The Black Album. Reasonable Doubt is also as good as mafioso rap gets. American Gangster is great and The In My Lifetime trilogy is something serious. Jay was not without his missteps though, putting out Kingdom Come and a disastrous R. Kelly collabo album or two.

The first two albums mentioned top to bottom do not miss a beat. No song is mailed in and every songs feels like an event. When Jay opens up with "The Ruler's Back", off The Blueprint, you cannot help but feel like you are listening to a moment stuck in time. When Mr. Beyonce Knowles says,

"I wanna thank everybody out there for they purchase

I surely appreciate it
What you about to witness is my thoughts
Just my thoughts man - right or wrong
Just what I was feeling at the time
You ever felt like this, you vibe with me
Walk with a nigga man - just vibe with me"

its hard not feel transported back to 2001 when he was at the height of his beef with Nas. The album carries that same feel throughout, a stream of conscious. Whether he is focusing on Nas or simply reminiscing on his past on "Never Change", Jay doesn't miss a step .

I can say the same thing about The Black Album. A classic from front to back with the only questionable song being the R. Kelly sampled "Threat" and that song is still is above average . The whole album takes you back to those moments when everyone thought Jay was gone forever. He of course has made 3 albums since his "retirement". The album did seem like a perfect way to leave rap, but I think we are all happy to still have Hov around.

Around the time Jay was releasing The Black Album, Em was prepping the release of Encore and preparing for his own hiatus due to a long battle with prescription drugs. Up to this point in his career Em had made 3 very good good albums and debatable classics. The 1st album he released was The Slim SHady LP and I find it extremely difficult to criticize The Slim Shady LP which is a classic.

The Marshall Mathers LP was also great, but something held it back from being a true classic. A song like Under the Influence doesn't belong on a classic album because quite frankly D-12 is pretty damn bad, especially with songs like "Bitch Please" and "Kill You" already on the album. Both those songs serve the same purpose as Under the Influence and serve that purpose much better. I know its being picky, but classic albums have a higher standard.

The Eminem Show also suffers from D-12 syndrome, this awful group kills all the CD's momentum with "When the Music Stops". Of course I am exaggerating quite a bit to make my point but the Eminem Show is still great and belongs with hip-hops elite albums.

Now on to Encore which is a mess. The highs are extremely high and the lows are, well, really low. Em sounds unfocused and on drugs (which he was). There are some great songs (Yellow Brick Road. Encore, Evil Deeds, Crazy in Love) and some songs that are just as bad (Puke, Big Weenie, Ass Like That, Just Lose It). It chalked up to an average album from a great rapper.

Fast forward a few years and Em is off drugs and he creates the accent filled Relapse which also has its highs and lows. Despite all its faults it still manages to be above average and standout tracks such as "Underground", "Deja Vu" and "Beautiful" outweigh "Medicine Ball" and "We Made You".

Possibly my favorite Jay song..

A year later Em comes back with the refined Recovery which exceeds his previous two albums in terms of commercial and critical success. Every song seemed to have "single" potential and the missteps were few and far between (anyone else not fall in love with Won't Back Down?)

Possibly my favorite Em song...

All in all Eminem has 2 or 3 classics/very good albums, 1 average album, and 1 slightly above average album. While Jay has made 14 or 15 albums with 2 being certified classics, 7 or 8 being very good and probably 3 or 4 average albums. Both are legends, but when it comes to legends its important to nit pick.

Jay, up to this point, has the upper hand. There is still a long way to go though and a lot that can happen with their careers.

Edit: Since I wrote this both artist have come out with great collaborative records. Hell:The Sequel and Watch the Throne are both incredible works.

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Disclosure: 8 Mile is my favorite movie of all time