Flashback, Flash Forward: Re-Covering the Body and Id-Endtity in the Hip-Hop Experience

FLASHBACK, FLASH FORWARD: RE-COVERING THE BODY AND ID-ENDTITY IN THE HIP-HOP EXPERIENCE

Submitted By

Danicia R. Williams

As part of a Tutorial in Cultural Studies and Communications

May 04,2004

Chatham College Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Tutor: Dr. Prajna Parasher

Reader: Ms. Sandy Sterner

Reader: Dr. Robert Cooley ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Dr. Prajna Paramita Parasher, my tutor for her faith, patience and encouragement. Thank you for your friendship. Ms. Sandy Sterner for keeping me on my toes with her wit and humor, and Dr. Cooley for agreeing to serve on my board. Kathy Perrone for encouraging me always, seeing things in me I can only hope to fulfill and helping me to develop my writing. Dr. Anissa Wardi, you and Prajna have changed my life every time I attend your classes. My parent s for giving me life and being so encouraging and trusting in me even though they weren't sure what I was up to. My Godparents, Jerry and Sharon for assisting in the opportunity for me to come to Chatham. All of the tutorial students that came before me and all that will follow.

I would like to give thanks for Hip-Hop and Sean Carter/Jay-Z, especially for The Black Album. With each revolution of the CD my motivation to complete this project was renewed. Whitney Brady, for your excitement and brainstorming sessions with me. Peace to Divine Culture for his electricity and Nabri Savior. Thank you both for always being around to talk about and live in Hip-Hop. Thanks to my friends, roommates and coworkers that were generally supportive. Finally a special thank you to my dearest friend, Aleksandra for showing me love in friendship that I've never known and always encouraging me to "eat the elephant in small pieces." TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Review of Literature 7

Chapter One 15

Chapter Two 24

Chapter Three 39

Works Cited 45

Appendix A: Images and Advertisements 47

Appendix B: Song Lyrics 73 "Hip-Hop has to bring politics back to the forefront of cultural representation...otherwise it is in danger of losing the most critical element of its identity; the desire to influence lives•.."

-Red Eye Magazine Introduction to the Research Question

Shawn Carter (known as Jay-Z) who has gained widespread recognition as 'the greatest rapper alive' has retired from his career as a recording artist. After 10 years of what could be declared as one of the most successful careers in the Hip-Hop 'game', -let alone the entire music business'- history, the 34 year-old has declared that "hip hop just doesn't do it for him anymore" (VIBE 73). In an industry where careers and people are quickly consumed and expelled by shallow appetites, Jay-Z has fulfilled an enormous demand for an extended period of time.

An ongoing, and by now very deflated debate on Hip-Hip questions, demands to know: Where do we go from here? With the monotonous, formulaic production of rap acts and their material, along with the conspicuous consumption of platinum and diamond jewelry, expensive brand name clothing, champagne, designer drugs, cars and multimillion-dollar homes have been the represented images in music videos, lyrical content and the larger Hip-Hop scene since the late 1990's. Although Jay-Z was a

leading participant in such activities, his artistic integrity combined with his innovative

lyrical and musical styles have given reason for further interrogation.

In addition to having reached an immortal status as the 'best rapper alive,' Jay-Z

has collected a host of alter-egos, makes notable philanthropic contributions, and has co­

ownership in one of the most prosperous and respected labels in the record industry, Roc­

a-fella records-- which also resulted a clothing line of the same namesake, Rocawear.

In his album, Black all Both Sides, lyrical revolutionary MosDef addresses the

Hip-Hop question (2) by remarking that . People talk about Hip-Hop like it's some giant livin' in the hillside comin' down

to visit the townspeople We are Hip-Hop Me, you, everybody, we are Hip-HoSo

Hip-Hop is goin' where we goin' ... Hip-Hop won't get better until the people get

better" ("Fear Not of Man"1999)

This decentered answer offered by MosDef was a key concept used by French

Marxist theoretician, Louis Althusser. It indicates that Hip-Hop culture (according to

MosDef), has a founding legacy of quality and creativity that will allow it to evolve and not continue to be directed by its economic base (Barry 164). With such an ambiguous and open-ended response, virtuosity and innovativeness from this active subculture can be the only determinant of the direction Hip-Hop will take. Talib Kweli, MosDef's counterpart in the rap duo Blackstar, remarked, "There was a context for artists to talk about things in the [19] 60's. Traditionally, the artists followed the people, right now there is no context for the artist to be political, responsible or accountable-- there is no demand." (Public lecture Feb. 2004)

