Kyambo Joshua: Jay-Z's “Takeover” Was Aimed at Prodigy Before Nas Responded with “Ether” (Part 9)

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Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua sits down with Vlad to revisit a pivotal chapter in hip-hop history: Jay-Z’s 2001 Summer Jam performance of “Takeover.” According to Kyambo, the original attack was aimed primarily at Prodigy of Mobb Deep, with the Nas verse added later for *The Blueprint* after the live version took on a life of its own. He breaks down how Nas answered first with the “Stillmatic” freestyle before “Ether” arrived, why “Super Ugly” felt unnecessary, and how fans judged the Jay-Z vs. Nas battle.

The Roc-A-Fella insider also details the rise of *The Blueprint*, Baseline Studios, Cam’ron joining Roc-A-Fella, Jim Jones helping connect Cam with Dame Dash, Dipset’s *Come Home With Me*, and the changing dynamics around Jay-Z, Juelz Santana, R. Kelly’s *Best of Both Worlds*, and *The Blueprint 2*. A must-watch for rap beef and Roc-A-Fella history fans.