Jay-Z Offered "Ether" Beat Way Before Nas

Music mogul Jay-Z may have ultimately been able to change his own fate in the early 2000's as "Ether" producer Ron Browz has now revealed that he originally offered Hov the track before Nas.

According to Browz, Jay had an opportunity to cash in on the "Ether" instrumental but it didn't happen.

"It was just one of them beats that I let everybody hear," Browz explained in an interview. "Whoever came to the house, I was like, 'Yo hear this.' One of Jay's A&R's actually came to the house to hear that beat too. He said he was gonna give it to Jay, but I guess it never got in his hands. I went through a travel agent to get to Nas, and it got in Nas' hands. I guess it got to him at the perfect time. Nas was like, 'Come to the studio and hear what I did'." (This Is 50)

When asked about the "Takeover" and "Ether" comparisons last fall, Jay said he felt his record outdid Nas' response.

It's been nine years and the great debate over Jay-Z vs. Nas still isn't over. Earlier today (November 15), Hov appeared on Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds' podcast, "Juan Epstein," and during the interview, the Brooklyn legend said, despite popular opinion, that his 2001 diss record towards God's Son, "The Takeover" is better than Nasir's response track, "Ether." "I think in the history when we look back, and I don't mean no disrespect to Nas, I think when we look back it's not even close," he shared, adding, "I just think it was a better record." (XXL Mag)

In December, producer Alex Da Kid hit up SOHH and weighed in on which record hit harder.

"That's like choosing between my children, man," Alex laughingly told SOHH when asked whether "Takeover" or "Ether" was the best. "Both meant so much to hip-hop. I love 'Takeover' and 'Ether', to me, was really on something different. It really put Nas back on the map because around that point, Nas was not at the point he 'should' have been. When he came out with 'Ether,' it really kind of shut everything down. I mean, I love them both and without one, you cannot have the other, so, I just love them both. I can't really pick one, they both had so much meaning to hip-hop so I just love them both." (SOHH)

Nas' response to Jay's "Takeover" hit Hov with multiple diss references.

"When these streets keep calling, heard it when I was sleep/ That this Gay-Z and C*ck-A-Fella Records wanted beef...KRS already made an album called Blueprint / First Biggie's your man, then you got the nerve to say that you're better than Big/ D*ck-suckin' lips, why don't you let the late great veteran live...Queens n*ggas run you n*ggas, ask Russell Simmons" ("Ether")