Is Jay-Z the Most Influential Rapper of All Time?
December 4th, 1969: the birth of the soon-to-be greatest and most influential rapper to grace the industry. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter was raised in one of America’s most dangerous neighborhoods - Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects. A neighborhood where one would be fortunate to live another day. A neighborhood where the definition of struggle is exemplified and witnessed by its inhabitants on the daily. Littered with crime, drug addiction, and poverty, Jay-Z was born and raised in a life with instilled limits. Trading a bright highschool career for a childhood intertwined in terrorizing gun violence and drug trafficking is a choice that many, like Jay-Z, resorted to as a means to get by. From drug dealing to record selling, Carter fought relentlessly to provide a better life for his family, for his day-ones, and for those just like him. A couple decades later, it can be said that Jay-Z has succeeded in doing just that with his multi-billion dollar net worth, 24 Grammys, 17 Platinum-rated albums, and his reputation as one of the best rappers of all time. With rhymes and flows that no other rapper has replicated, Jay-Z’s music quality earns its rep as the best. But Jay-Z’s impact on the rise of sociopolitical lyricism, his capitalist acumen, and his influence which stems out of the rap industry, is what makes him the most impactful rapper of all time.
Widely considered the "Godfather" of rap music, the New York born rapper, Jay-Z, has been changing the art of hip-hop ever since his debut album in 1996 - Reasonable Doubt. At a time when the infamous West Coast vs. East Coast rap feud was at its highest, Jay’s transition into rap music went particularly unrecognized. Breaking records and seamlessly shifting from “underground” to “mainstream” within his first ensemble of songs was not Jay’s intention. “It was my intention to make it my last,” said Jay-Z about his debut album while breaking down his discography a few years later (Carter, 2010). His hope was to put out an album during one of the most turbulent eras of rap history, and let it mature into an opus that critics and fans would appreciate for its relevance and purpose years later.
The content of rap in the 90s mainly surrounded the stereotypical issues of drugs and violence, leaving virtually no room to talk about pertinent topics. Jay-Z rewrote the rules of traditional rap music by being a pioneer to conscious rap, in which he would address relevant economic and political matters. In laying the foundation for conscious rap, many skeptics criticized Jay for being an anomaly in the industry, with rap music executive, Nick Raphael, saying that “this guy’s the death knell of hip-hop; It’s the beginning of the end; It’s so obvious” (thecomeupshow.com, 1996). In a conversationally monotonous and nonchalant voice, Jay-Z’s packed words rise high above his beats to divulge the struggles of hustling as a black man while being oppressed and impoverished in America.
The content of rap in the 90s mainly surrounded the stereotypical issues of drugs and violence, leaving virtually no room to talk about pertinent topics. Jay-Z rewrote the rules of traditional rap music by being a pioneer to conscious rap, in which he would address relevant economic and political matters. In laying the foundation for conscious rap, many skeptics criticized Jay for being an anomaly in the industry, with rap music executive, Nick Raphael, saying that “this guy’s the death knell of hip-hop; It’s the beginning of the end; It’s so obvious” (thecomeupshow.com, 1996). In a conversationally monotonous and nonchalant voice, Jay-Z’s packed words rise high above his beats to divulge the struggles of hustling as a black man while being oppressed and impoverished in America.
We hustle out of a sense of hopelessness / Sort of a desperation
"Can I Live" - Reasonable Doubt
A childhood immersed in trafficking and peddling was, paradoxically, a huge factor in shaping the success of Jay-Z. It molded Jay to become obsessed and reliant on the art of the sale. Jay picked up coke dealing at the tender age of 16 as a means to financially supplement the absence of his father, who had left when he was 11. The coke trade helped Jay-Z understand what it was like in the cutthroat music industry, where a select few rose to the top of the charts and where few made it out alive. He recognized early on that dealing was either going to end up with him in a prison cell or in a pool of blood, so he decided on his exit route: music. Jay shared in an interview with Vanity Fair that “I was thinking about surviving. I was thinking about improving my situation” when he thought about dealing cocaine (vanityfair.com, 2013). That concept of hustling to survive instilled a natural tendency in Jay-Z to climb the ladder under any circumstance. This mentality formed Jay’s aptitude to corporate success as he applied his experiences in drug dealing to scale the echelons of the business and music industries.
A youthful Jay-Z, poised with conviction, confidence, and bravado from making a name for himself on the streets, was under the impression that he could tackle the music industry the same way he did the drug industry. He soon witnessed the fiercely competitive nature of the rap game when he dropped his first few singles which ended up as busts. The music scene was not welcoming of Jay’s plea for acceptance, with companies and labels steering away from him at the time. But with that unwavering confidence, Jay-Z collaborated with two other friends to start their own record label, Roc-A-Fella, under which he released Reasonable Doubt. Now gaining the attention of music executives around the city, Jay was shelled with offers from major labels to which he brazenly declined. With eyes set on running the whole industry, Jay-Z split up Roc-A-Fella and exchanged it to a major record label, Def Jam Records, for $11.5 million and the title of CEO in 2005. Adapting to the industry’s capitalist tendencies, Jay branched off of Def Jam Records to pursue his new venture, Roc Nation (cnbc.com, 2017). Jay’s Roc Nation currently manages some of music’s biggest artists such as Alicia Keys, DJ Khaled, J. Cole, Rihanna, and countless more. Years after basking in Roc-A-Fella’s success, Jay-Z leveraged his way to President of Def Jam Records, then to Founder of hip-hop’s largest record label, Roc Nation, all while creating some of rap's most renowned music.
I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man
"Diamonds From Sierra Leone" - Late Registration
The entertainment industry has seen some of pop culture’s biggest debates rage on for years. But no debate is as unsettled as rap's G.O.A.T. debate. For decades, people have been disputing who deserves the title of the Greatest Rapper of All Time, but the fire never seems to die down. Older generations will always side with the likes of Rakim, Tupac, and André 3000. Newer hip-hop fans may also bring up Future, Young Thug, or Drake. Given that they’ve all had their immensely successful runs as emcees, rappers, and producers, no one comes near replicating what Jay-Z has done in bringing rap music to the top while being one of the most affluent entrepreneurs. Jay owns his competition when it comes to record sales, as he is the only rap artist with more than 10 Platinum-rated albums. He’s one of two rappers to have more than 20 Grammy wins, and he ties famed producer Quincy Jones for the most Grammy nominations in the history of music. Arguably his greatest accolade was the fact that he was hip-hop's first billionaire thanks to his impressive music catalog, diverse investments, and expansive art collection.
From the Marcy Projects to Madison Square in just a matter of years, Jay-Z has proven that he is truly emblematic of the “American Dream”. He has impacted generations with his skill on the mic, but his influence doesn’t end there. In 2004, Jay-Z invested $1 million in the former New Jersey Nets - a two-time NBA team. His notoriety played a huge role in helping the team bounce back from a several year drought. In 2012, the New Jersey Nets rebranded to the Brooklyn Nets with Jay-Z leading the ship. He funded the team’s new home court, he redesigned their logo, and he was able to revitalize an otherwise under-the-radar NBA team (usatoday.com, 2012). Instances like this demonstrate the influence Jay-Z had on the world outside of music. A truly multi-faceted rapper who has earned, through years of hard work, his undoubtable prominence and influence.
From the Marcy Projects to Madison Square in just a matter of years, Jay-Z has proven that he is truly emblematic of the “American Dream”. He has impacted generations with his skill on the mic, but his influence doesn’t end there. In 2004, Jay-Z invested $1 million in the former New Jersey Nets - a two-time NBA team. His notoriety played a huge role in helping the team bounce back from a several year drought. In 2012, the New Jersey Nets rebranded to the Brooklyn Nets with Jay-Z leading the ship. He funded the team’s new home court, he redesigned their logo, and he was able to revitalize an otherwise under-the-radar NBA team (usatoday.com, 2012). Instances like this demonstrate the influence Jay-Z had on the world outside of music. A truly multi-faceted rapper who has earned, through years of hard work, his undoubtable prominence and influence.
With monumental accomplishments and years of work to show for it, it wouldn't be wrong to say that Jay-Z has solidified his title as one of the greatest rappers of all time. On top of that, his reach beyond the music industry proves to be sizable. Jay-Z’s impact on the ascent of conscious rap, his notable entrepreneurial intuition – which drove him to become a billionaire – and his leadership which has touched various industries, are all factors that promote his role as the most influential rapper. Regardless of what can be said about Jay-Z, his talent is best perceived individually. Words can merely encapsulate Jay’s expertise in an industry doused in criticism and ever changing expectations. To maintain relevance through several decades of change in the industry and to adapt accordingly contribute to Jay-Z’s sterling reputation. One of rap’s most dominant and proficient forces and, without a doubt, rap’s most influential character.
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