Ea$y Schmoney

Released in 2001, “Ether” was Nas’ response to Jay-Z’s “Takeover,” and what followed became one of the most important moments in battle rap history. On the iconic diss. Nas was questioning Jay’s entire identity, from his street credibility to his place in New York hip-hop. Produced by Ron Browz, the record became so influential that “ethered” eventually entered rap vocabulary as a way of describing somebody getting lyrically dismantled. The aftermath was just as significant: Hot 97 held a listener poll that favored Nas over Jay-Z’s “Supa Ugly,” giving the feud a public verdict that extended beyond record sales.