I was thinking of writing my paradigm shift paper on how hip hop has changed, but I feel like I’ve written enough (possibly too much) about hip hop in this blog. Anyways, today’s topic is going back to focus on the artist that is the richest, the most famous, and probably the best rap artist alive (some would argue the best dead or alive), the one and only… Sean Carter! Also known as HOV, or the God MC, or to most of you guys, Jay-Z.
The man, the myth, the legend. Born and raised in the Marcy projects of Brooklyn, NY, young Shawn Carter wasn’t a rapping prodigy from a young age like one would think. In fact, he didn’t release his first album until the age of 26. Contrary to what he would have you believe, he wasn’t busy selling drugs either (I’ll save that for another time, though). He tried to get into rapping in the late 80s but wasn’t all that special (Check out Hawaiian Sophie if you don’t believe me, its pretty hilarious as Jay makes a cameo). It wasn’t until the shift of rap to a more hardcore style that allowed Jay Z flourish. Even his debut studio album titled “Reasonable Doubt” released in 1996, although seen as a masterpiece today, didn’t go platinum until a few years after it released.
After Reasonable Doubt was Volume 1, but the turning point was Volume 2. Taking a sample from the musical “Annie”, the song “Hard Knock Life” off his 3rd album was an instant hit. After that came “The Blueprint”, arguably the greatest hip hop album of all time. Then “The Blueprint 2” which wasn’t considered the same classic as its predecessor but still a solid record. By 2003, Jay had conquered the rap game and was making moves outside of music, mainly with his clothing line Rocawear (where he made a ton of his money, by the way) and through other investments. He was sick of music and was done for good. He was going to go out with a bang though, releasing one final album to cap off his legendary career. This was to be his swan song. His closing act. Titled “The Black Album”, it was a bonafide hit. Another Billboard #1 album, and my personal favorite. Mainstream appeal, but not the pop-rap music that we see so much today. It was a perfect ending to a short but near perfect career. Or so we thought.
Some said the retirement was a publicity stunt, because 3 years later he was back, with arguably his worst album yet. “Kingdom Come” was great for any average rapper but pretty bad by Jay Z standards, and “American Gangster” wasn’t much better. The Blueprint 3, although highly marketed, was just ehh as well. And, as most of you have heard, his latest album “Magna Carta Holy Grail” really is quite pathetic in terms of hip hop standards.
Some lines from his latest album:
“I don’t pop molly I rock Tom Ford”
“1 million 2 million 3 million 20 million. Oh, I’m so good at math”
“I’m in the ocean. Im in heaven. YAHT! Ocean’s 11.”
“Y’alls religion creates division like my Maybach partition”
“Windows tinted. White girl all in it. Uh. Britney, bitch!!”
“Baby need pampers. Daddy need at least 3 weeks in the Hamptons”
You get the idea…
His records will always sell because he is Jay Z, but ever since The Black Album things just haven’t been the same. He’s witty lyrically at times and the production value is crisp, but it just feels like he has run out of things to say. The best rap songs have always been about overcoming struggle, or some sort of obstacle. But what happens when you’ve overcome every and all possible obstacles in life? The guy is married to Beyonce, has half a billion dollars and a newborn baby. The struggles he raps about on his latest album include needing an island retreat because his baby cries too much and needs diapers changed. I mean, the guy talks about Picasso shopping at art galleries. It’s one thing to stunt, but this guy is on a whole other level. It’s just not fair, and i’m not sure its suited for this genre of music. He keeps getting more famous, but his music is getting worse. I honestly think Jay has lost touch. Not only with his roots, but with his fans in general. He has so much money and fame that he doesn’t really care about how “lyrically” good his music is. He’s gonna talk about whatever he wants, and people will unconditionally listen. It’s a sad truth, but it is, alas, the truth.
His legacy is cemented, and unless he does something incredibly stupid, nothing will change that. I respect and admire his past music, although I’ve never really been a fan of him as a person. He’s incredibly cocky, and has a tendency to trample others at all costs, even if the pain caused is much greater than the reward gained. Also, I have a friend who knows many people around Jay, so this isn’t just coming from nowhere. I hate to attack someone’s character without any actual evidence, so maybe for the last blog post I’ll do something involving my friend. Maybe a transcription of an interview if I ever get around to it. We’ll see. Either way though, despite what I think of him as a person and his latest music, there’s no denying the lyrical prowess that is Jay-Z.
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