--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People have stopped battling in hip hop…" description: "\"People have stopped battling in hip hop, in the primitive sense, and the focus of the competitive element has shifted to the music. It's less about bra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/nas-650_being-the-best_people-have-stopped-battling-in-hip-hop_3045102.png" --- # People have stopped battling in hip hop, in the primitive… ![“People have stopped battling in hip hop, in the primitive sense, and the focus of the competitive element has shifted to the music. It's less about bragging and more about being the best lyrically and poetically.” quote by Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/nas-650_being-the-best_people-have-stopped-battling-in-hip-hop_3045102.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/nas-650_being-the-best_people-have-stopped-battling-in-hip-hop_3045102.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/nas-650_being-the-best_people-have-stopped-battling-in-hip-hop_3045102.png) > “People have stopped battling in hip hop, in the primitive sense, and the focus of the competitive element has shifted to the music. It's less about bragging and more about being the best lyrically and poetically.” [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competitive focus in rap shifted from battling to lyrical and poetic excellence. **In simple terms:** Rap now values lyrical skill over bragging. Key Takeaway Prioritize lyrical craftsmanship. Themes music competition artistry culture evolution Mood reflective optimistic Type cultural educational When to use this quote - songwriting workshops - ly‑analysis sessions - music education Key Concepts hip‑hop history creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How does lyrical focus change audience perception? - What role do battles play today? A Different Perspective Traditional battles still hold cultural value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battling Hip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battling-hip-5037714/) [Being the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-the-best/) [Bragging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bragging/) [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [Competitive Element](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-element-1685836/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Focus Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-competitive-5037716/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Hips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hips/) [Hops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hops/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Primitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Stopped Battling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped-battling-5037715/) ## Related quotes > [Especially with women in music there is this unnecessary competitive element. And, like, why? Why do people do things where they try to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-baker/especially-with-women-in-music-there-is-this-unnecessary-competitive/) [Julien Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-baker/) > [I want to hear the artist. I want to hear them give me something that I can relate to, other than the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-want-to-hear-the-artist-i-want-to-hear-them-give-me-something-that/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [To those that brag: Brag about the things you have worked hard for to achieve.. Don't brag about your parents success.. They worked their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reelow-leesah/to-those-that-brag-brag-about-the-things-you-have-worked-hard-for-to/) [ReeLow LeeSah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reelow-leesah/) > [Honesty is about the scars. It's about the blemishes. 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Or you're just blessed. I'm not bragging or anything, it just comes to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-better-when-i-m-an-autodidact-and-things-just-come-or-you-re-just/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [“Don't ever brag about the funds(money) of your parents because they might leave wuth it when their time comes instead strive to make yours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-osa-afiana/don-t-ever-brag-about-the-funds-money-of-your-parents-because-they/) [Chuka Osa-Afiana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-osa-afiana/) > [To be robbed and betrayed by a fiendish underground conspiracy, or by the earthly agents of Satan, is at least a romantic sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/to-be-robbed-and-betrayed-by-a-fiendish-underground-conspiracy-or-by/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [“I wasn't above bragging. Besides, I was damn proud of myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-duncan/i-wasn-t-above-bragging-besides-i-was-damn-proud-of-myself/) [Megan Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-duncan/) > [For God hates utterly the bray of bragging tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/for-god-hates-utterly-the-bray-of-bragging-tongues/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Yeah I took the spot she gone POOF](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/yeah-i-took-the-spot-she-gone-poof/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) ## More by Nas > [I need the best things in life, that's women, thats cars. Cigars in Venice, bottle on ice, thats priceless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-need-the-best-things-in-life-that-s-women-thats-cars-cigars-in/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I had a pretty public divorce. They're not easy - divorces - and it took me a long time to really get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-had-a-pretty-public-divorce-they-re-not-easy-divorces-and-it-took/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If you scared to take chances, you'll never have the answers...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/if-you-scared-to-take-chances-you-ll-never-have-the-answers/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [Read more learn more, change the globe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/read-more-learn-more-change-the-globe/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I think hip hop allows us to talk about everything, and Africa is what I choose to talk about now. 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Fox's pattern of race-baiting and fear-mongering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/calling-michelle-obama-barack-s-baby-mama-tell-me-is-that-acceptable/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [With age comes common sense and wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/with-age-comes-common-sense-and-wisdom/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [It's foul what this money could do, cash corrupts the loyal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/it-s-foul-what-this-money-could-do-cash-corrupts-the-loyal/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [This morning I got a call, nearly split my wig. This social network said Nas go and get your kid. She's on Twitter, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/this-morning-i-got-a-call-nearly-split-my-wig-this-social-network/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I want to sound like an instrument. I want my voice and my words to marry the beat. I go with the rhythm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-want-to-sound-like-an-instrument-i-want-my-voice-and-my-words-to/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [There needs to be structures in place to do something about misrepresentation about hip hop. When awards are given out and the media talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/there-needs-to-be-structures-in-place-to-do-something-about/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I've learned not to be surprised by what people do no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-ve-learned-not-to-be-surprised-by-what-people-do-no-more/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [Nasty Nas Enterprises, mastermind, made men. My success symbolizes loyalty, great friends. Dedication, hard work, routine builds character. 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