Although they frequently went bar for bar with one another, Kim assured that Big and Jay were merely engaged in friendly lyrical competition.
On "RapFix Live," Lil' Kim spoke
on the Notorious One's relationship with Jigga. "He and Jay-Z just had this adorable friendship -- it was the cutest," she said. "They were so competitive with each other, but it was such a friendly competitiveness, and I loved it, because that's how it's supposed to be when you like somebody." (RapFix)
Back in 2010, Young Hov credited B.I.G.'s emcee talents and expressed how the late artist was one of his all-time favorite rappers.
"I guess I would choose B.I.G. [as one of my favorites] because of his ability to tell stories to be humorous, to be dead serious, he just had it all," Jay said. "Just [B.I.G.'s] voice alone. I would choose Pac because his fire will overcome, what he doesn't have in technical skills will be overcome by passion. If you listen to that 'Tunnel'
[freestyle] verse where B.I.G. is saying 'MC Hammer and them 357 women' and then you hear how [Pac] comes on, he just screams on the track, his passion could put a lot of guys to sleep. I guess Kool G Rap and KRS-One would be on there. I need more emcees. Y'all got Eminem and Nas..." (YouTube)
Along with rapping together, Jay and B.I.G. reportedly attended the same school growing up.
After that he attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Downtown Brooklyn, with fellow future rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, but did not graduate. (Wikipedia)
In a past interview, Jay-Z outlined his case as to why he should be considered as the "Greatest Rapper Alive."
"But when I say I'm the best, I don't say that outta my a**," Jay said in the interview. "I say that with all my stats behind me.
I put that against anybody. I mean anybody. I really believe that...I believe in a lot of things. I believe that "SportsCenter" is the best thing on TV. I shouldn't have to prove it. But I do have these stats to prove it. I'm talking about real run. I'm not talking about years off. I'm talking about straight--boom, boom, boom--back to back. We're not talking about heritage acts either. We're not talking about respect what I've done. I'm talking No. 1 [albums] 10 times. The Beatles is the only one [to have more No. 1 albums]. They got 19, and if I get a surge of creativity, I could make nine albums next year."
