Takeover

"Takeover" is a track recorded by Jay-Z for his 2001 album The Blueprint. The song is a diss track aimed at rappers Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep. Background This song was the first official LP diss track to publicize directly the hip hop feud between Jay-Z and Nas (although there exists several other rap records prior to this featuring disses from both Nas and Jay-Z toward each other). It samples the song "Five to One" by the Doors and "Sound of da Police" by KRS-One. The first line in this song is taken from Jay-Z's verse in "Celebration" off of the Streets Is Watching soundtrack. The song also interpolates David Bowie's "Fame". Jay-Z originally performed the first two verses of "Takeover" as an untitled diss to Prodigy of Mobb Deep at Hot 97's Summer Jam 2001. While performing the line "you was a ballerina/ I got the pictures I seen ya" a photograph of Prodigy, as a child, dressed as Michael Jackson, appeared on the large screen. Aside from its role in the Jay-Z & Nas feud, "Takeover" was largely seen as damaging to Prodigy and Mobb Deep's careers. References to other rappers In the second verse, Jay-Z alleges that Prodigy (member of Mobb Deep) took ballet classes as a child and mocks Prodigy's small stature. Jay-Z further dismisses Mobb Deep as competition in the hip hop industry by pointing out that his career had more commercial success than they ever would, and dissing Mobb Deep's famous song "Shook Ones Pt. II". Mobb Deep replied to Jay-Z in a subsequent LP diss track, but their rivalry has more or less been overshadowed by the rivalry between Nas and Jay-Z.