Jay-Z is one of the most iconic rappers of his time. Unlike most artists, the ‘Empire State of Mind’ rapper did not have the backing of a record label when he began his career. Instead, he set out as an entrepreneur, growing his audience by the day until he became a household name.
As a rapper, Jay-Z has so far released twelve studio albums, churned out a couple of number one hits, won 23 Grammy awards, and sold millions of records. As a businessman, he has made history by becoming rap’s first billionaire. His success has earned him adoration and hate in equal measure. Here are some things, good and bad, that have been said about the rapper:
6 Kanye West Still Calls Jay-Z His Boss
The relationship between Kanye West and Jay-Z is long and complicated. The pair have worked together, releasing hit after hit, and albums such as Watch the Throne. Things went south, however, and one too many times, Kanye has made rants about Jay-Z and Beyoncé on stage. Given the now-sour relationship, one would expect him to not have any regard for Jay-Z at all, but hat could not be farther from the truth. In the latest episode of Drink Champs, when Kanye was asked who he’d go up against in a Verzuz battle, in true Kanye spirit, he said it takes at least four people to go against him. When Jay-Z was brought up, Kanye said, “ Nah, cause that’s my boss, I would never go against Jay.”
5 Nas: “ Hip-Hop Has To Thank God For Jay-Z”
Any avid Jay-Z fan knows that, in the ‘90s, things were not particularly good between Jay-Z and his then-nemesis Nas. Bad blood between the two started in 1996 when Nas failed to show up for a recording session. Through the years, they would diss each other via their music, such as Nas’ memorable diss track ‘Ether’ off of his album Stillmatic. In Jay-Z’s diss track ‘Supa Ugly’, the rapper not only sampled Nas’ music, but he also alleged to have had an affair with Nas' then-girlfriend. In recent years, we have seen Jay-Z and Nas squash their beef. During a past interview, Nas had this to say about the ‘Run This Town’ hitmaker: “…Hip-Hop has to thank God for Jay-Z…As a businessman, Martin Luther King died, Malcolm X died for Jay. So, the fact that he is doing what he is doing is an awakening call for all.”
4 Dame Dash Thinks Jay-Z ‘Ain’t Sh**”
When Jay-Z was starting out in the music business, one of the people who worked so hard for him to rise to stardom was Damon Dash. Word around the street is that Dash possibly believed in Jay-Z more than he believed in himself. Damon and Jay-Z had a public fallout, and, for someone who worked so hard to see the rapper climb to the top, he seems to have little to no memory of the good times at all. In an interview on the No Jumper podcast, the host brought up Jay-Z, to which Dash said: “Everybody knows Jay ain’t sh**. Everyone knows that…Listen, if you ask anyone in the industry, it’s a common knowledge that Jay ain’t sh**.”
3 Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ Album Had Some Astounding Reveals
In 2016, without warning, Beyoncé dropped her sixth studio album, Lemonade. The masterpiece was one of a kind, featuring other prominent artists like Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd. The album was the best-selling work that year, in large part because of its artistry, but also for the controversy surrounding Jay-Z’s cheating. The work, considered one of Beyoncé’s best to date, contains references such as ‘You better call Becky with the good hair’ and ‘…This is your final warning. You know I give you life. If you try this sh** again, you gon’ lose your wife,” both of which were thought to be directed at Jay-Z.
2 How Trevor Noah Played Jay-Z’s Body Guard
In what is a more fun revelation, comedian Trevor Noah got to play Jay-Z’s bodyguard for a hot minute. This, the talk-show host revealed during a segment on his show dubbed ‘Between the Scenes’. At an award ceremony, Anthony Anderson, the show’s host, made an abrupt ending, and Jay-Z’s bodyguards were nowhere to be seen. As a multitude swarmed around Jay-Z, Trevor Noah swooped in, and guided Jay-Z on his way out, until his security took over. “He’s doing a great Job,” Jay-Z told his men. That was amazing, baby! We gotta do it again some time, baby! That was amazing!” The mogul told Noah as he hopped into his car.
1 The One Thing Oprah Winfrey Doesn’t Agree With
When it comes to their success stories, media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Jay-Z have a lot in common. Both of them come from poverty-stricken backgrounds, both have built incredible careers in enterainment. Oprah and Jay-Z both have great legacies and have more than a billion dollars to show for their hard work. In many ways, they relate in terms of struggle and success, except for when it comes to one thing; a one-word ethnic slur that is often used by Jay-Z. In a 2009 interview, Oprah told the rapper, “…When I met you a few years ago, we discussed our disagreement over the use of the N-word and misogynist lyrics in rap music. Do you believe that using the N-word is necessary?”, to which Jay-Z replied, “Nothing is necessary. It's just become part of the way we communicate. My generation hasn't had the same experience with that word that generations of people before us had. We weren't so close to the pain. So in our way, we disarmed the word. We took the fire pin out of the grenade.”
