Today, the iconic Jennifer Lopez took a moment to sit down with Elliott Wilson, for the latest installment of Tidal's CRWN series. While the conversation is a wide-ranging reflection on her extensive career, one of the most interesting moments arises when she looks back on her history with hip-hop, citing both of her Ja Rule duets as her favorite rap collaboration. She also opens up about her creative respect for fellow New Yorker Nas, whom she considers to be the "greatest of all time."
"Nas is one of my favorite rappers of all time," she says. "He might be my number one. I don't think I've heard anybody who raps, who hits me in the same way. He sounds like the guys I grew up with, but he's also so intelligent. I always felt he was so smart. I just love that, I love his style." When asked about further top five inclusions, J-Lo muses on the question. "I would say I'd have to rep for Pun and [Fat] Joe. Biggie. I would definitely say Lil Wayne as well."
In case you need a refresher, Jennifer Lopez and Nas previously linked up back in 2001, when they dropped off their Luniz-sampling, thug-luv duet "I'm Gonna Be Alright." The track captured the "Jenny From The Block" spirit, picking up where previously collabs with Ja Rule, Jadakiss, and Styles P. Case in point, Jennifer Lopez stood alone among the early-millennium pop stars to boast genuine street credibility.
Check out the CRWN exchange above (as of this writing, it's still ongoing) during which J. Lo reflects on working with Nas, and his place in the rap game's hierarchy of talent. It's nice to see Lopez recognize one of the game's appreciated, but often unsung lyrical beast, the one-and-only Nasir Jones. While he's certainly a recurring presence in the GOAT discourse, his inclusion at the top is somewhat uncommon. Where do you think Nas ranks, all things considered?
