Editing Nas (section)

===2001–2006: Feud with Jay-Z, ''Stillmatic'', ''God's Son'', and double album===
[[File:Nas-01-mika.jpg|thumb|left|Nas performing in 2003]]
After trading veiled criticisms on various songs, freestyles and mixtape appearances, the highly publicised dispute between Nas and [[Jay-Z]] became widely known to the public in 2001.<ref name="allmusic" /> Jay-Z, in his song "[[Takeover (Jay-Z song)|Takeover]]", criticised Nas by calling him "fake" and his career "lame".<ref name="Return to the Dis">{{cite news|last=Century|first=Douglas|title=Two of Rap's Hottest Return to the Dis |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E7D91E30F935A35752C0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 6, 2002|access-date=August 23, 2008}}</ref> Nas responded with "[[Ether (song)|Ether]]", in which he compared Jay-Z to such characters as [[J.J. Evans]] from the sitcom ''[[Good Times]]'' and cigarette company mascot [[Joe Camel]]. The song was included on Nas's fifth studio album, ''[[Stillmatic]]'', released in December 2001. His daughter, Destiny, is listed as an executive producer on '' Stillmatic'' so she could receive royalty checks from the album.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ahmed|first1=Insanul|title=50 Things You Didn't Know About Nas|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2012/12/50-things-you-didnt-know-about-nas/executive-producer-stillmatic|website=complex.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|title=Nas Disses Jay-Z, Endless List of Others on New LP|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451188/20011126/jay_z.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030904204355/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451188/20011126/jay_z.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 4, 2003|publisher=MTV News|date=November 26, 2001|access-date=August 23, 2008}}</ref> ''Stillmatic'' peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and featured the singles "[[Got Ur Self A...]]" and "[[One Mic]]".

In response to "Ether", Jay-Z released the song "Supa Ugly", which [[WQHT|Hot 97]] radio host [[Angie Martinez]] premiered on December 11, 2001.<ref name="Return to the Dis" /> In the song, Jay-Z explicitly boasts about having an affair with Nas's girlfriend, Carmen Bryan.<ref>Ashare, Matt. [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12055074 Nas On His Battle With Jay-Z And Its Effects]. Yahoo! Music: January 26, 2002.</ref> New York City hip-hop radio station [[WQHT|Hot 97]] issued a poll asking listeners which rapper made the better [[diss song]]; Nas won with 58% while Jay-Z got 42% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|title=Nas vs. Jay-Z: Grade-a-Beef (page 1)|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/n/nas/news_feature_012102/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020213161951/http://www.mtv.com/bands/n/nas/news_feature_012102/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 13, 2002|publisher=MTV News|date=January 21, 2002|access-date=August 23, 2008}}</ref> In 2002, in the midst of the dispute between the two New York rappers, [[Eminem]] cited both Nas and Jay-Z as being two of the best MCs in the industry, in his song "[['Till I Collapse]]". Both the dispute and ''Stillmatic'' signaled an artistic comeback for Nas after a string of inconsistent albums.<ref name="Rabin">{{cite web|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|author-link=Nathan Rabin|url=https://www.avclub.com/nas-gods-son-1798198227|title=Nas: God's Son|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|publisher=[[The Onion|Onion Inc]]|date=February 3, 2003|access-date=August 12, 2011}}</ref> ''[[The Lost Tapes (Nas album)|The Lost Tapes]]'', a compilation of previously unreleased or bootlegged songs from 1998 to 2001, was released by Columbia in September 2002. The collection attained respectable sales and received rave reviews from critics.<ref name="Weinstein"/>

In December 2002, Nas released the ''[[God's Son (album)|God's Son]]'' album including its lead single, "Made You Look" which used a pitched down sample of the [[Incredible Bongo Band]]'s "[[Apache (instrumental)|Apache]]". The album peaked at No. 12 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and No. 1 on the [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]] charts despite widespread Internet bootlegging.<ref name="album charts">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p44732|pure_url=yes}} |title=(((Nas > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums))) |website=allmusic |date=September 14, 1973 |access-date=September 18, 2010}}</ref> Time Magazine named his album best hip-hop album of the year. [[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]] gave it four stars and [[The Source (magazine)|The Source]] gave it four mics. The second single, "[[I Can (Nas song)|I Can]]", which reworked elements from [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]]'s "[[Für Elise]]", became Nas's biggest hit to date in 2003, garnering substantial radio airplay on urban, [[Rhythmic contemporary|rhythmic]], and [[top 40]] radio stations, as well as on the MTV and [[VH1]] music video networks. ''God's Son'' also includes several songs dedicated to Nas's mother, who died of cancer in April 2002, including "Dance". In 2003, Nas was featured on the [[Korn]] song "Play Me", from Korn's ''[[Take a Look in the Mirror]]'' LP. Also in 2003, a live performance in New York City, featuring [[Ludacris]], [[Jadakiss]], and [[Darryl McDaniels]] (of [[Run-D.M.C.]] fame), was released on DVD as ''Made You Look: God's Son Live''.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

''God's Son'' was critical in the power struggle between Nas and Jay-Z in the hip-hop industry at the time. In an article at the time, Joseph Jones of [[PopMatters]] stated, "Whether you like it or not, "Ether" did this. With ''God's Son'', Nas has the opportunity to cement his status as the King of NY, at least for another 3-4-year term, or he could prove that he is not the savior that hip-hop fans should be pinning their hopes on."<ref name="Jones">Jones, Joseph. [https://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/n/nas-gods.shtml Review: ''God's Son'']. [[PopMatters]]. Retrieved October 28, 2009.</ref> After the album's release, he began helping [[the Bravehearts]], an act including his younger brother Jungle and friend Wiz (Wizard), put together their debut album, ''Bravehearted''. The album featured guest appearances from Nas, Nashawn (Millennium Thug), [[Lil Jon]], and [[Jully Black]].

Nas released his seventh album ''[[Street's Disciple]]'', a sprawling double album, on November 30, 2004. It addressed subject matter both political and personal, including his impending marriage to recording artist [[Kelis]].<ref name="allmusic" /> The double-sided single "[[Thief's Theme]]"/"You Know My Style" was released months before the album's release, followed by the single "[[Bridging the Gap (song)|Bridging the Gap]]" upon the album's release. Although ''Street's Disciple'' went [[platinum record|platinum]], it served as a drop-off from Nas's previous commercial successes.<ref name="allmusic" />

In 2005, New York-based rapper [[50 Cent]] dissed Nas on his song "[[Piggy Bank (song)|Piggy Bank]]", which brought his reputation into question in hip-hop circles.<ref name="allmusic" /> In October, Nas made a surprise appearance at Jay-Z's "I Declare War" concert, where they reconciled their beef.<ref name="allmusic" /> At the show, Jay-Z announced to the crowd, "It's bigger than 'I Declare War'. Let's go, Esco!" and Nas then joined him onstage,<ref>Sanneh, Kelefah. [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/29/arts/music/29jayz.html?ex=1288238400&en=d5ebd722ddd8cebd&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss A Show of Solidarity, With a Few Surprises]. ''[[The New York Times]]'': October 29, 2005.</ref> and the two performed Jay-Z's "[[Dead Presidents (song)|Dead Presidents]]" (1996) together, a song that featured a prominent sample of Nas's 1994 track, "[[The World Is Yours (Nas song)|The World Is Yours]]" (1994).<ref name="allmusic" />