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Stillmatic
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== Background == Though he had gained critical acclaim with his classic debut album ''[[Illmatic]]'' in 1994, Nas' image had been quickly deteriorating in the hip-hop community with his change of theme, from the philosophical topics of ''Illmatic'' to the [[gangsta rap]] and commercialized sound that became the focus of his later albums.<ref name="Birchmeier">Birchmeier, Jason. [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p44732/biography|pure_url=yes}} Biography: Nas]. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-11-21.</ref> While his second album, ''[[It Was Written]]'' received positive reviews and introduced him to a greater audience, the follow-ups ''[[I Am... (Nas album)|I Am...]]'' and ''[[Nastradamus]]'' were considered mediocre in comparison by critics.<ref name="Birchmeier"/><ref name="RSguide"/> The release of ''Stillmatic'' was an attempt by Nas to reestablish his credibility in the hip-hop community, with the title signifying his intentions to continue where ''Illmatic'' left off. === Feud with Jay-Z === Jay-Z had previously dissed Nas in his song "[[Takeover (Jay-Z song)|Takeover]]", taken from his September 2001 release, ''[[The Blueprint]].''<ref name="Birchmeier" /> On ''Stillmatic'', Nas retaliated with the anticipated song, "[[Ether (song)|Ether]]," a response to "Takeover" which insinuated that [[Jay-Z]] had stolen lyrics from [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] several times, that he had sold out, and that he was a [[misogynist]], among other things. Several hip-hop aficionados believe Nas won the feud based on this track, which many felt was much more vicious and ruthless than "Takeover", although this is still a subject of debate within hip-hop circles. Jay-Z would respond with "People Talkin", "Don't You Know", "Blueprint 2" from ''[[The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse|The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse]]'' and the radio freestyle "Supa Ugly."<ref name="Hinds">Hinds, Selwyn Seyfu. [http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-01-15/music/kings-of-new-york/ Review: ''Stillmatic'']. ''[[The Village Voice]]''. Retrieved on 2009-11-21.</ref>
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