Nas sat down with the iconic producer Rick Rubin for his podcast “Broken Record” where the Queens emcee reminisced on his infamous rap feud with another legend from NY, Jay-Z which resulted in back forth songs dissing each others and lasting for almost half a decade until both rappers reconciled. Nas described how important he feel being part of the history due to that beef with Hov cause of it’s competitiveness.

“The art of emceeing was right there on full display, It was like, if you’re in the rap game, this could happen , a battle. It was like,  so I was honored to have that part of my life happen because that’s how I saw some of the greats do it coming up.”

Rick Rubin also commented that beef elevated everybody implying that other rapper’s too were inspired ,Nas agreeing to Rick continued “Again, it’s about the art of MCing and when you’re trying to make the best stuff you can make and you bump heads with another MC, and then you guys have a war or whatever, that’s what this art form was since the beginning — since Double Trouble and Busy Bee and Kool Moe Dee. But that’s what I like about Hip Hop compared to other genres is that, they go at it in Hip Hop, like really at it. Not to say that other rockers didn’t go at it, other reggae artists didn’t go at it, other crooner didn’t go at it, but Hip Hop will always be around because of how competitive it is.”

Watch the full video below: