In a matter of weeks, we got two collaborations including back-to-back verses from Jay-Z and Nas. Once was on DJ Khaled's new album and the other, on DMX's posthumous album Exodus. A decade and a half prior, no one would've ever expected either of them to be on the same track together. Their intense feud throughout the 2000s is remembered as one of the most iconic beefs in hip-hop. However, bipartisan collaborators took a risk when working with either party.
Scarface and Nas locked in for the record, "In Between Us" off of The Fix. Though fans have grown to love the collaboration between the Houston OG and the East Coast legend, Scarface revealed that Nas' verse was re-written. During a recent appearance on Drink Champs, Scarface revealed that he was forced to ask Nas to do another verse as the original take contained vile subliminal shots at Jay-Z.
"And Nas, the first verse he took, was some of the stuff he laid down on 'Ether.' Some of those lyrics. I hope your wife cook your food with her period blood or something, you know," Scarface recalled as N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN were taken aback by the visuals of that bar.
"He said that on 'In Between Us' and I was like, 'Nah, Nas. We can't go at cuz like that, you know. Not on here,'" Scarface continued. "Nas went at Jay on that record."
Scarface said he can't recall the specific bars aimed towards HOV but he admitted Nas "went off." "He went back and did a whole other verse and it was, you know, it was clean. It was just as dope," he said.
N.O.R.E. asked whether Scarface ever felt that he had to court any drama between Jay and Nas at the time. He explained that, regardless of what was happening between them, he had no need to involve himself in any drama.
"I watch the bombs fly over here but I don't never reach in and grab one. That ain't where I'm at," he said. "I'm not in there. Like, don't fuckin' put me in that shit. If y'all squabblin', my n***a, then let me stay where I'm at. I got my own lane."
Revisit "In Between Us" below.