The people will soon have the chance to actively navigate this direction, since the

Hip-Hop 'game' will no longer be dominated by such an established figure as Jay-Z. The time has come for the new generation's leaders to make themselves known and to bring forth a new message to (very) eager ears. Hip-Hop music-also known as rap- beginning in the early 1970's (Henderson 310) has been considered a voice of resistance, created out of need from lives of the struggling, underprivileged, and marginalized common folk

(subculture). With the exception of a viable underground scene, currently the state of

Hip-Hop, now that it is co-opted by major producers, is now concerning a matter of style, however a style of resistance that is extremely market dependent.

2 Hip-Hop was an art form utilized to describe the harsh realities of inner-city life

(Ciment 196) In its current state of [seeming] confusion, an eagemess for the next wave, a resurgence of an innovative voice or voices to restructure and reroute Hip-Hop music's

(rap) function, message and path. The vulnerable state that Hip-Hop occupies gives reason for debate, but also issues a call for new questions, new leaders from the generation that is now coming of age within this culture.

Generally this project is an analysis of cultural expression, exploring the social and political implications (that have or have not sustained themselves) in fashion and music in black culture and identity along with the contemporary interpretations of such.

There will be a specific focus on Jay-Z (Shawn Carter): entrepreneur, entertainer, MC, revolutionary hustler, and philanthropist as a paradigm to examine his interplay of these elements of culture and the ways in which they are represented.

Co-owner of Roc-a-fella records and Rocawear apparel, Jay-Z (a play on the word jazzy), is the prime example of the bourgeoisie in Hip-Hop culture. Despite, his achieving the status as an outsider from his success, Jay-Z does recognize his Brooklyn housing projects upbringing.

Rocawear's spring 2003 women's campaign includes several specific images that are re-presenting some familiar images of the Black liberation movement of the 1960's.

This is especially interesting because Jay-Z, along with Rocawear, appears to be inciting a revolutionary sentiment by way of advertising, but what are the motivations? Possibly a commodified revival of a cultural aesthetic for capitalist intent, and if so would be characteristic in the current [late] stages of capitalism. Is it a dual cooptation of that pm1icular movement for commercial and liberatory purposes? Is Jay-Z is using the

3 mainstream against itself to sell a product but also to reach 'the people' (particularly Hip-

Hop youth)? And is it either, as Bakari Kitwana poses, a brand of hard-core nationalism, or lukewarm, f1ash-in-the-pan bougie nationalism? Could he be an activist or simply activist minded?

His final album, which was released in December of 2003, entitled The Black

Album displays a highly thoughtful, socially conscious, and matured Jay-Z. Following the progression of his lyrical content since his entrance into the mainstream eye and ear, Jay-

Z has evolved. From "Big Pimpin"'(2000) to his recent single "Change Clothes,"(2004)

Jay-Z's lyrical content has undergone a sonic evolution (VIBE 82)

In addition to an advertisement analysis and comparison of the content with propaganda from the Black Liberation movement of the 1960's, Jay-Z's music will be juxtaposed along with a lyrical analysis of six of his major hits spanning over the lO-year period of his career. Looking at his billboard hits lyrically and displaying such a progression or maturation from an in-depth analysis of The Black Album, it can read as a ret\.lm to self.

In the fields of Cultural Studies and Communication this is a significant topic.

The Hip-Hop nation/generation collectively includes black as well as a considerable portion of white urban and suburban youth, in addition to others that belong to earlier generations. The phrase Hip-Hop generation coined by Bakari Kitwana,

" ... Is used interchangeably with Black youth culture. No other term better defines this generation of black youth, as the entire spectrum of Black youth (including college students and young professionals, as well as the urban masses) has come to identify with Hip-Hop's cadence." (Kitwana xiii)

4 The current status of Hip-Hop encompassing elements of a general lifestyle implies that members who belong to such a group share a national culture and ultimately a shared consciousness. Whereas family and local institutions were traditional sites of guidance,

"media and entertainment such as popular music, film and fashion are the major forces transmitting culture to this generation of Black Americans" (Diawara 7). Because of this set of shared core values, the Hip-Hop generation has taken a reflexive glance on itself, their peers, global images and products, and the new realities they face for guidance.

Black youth has turned to rap music, music videos, designer clothing, popular black films etc, for values and identity (Kitwana 7). The Hip-Hop 'generationers' that can resist the omnipresent consumer culture are in the minority (George 168). Youth and commodity culture have become nearly synonymous.

