Despite the fortuitous shift in the music industry, the status of Jay Z and Kanye West remains unblemished. For over a decade, Hov and Ye anchored the remaining bits of Roc-A-Fella by extinguishing rays of doubts with timeless material. Since Reasonable Doubt, nobody questioned Jay’s lyrical prowess. He embodies consistency and longevity. With a run similar to Jordan's, it’s easy to see why he’s pegged as an all-time great.
After proving that he can hang with the big boys with the release of College Dropout, Ye seamlessly ingratiated himself in Hov's corner. With an indomitable work ethic, Ye became a legendary artist, who is idolized by many in music today. Since opting to ride with Jay instead of Dame, nothing has been the same. Even though Drake and Wayne are arguably the hottest duo in rap right now, Jay Z and Kanye are the best 1, 2 combo in rap, period. We explored Wale Vs J. Cole and Lil Wayne Vs Drake, now, it’s time explore the collaborations between Jay and Kanye. You guys asked for it. Who had the better verse?
Jay Z Featuring Kanye West – The Bounce
A lot of people may not recall that Kanye West first appeared on Jay Z’s double-disc project, The Blueprint 2. At that time, many weren’t familiar with Ye’s rapping abilities. Despite Kanye being touted as one of the best producers on the rise, Ye wanted to evolve into something bigger. Here, Jay Z decided to hand Ye his golden ticket and give him his chance to rap alongside his idol. Let’s remind everyone that this was back in 2002. While Ye was lauded for being a masterful beat-maker, his rapping abilities weren’t as crisp back then. Despite Ye ensconcing himself in the studio with his idol, you can tell that Kanye wasn’t exactly ready to rap alongside the big boys. No discussion here, point awarded to Jay Z.
Winner: Jay Z
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Kanye West Featuring Jay Z & J Ivy – "Never Let You Down"
Let’s fast forward to 2004. Kanye would quickly crescendo into a rap superstar with his debut album College Dropout. He had a plethora of impressive cuts ranging from "Through the Wire," "Slow Jams," "Jesus Walks," and more. But, the one record that raised his stock was "Never Let Me Down." Ye laid out the skeleton for the track by tactfully sampling Blackjack’s "Maybe It’s The Power Of Love." While Jay generously gave Ye two verses – Kanye outshined his mentor. Obviously, Kanye isn’t a lyrical technician like Jay, but Ye’s heart and sheer passion made you ruminate about his pain as a young black man. "I get down with my grandfather who took my mama and made her sit in that seat where white folks ain’t want us to eat./At the tender age of six, she was arrested for the sit-ins/And with that in my blood, I was born to be different." You can’t buy passion. Kanye’s heart was way too big on this record. Jay’s generic braggadocios rap is cool on certain records, but it wasn’t a perfect fit here. Jay revved it up on verse two, but Ye held it down through out.
Winner: Kanye West
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Kanye West Featuring Jay Z – "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)"
On "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," Kanye bodied the original. But that was the original. On the remix, Jay Z just barged his way in and owned the track. We’ll applaud Ye for dropping a conscientious verse about the wrongdoings in Sierra Leone, but Shawn Carter’s verse was too smooth. This is where his swag talk just can’t be denied. His verse was laced with punchy lines like, "How could you falter when you’re the Rock of Gibraltar/I had to get off the boat so I could walk on water/This ain’t no tall order, this is nothing me/Typical takes a day, impossible takes a week." His verse was tagged up with so many poignant lines. With Roc-A-Fella facing problems internally, and Jay at the forefront of all these issues, he slyly used Ye’s track to address everything. "Kanyeez you got me, Freeway to Foxy/YG’s, Teairra Marie, Petey watch me/Bleek could be a hit away his whole career/As long as I’m alive, he’s a millionaire/Even if I die, he’s in my will somewhere/So he could just kick back and chill somewhere." Effortless.
Winner: Jay Z
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Jay Z Featuring Kanye West & Rihanna – "Run This Town"
Around this time, Jay was on the heels of releasing his new album Blueprint 3. With the Roc-A-Fella roster pretty much dismantled, Jay called on his two favorite artists for a helping hand for his lead single. "Run This Town" was anchored by star-studded appearances from Kanye and Rihanna. Both learned under the tutelage of Jay, and were full-fledged superstars by this time. Jay returned with more swag rap on "Run This Town." Jay’s ability to maneuver different flows has always been his strength. That was apparent on "Run This Town." His lyrics took the back seat as he pretentiously rapped about "all black everything" (#quotable) and the rise of Roc Nation. Here, Ye candidly spoke about his ascent to the top while also speaking on dealing with the harsh realities of fame. "It’s crazy how you go from being Joe Blow to everybody on your dick no homo," rapped Ye. "What you think I rap for? To push a fucking Rav 4?" Ye’s whimsical verse about g-strings and moodrings was enough to take the cake. "She got an ass that could swallow up a g-string." My man, Ye.
