Nas Says Biggie And Tupac's Deaths Loomed Over His Feud With Jay Z

Biggie and Tupac are the most famous rivals in Hip Hop history, in part because of the tragic way their feud ended.

About five years after their deaths, things started getting really heated between Nas and Jay Z. But Hip Hop's second most famous rivalry never digressed into actual violence. Instead, the two New Yorkers were able to use the beef to safely elevate their careers. Then, after a few years of feuding and diss tracks, they made up and even began making music together.

In an interview with GQ, Nas explained that the deaths of Biggie and Tupac loomed over his beef with Jay Z.

"At the end of the day, the mission was to glue the game back: no more deaths. At this point, it's about moving on and making something out of it. Because Biggie and Pac never lived to see that. They didn't live to see themselves grow in this game. They did so much so young, which is great, but we'd love to have them here...They were the sacrifices, the martyrs for the entire Hip Hop business."