Hip-Hop music, having such an enormous impact on its generation of followers, is also affectionately known as "The CNN of Black America", as declared by Chuck D.

(Carl Ryder), the 'prophet of rage' of the legendary rap group Public Enemy (TIME Feb.

2003). CNN is a major corporate news broadcasting system that informs a mass of people with accurate and up-to-date news around the world, naming themselves" the world's leaders in news and information delivery" (cnn.com). For Hip-Hop to be named the

Black CNN, an alternate, subversive, communal/collective, and recently corporatized mode of communication lies therein an enormous responsibility, not to mention the possibilities of a means of enlightening and empowering the collective of the Hip-Hop generation through its various manifestations. In part, this tutorial will serve as a social and political diachronic analysis of a part of the black [community] experience during the

Black liberation movement of the late 1960's/ early 1970's, and the postmodern times,

5 th the late 20 and early 21 5t century. Whatever the outcome, a new basis for understanding this particular aspect of Black culture will be gained.

6 Review of Literature

Circa 1974, Hip-Hop originated as a voice and a situating of identity for African­

American, West Indian and Puerto Rican youth. Born out of the inner-city crisis and devastation occurring specifically in the Bronx, New York, "Hip-Hop culture emerged as

a new, creative, and flexible value system in a landscape of stripped value (Encarta

Africana.com). Hip-hop, a collective term for a lifestyle, genre of music, and ultimately a

culture in its fluidity is in a constant process of mystification. Initially being comprised of

four defining elements: Break dancing, 'rapping', DJ'ing and graffiti art, Hip-hop over

time as a result of its commercialization, has evolved to also include the elements of:

verbal language, body language, attitude, style and fashion (Kitwana 8). This speculation

is fair, since consumers in all other areas of the country and abroad could not replicate the

lived experiences of the originators, but instead only emulate of all of the tangible aspects

(i.e. one's physical positioning), stepping closer to the actual representation.

The exact birth date of the Hip-Hop phenomenon along with its etymology remain

unknown, credit is given to be shared amongst three founding figures: DJ Afrika

Bambaataa, Busy Bee Starski, and DJ Hollywood, all of whom where New York City

DJ's. Commonly, the brand Hip-Hop is conflated to signify the culture as well as the

genre of music. In 1999 Chuck D. delineated a point of reference by stating

"Twenty years of recorded rap music--that's right, and about 25 years of hip-ho

There is a difference, and many times folks confuse the two. Hip-hop is the term

for urban-based creativity and expression of culture. Rap is the style of rhythm­

spoken words across a musical terrain. It's the antithesis of country music, but the

7 two do pretty much the same thing--reflect upon their environments with stories

and statements." (TIME Feb. 2003)

Sociolinguist Geneva Smitherman, in her essay "Black Power is Black Language" attributes 'hip' as a black vernacular tendency in the 1950's of mispronouncing the

[original] word 'hep,' which itself was then appropriated for mainstream [white] usage

(Hutchinson, Simmons, and Simmons 85). Smitherman goes on to say that the "Hippie" movement derived its name from the same linguistic "borrowing."

The original four elements, all cultural productions, whether executed directly through the body (rapping, break dancing), or through mediated forms (DJ'ing, graffiti writing) are alternative modes of communication. The artistic representatives of each

Hip-Hop forms master these talents so as to be prepared to display them at anytime and place and crews formed within each elemental sub-genre.

The catalysts for experimentation in alternative activities (which have manifested themselves as the four original elements of Hip-Hop) were poverty, industrialization, and a major cut in the music program funding in The New York City public schools.

Youthful ambition and creativity matched with scarce resources lead to improvisation or syndesis.

Graffiti is the use of signs, symbols and written language in drawings, writing and spray painting, colloquially known as 'tagging' on buildings and public facades such as subways, trains, bridges, sidewalks etc (Rose 41). This form appeared in New York in the late 1960's but developed in its full extravagance in the 1970's. More in the style of pop art, graffiti uses vibrant colors, 3-dimensional bubble letters that usually display names, monikers, commentaries and slang. An overarching purpose of tagging is to assert an

8 identity, to make one's name and existence known and seen by all. The more obscure and difficult place to exhibit one's urban art the more likely it will be seen and appreciated.

By approaching personal entertainment and avocation with different instruments, differing results would likely follow. In this case the founding generation of Hip-Hop youth found an identity, and a platform for social and political commentary, and (in most cases) a positive alternative to youth violence.

