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Jay Z Bio
Will Jay Z really retire?
Jay-Z has become the
biggest name in hip-hop, a title that he has earned and claimed for
himself at the same time with a cool, collected braggadocio evident from
the first lyric he spit on his classic debut, Reasonable Doubt.
Back in the day when the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur were mired in
the most infamous battle on wax, Jay-Z was the quiet challenger, waiting
for his shot at the title.
When the lives of the
two talented microphonists were taken, Jay-Z emerged to claim the throne
of King of New York. The prophecy laid out on the track "Brooklyn's
Finest" with B.I.G. had come to fruition.
But when you sit atop
the rap world, you have to deal with the playa haters
intent on knocking
you off. And Jay-Z has had his share of battles in and away from the
recording studio, where he has responded to lyrical attacks by reputed
rhymer Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep with the
witticism and mic stealth associated with the Jiggaman.
Although Nas did seem
to get the better of Jay from a lyrical standpoint, you can expect a
devastating response on the sequel to the smash LP The Blueprint.
Nas can claim to be the thug street poet extraordinaire but when it comes
to selling records, churning out blazing club hits and making mad cheddar,
H to the Izzo is the man.
Rest assured for the
uninitiated and ignorant that the rap game is no joke. Stereotyped and
vilified at the same time, the observant knows that in order to succeed,
you need to have a serious set of skills in your stable. But how is
success defined in the world of hip-hop? It used to be a strict parameter
of pure lyrics and a slammin' bass track.
Back in the day when
Rakim, Chuck D and Big Daddy Kane had the sick flow, the mainstream was
tuned in to candy rappers with zero street credibility. But times have
changed and now the separation of record sales, fame, money, and skills is
a thing of the past. Jay-Z helped to redefine the game, as a rapper with
one eye on the street and the other on the stock ticker.
He has been accepted
by mainstream middle America and has a loyal urban following as well.
Jigga has been able to squash criticism because he has talent, straight
up. Listen to the intricate rhyme patterns he lays forth on a cut like
"Who U Wit" and try to find a duplicate anywhere in the rap
world. His casual, lazy but precise flow has him lounging in a niche all
his own.
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