Winner: Kanye West
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Kanye West Featuring Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, & Bon Iver – "Monster"
What’s funny about this monstrous line-up is that no one expected Nicki Minaj to outshine everybody. Nicki’s ability to shift flows at any split second earned her the top spot on this track. With that said, let’s focus on Ye and Hov, well, because. While Jay’s verse was staggeringly good, he didn’t really seem at home on the track. "I kill a block, I murder avenues/Rape and pillage a village, women and children." In typical Kanye fashion, he delivered another boisterous verse that was filled with sexual innuendos, whimsical one-liners, and sheer humor. Mr. Triple double no assist had no problem flexing on this track and did a hell of a job of talking that talk. "Have you ever had sex with a pharaoh?/I put the pussy in a sarcophagus/Now she claiming I bruise her esophagus/Head of the class and she just want a swallowship."
Winner: Kanye West
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Kanye West Featuring Jay Z, Pusha T, Cyhi The Prince, RZA, and Swizz Beatz – "So Appalled"
"So Appalled" was a G.O.O.D. Friday track which featured a bevy of heavyweight lyricists. Ye tapped Jay Z, Pusha T, and RZA for this track and it didn’t disappoint one bit. Unlike "Monster," Jay Z fit right at home on "So Appalled." Jay combated attempts to sully his name and berate him because of all his success on the record. Rather than duck the jabs, he rapped, "'Dark Knight' feeling, die and be a hero/Or live long enough to see yourself become a villain/I went from the favorite to most hated/But would you rather be underpaid or overrated?" Hov didn’t stop there. In the words of the beloved Loaded Lux, even Hammer got that work. "And Hammer went broke, so you know I’m more focused./I lost 30 mil, so I spent another 30 mil/Cause unlike Hammer, thirty million can’t hurt me." Ouch.
Winner: Jay Z
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Kanye West Featuring Jay Z & Big Sean – "Clique"
"Clique" served as the third single for G.O.O.D. Music’s album Cruel Summer. The Hit-Boy produced record had the clubs going crazy and had everyone repping their squads to the maximum. For his verse, Jay started it off with a slick roll call for his peeps. “Yeah, I’m talking Ye, yeah, I’m talking Rih/Yeah I’m talking B, n*gga, I’m talking me/Yeah I’m talking bossy, I ain’t talking Kelis/Your money too short, you can’t be talking to me/Hov’s poignant verse was perfect because of the concept of the record. Despite Ye having a couple of funny lies, his verse was virtually a snoozefest. I’ll admit, that line about Kim K was pretty sweet: "My girl a superstar all from a home movie." At least Ye was honest, right?
Winner: Jay Z
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Jay Z & Kanye West – "N*ggas In Paris"
This track virtually sums up the success that these two men had during their WTT run. "N*ggas In Paris" eclipsed everything that was popping back in 2011. Anything you played on the radio wasn’t touching this record. The grandiose record was the jam of the year and elevated Jay and Kanye’s stock exponentially. Instead of mundanely performing the record once or twice during their concerts, they performed the track a record 12 times in a row. In the words of the beloved Black Rob, whoa! The cogent record had replay value written all over it. "Ball so hard" and "That shit cray" became you and your parents’ favorite phrase. In addition, Hov went off. "The Nets could go 0 for 82 and I’d look at you like this shit gravy." How about when he ran off a list of the best Mikes to ever crush the game? "Psycho: I’m liable to go Michael, take your pick/Jackson, Tyson, Jordan, Game 6." Jay’s verse was dope, and Kanye’s verse was a crowd favorite, especially at concerts. It's a toss, up, but we'll take Hov here.
Winner – Jay Z
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Jay Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean – "No Church In The Wild"
The success of Jay Z and Kanye was unparalleled when Watch The Throne came out. Their decision to finally join forces changed hip-hop history forever. "No Church In The Wild" served as the intro for WTT. Both rappers finally at their apex, it was a joy to hear them side-by-side (and back-and-forth) for an entire album. Hov always revelled in rapping about things that either questioned the validity of religion or the existence of a higher being. On "No Church in the Wild," Hov freely expressed his opinion pertaining to several matters including lies, deceit, and traditional worship. "Lies on the lips of a priest/Thanksgiving disguised as a feast/Rolling in the Rolls Royce Corniche/Only the doctors got this, I’m hiding from police." Ye, on the other hand, tackled the track differently and spoke on the ills and thrills of his late night escapades. "Coke on her black skin made a stripe like a zebra/I call that jungle fever/You will not control the threesome/Kust roll the weed up until I get me some." Who can forget everyone’s favorite line? "Sunglasses and Advil, last night was mad real." Point to Kanye.
Winner: Kanye West
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Jay Z & Kanye West – "Otis"
Kanye's innovative geniosity once again shined on "Otis." Just being able to transform this classic Otis Redding track into a lyrical monsoon for him and Hov to feast on was crazy. Not only was the entire concept for the record impressive, but Kanye made sure his bars left us flabbergasted as well. Kanye was on one. I thought he either he was hanging out with Goku and those boys in the hyperbolic chamber trying to morph into a Super Saiyan rapper, or he was taking some HGH, because he obliterated that track. Don’t get me wrong, Hov was Hov on the track. But, Kanye though? His combination of flow and lyrical banter was just something to drool over. "I made Jesus Walks, I’m never going to hell/Couture level flow is never going on sale/Luxury rap, the Hermes of verses/Sophisticated ignorance, write my curses in cursive/I get it custom, you a customer/You ain’t accustomed to going through customs/You ain’t been nowhere, hah?" Word, Kanye?
Winner: Kanye West
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