Many of the high schools in urban New York were technical or trade in focus, preparing minority youth for jobs that would soon be made obsolete by a revolution in technology. The technical, mechanical and vocational knowledge and skills the students were equipped with was transferred for use of their own terms, in this case turntables and sound equipment. These individuals created and manipulated new ways to use record players, stereos and like so came about the prototypical DJ.

The bedrock element, the DJ, short for disc-jockey is responsible for 'laying down a beat,' and 'giving the crowd something to dance to.'

"DJ's layer sounds literally one on top of the other, created a dialogue between

sampled songs and words...DJ's were the central figures in Hip-Hop; they

sampled the break beats for break dancers and the soundtrack for graffiti crew

socializing" (Rose 39-51)

Scratching, a novelty in which the record is moved on the turntable, by hand in an abrupt, rhythmic forward and backward motion against the needle that creates a "scratching" sound. While one record is scratched another turntable continuously plays. "Using two turntables and a stereo mixer, the DJ's would extend and combine the few bars customary on the recordings into new creations that would last as long as they wanted" (Salaam

9 307). This record manipulation most often takes place in the bridge, or "break" of a song, creating a break-beat.

Break dancing, the physical manifestation of Hip-Hop style (Rose 47), utilizes the body and the extended break beat, afforded by the DJ to exhibit routines and 'moves' that are sequenced in blocked of frames [of time]. The moves are contorted, acrobatic displays of physical talent.

Culminating from the formation of the three other art forms, rap was the last element to come about (Rose 51). From the break beat created by the DJ's manipulation of the recorded songs, a vocal element was eventually added to accompany the space afforded by the extended instrumental in a song. To introduce acts or maintain the flow of a show, the DJ would voice over the music that was playing, and inadvertently served as an M.C. or Master of Ceremonies. Eventually the role of an M.C. along with its abbreviated name would become conflated with DJ's and prototypical rappers.

"Soon many others began to concentrate on the vocal, M.C. side of this new form

rather than on the instrumental, D.J. side. As the music developed, the M.C.s

became more influential. The raps became increasingly complex as these artists

worked at and developed their craft. What began as simply an extra device to add

excitement to the show eventually became the essence of the form ...This artistic

exploration and growth went relatively unnoticed by mainstream America...until

the release of Rapper's Delight" (Salaam 307)

And so rap was born.

10 The power and dynamic of delivery by the rapper and the message [s] he would bring forth came to be the strongest, centralized forced in Hip-Ho Smitherman associates the M.e. with a central figure and feature in traditional African cultures,

''The rapper is a postmodem African griot, the verbally gifted storyteller and cultural historian in traditional African society" (Smitherman 4).

With the commercial release of the 15-minute single "Rapper's Delight" in 1979 by the Sugar Hill Gang -a trio from New Jersey-, rap music and all that was occurring in

New York in the formation of Hip-Hop culture was immediately placed on the proverbial rna The Sugar Hill Gang, a name taken from the independent record label from which they belonged, Sugar Hill Records. Although "Rapper's Delight" did not represent a monolithic voice in rap music, nor Hip-Hop culture, it gave the public a fairly representational idea. "Rap was fueled by small independent labels," says Tricia Rose

(Black Noise 56). Long time rap critic, Mtume ya Salaam on "The Aesthetics of Rap" said of the song,

"Rapper's Delight" was a huge hit, but perhaps incidentally, considering

its huge popularity, did not accurately portray the music that was being

crated in the Bronx and the other Boroughs of New York City at the

time ...Though "Rapper's Delight" may have not been a towering success

artistically...it is considered a very important release because it introduced

most of the world to rap music."(Salaam 307)

"Rapper's Delight" sold over an estimated 2 million copies worldwide (Salaam 307).

"The record was essentially a series of catchy sing-song rhymes delivered over a break

from a popular disco song of the period, "Good Times" (Salaam 307). The use of a

11 contemporary disco song is significant. Like punk culture, Hip-Hop culture resisted the electronic, synthesized (particularly found in disco) direction music had taken. The syncretism and pastiche of the old song for new purposes is the precursor for what today is called "sampling" in contemporary rap songs. Sampling varies in the sense that it will use lyrics in addition to the beat and background of an old song. This activity is a staple in postmodem practice.

