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Jay-Z and Nas seem like the best of friends these days. I might even go as far as to say that the Queensbridge emcee is the new Dame Dash.

Regardless of how you classify New York’s two kings, one thing is for sure; their friendship has withstood some trails and tribulations. 

According to Jay-Z, it’s safe to assume they were friends when Nas was on tour with Large Professor. That’s when, in between Nasty Nas spitting lyrics about snuffing Jesus, Jay-Z pulled Nasir to the side and showed him his first tech-nine gun. 

Jay-Z raps:

“I showed you your first tec on tour with Large Professor. Then I heard your album ’bout your tec on your dresser.”

This was but a gentle jab between friends that would eventually lead to a giant explosion of lyrical history. Many people believe the rift in their friendship began when Nas wouldn’t get on Jay-Z’s “Bring It On” track. 

Since then, there were many subliminal verses that finally led to “Takeover” and “Ether,” where the two giants went at each other’s heads. 

But after those amazing songs and the epic battle, their friendship actually became stronger. After years of battling, disses and near hate for one another, a funny thing happened. 

They ended their beef!

Jay-Z told MTV’s Sway:

“It was one those things that, at the time, you would never think would happen. Like, ‘Look where we at right here.'”

“You hear sayings when you’re younger, like “never say never” and things like that, but you think they’re just sayings, you’re too young to really comprehend. But even in the midst of everything that we was going through as far as battle, there was a deep respect there. To go at someone like that, you have to have respect for them. [Otherwise] you wouldn’t care, you’d just brush it off like it ain’t about nothing. At the time I was like “never,” but you grow and then realize: Never say never. It’s bigger than both of us, like you said. It’s more about the culture and about showing people another way, because what we staged was something that stopped the world for a second.”

But fast forward to today. Life Is Good for Nas and Jay-Z. Hova sold out 8 nights in New York, Nas just put out his best album in years, and the world can witness a genuine friendship between two of the biggest names in the genre.

That’s saying something, because these days, the people on top aren’t friends. You don’t see the Yankees and the Red Sox kicking it. 

You don’t see the Lakers and the Heat hitting the club together. You’re not going to see Verizon and AT&T shaking hands over a glass of Moet. 

But in the world of hip-hop, where former gangsters tell true tales about the horrors of the hood, we have one of the most sincere friendships in the world. 

Now that’s what’s up. 

Blog Xilla Follow Me On Twitter

Xilla is the Sr. Entertainment Editor for GlobalGrind.com as well as CEO of the number 1 relationship blog BlogXilla.com/M2TB.com. He has been featured in XXL, The Source, Essence, LA Times and is considered one of the premiere bloggers in the industry. Follow him on twitter @BlogXilla