From the early seventies and continuing through the release of the Sugar Hill

Gang's single, crews, "a local source of identity and group affiliation" according to Rose, author of Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America (34) were groups of creative young people who wanting to belong to something gathered and shared in their talents. Crews, usually geographically sorted, had parties in which other crews from all around would come to battle and display and compete their talents amongst each other.

"With few economic assets and abundant cultural and aesthetic resources,

Afro-diasporic youth have designated the street as the arena for

competition, and style as the prestige-awarding event" (Rose 61)

These Parties were legendary and were clearly the impetus to push the artistic individual to out-do themselves each time.

"By 1979... Sugar Hill Gang and others were taking two- or three-hour party

events and condensing them to minutes on wax. The irony of what's considered

the first rap record, "Rapper's Delight", was not how long the IS-min. version was

but in how short a time the artists got the style down on a record."(TIME Feb.

2003)

12 By the re-producing the effects an essence of this new phenomenon was obviously lost.

This could be seen as the beginning of another appropriation of Rap and Hip-hop culture, because the consumers masses were obviously receiving watered down, but highly welcomed pieces of a new movement.

The actual verbal language in rap music, which Sociolinguist Geneva Smitherman recognizes as " ...critical to keep in mind that the racialized rhetoric of rap music and the

Hip-Hop nation is embodied in the communicative practices of the larger Black speech community" (Smitherman 7). Ebonies, a dominating rhetorical vehicle in rap music, is defined by dictionary.com as a nonstandard form of American English spoken by some

American Black people. Taken from two words: ebony, as in a shade of black referring to

Blacks use of the language, and phonics the [phonetic] sound, which us usually stressed in the sound product of this vocal art form. This alternative dialect in opposition to standard American English is placed in the context of African American language, or

Black English. This will be further discussed in chapter three within the analysis of

selected rap lyrics.

Hip-Hop culture is a significant topic for research because it is an ongoing,

steadily evolving, postmodem phenomenon. With its increasing commercialization, Rap

music and Hip-Hop culture are being utilized in the marketing schemes of major

corporations including: Sprite, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Dr. Pepper, Budweiser,

McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nokia Communications, Reebok Toyota, Twix and

Kool-Aid to mention some. It is significant that advertisers have embraced Hip-Hop to

reach an entire youth culture (Ebony April. 2004). Such an entrance into the mainstream

as a trend in contrast to its inception as an urban folk culture requires further

13 examination. As Manning Marable (15) in his most recent book, -The Great Wells of

Democracy: The Meaning of Race in American Life- eloquently summarizes:

"Any understanding of Black history illustrates that we have consistently fought

to maintain a unique set of cultural values that have shaped and continue to define

our core identities as a people. We have, in effect, always been not only the

makers of "our" history but also central to the construction and evolution of the

larger American Experience...Our music tells us much about who we are, how we

have worked...where we've been, and where we're going. From the blues of the

Mississippi Delta...to the provocative rhythms of today's Hip-Hop, black music

reflects the pulse and sensibility of blackness.

Trangressive and at times controversial, the Hip-Hop movement is a hallmark in

American consciousness. At its root, the other, specifically racialized minorities, are the backbone of this cultural production before it is assimilated into the mainstream for mass consumption.

14 Chapter One: Playing the Game: 'The Life and Times of Shawn Carter'

"Who's the nicest like politeness on these mic devices and I don't write this I just mic this, I will it to happen One take Hov, I'm real at this rappin'"

Jay-Z [A] "Freestlye"

Reading the stages of Jay-Z's life through the lens of post-colonial theory, he has appropriately occupied and surpassed the stages of adapting to-, becoming adept in-, and adopting within the positioning of the colonized Other. Ultimately Jay-Z has created his own avenues by which to maneuver in contemporary society.

Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4th 1969 in Brooklyn, New

York. Shortly after his family moved to the Marcy Housing Projects -a notorious public housing complex in Brooklyn- his father left the family. In a single-parent household, his mother raised 4 children, Shawn being the youngest.

He attended George Westinghouse Vocational and Technical High School and battled with the likes of [now] famous rappers Notorious B.LG. and Busta Rhymes

(Christopher Wallace and Trevor Smith) (Vibe 75). Westinghouse, a secondary trade

school, (as mentioned earlier) served as a training site for colonizing underprivileged

youth into meaningless industrial worker existences. Soon however their jobs and

training would either be outsourced or become obsolete from technological advances.

This upgrading in society would exclude a large portion of the viable youth population

from jobs, higher educational opp0J1unities, and basic necessary financial resources.

15 While being trained for a role in society at High School, he was also exposed to the new Hip-Hop subculture. Growing up in a notorious ghetto at the height of the crack- cocaine epidemic, he was also exposed to other alternative lifestyles. Jay-Z began both hustling and rapping in 1986. He used the money earned from his "job" to fund the producing, recording, and releasing his own music. For 5 years he managed himself and others in the pushing or selling of crack. In 1991 Jay-Z (then known as Jazzy), was encouraged to take rap seriously by DJ Clark Kent, an Atlantic Records A&R person

(Vibe 75). Jay-Z's commercial appeal stemmed from 1996 song collaboration with

female MC Foxy Brown. The Single, "Aint No Nigga" was released on (the remade

motion picture) Nutty Professor Soundtrack. The single sold 1 million copies, making

Jay-Z a national star (Vibe 76).

Best Rapper Alive

"Who you know fresher than Hov'? Riddle me that The rest of y'all know where I'm Lyrically at Can't none of y'all mirror me back"

Jay-Z "Encore"

Jay-Z's major influential predecessors in rap music were Tupac Shakur and The

Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smalls). Tupac and Biggie represented the west coast east

coast movements in rap respectively. The two rappers were once colleagues, but split

after Tupac was gunned down in a New York recording studio. Tupac believed the

shooting was conspired by Biggie and Puffy (now Diddy), the CEO of Bad Boy

Entertainment. Resulting from this feud was the major East coastlWest coast rivalry that

16 took place in the mid 90's that eventually had a part in claiming the lives of the two rappers. In 1996, in a 6-month period, both Biggie and Tupac were shot down and murdered while in California.

The tragedy left Jay-Z as the strongest force in Hip-Hop to grow and develop to become the 'Best Rapper Alive'. Biggie was considered the greatest; Jay-Z is the best, alive. Jay-Z's adeptness was proven in becoming a competitive rapper and simply having stayed alive to become the best.

The Game

We treat this rap shit just like handlin' weight What they want we give it to 'em, What they abandon we take Hit a rapper with consignment, Let him know it's at stake Put his ass in the studio, let him cook up a cake

Jay-Z "Rap Game/Crap Game"

Jay-Z is conscious of his ghettocentric African-American indigenous ways. The

'hustle' is converted into a business scheme, the street life serving as an archetypal

model. He translates the street hustle into his maneuvering within the music industry.

" My first business model was on the streets," (BlackBook 177) he refers to both Hip-

Hop and the music industry the game and extends this concept of the game throughout

his endeavors.

"I've read articles where people compare rap to other genres of music ...but its

really most like a sport... boxing to be exact. The stamina, the one-man army, the

combat aspect of it. the ring, the stage, and the fact that boxers never quit when

they should" (Vibe 76)

17 He idolizes and compares himself to the likes of Michael Jordan and Frank

Sinatra. Michael Jordan retired twice, and subsequently re-entered the basketball realm, once with the Chicago Bulls for another championship, and returning again to lead the

Washington Wizards, a then newly founded Basketball team. Michael Jordan's third coming after a retiring was a career move that Jay-Z did not support. In the spirit and times of the Rat pack and Frank Sinatra, journalist Josh Tyrangiel compares Jay-Z as "[a] relaxed baritone that makes him sound a bit like a ghetto Sinatra," (Time) in response to a phase Jay-Z experienced during his first album, Reasonable Doubt (1996).

He refers to label mates as 'his team,' "I've never been someone who was a headliner. I've always been a coach or a team leader." In discussing his heights in fame, he is humble in approach, but boastful in execution. In a review of The Black Album, he is described as "not shy about trumpeting his triumphs, and the bravado may prove wearing. But complaining about rappers' self-obsession is like criticizing boxers for being violent." (UK times 2003). Producers have depicted Jay-Z in the same light. Pharell

WiJliams of the production team, The Neptune's, has worked with Jay-Z on a number of his albums described him as, " ...a chess player. You can tell the guys who play chess because they know how they're gonna move four moves away from now."

Currently regarded as the best in his game, with continual record sales in the multi-platinum categories, Jay-Z has also secured several other business virtues. The motivating factors for this are a legacy he wants to leave for his culture but also his children, being able to give something to both, inspirationally and tangibly.

" ...At the end of the day.. .I just want to have something to leave for my kids and

the next generation of kids. Growing up. I knew no one, zero people whose

18 19 negative implications that the image represented for African Americans, it is surprising that they haven't replaced the image representing their product.

It is also important to look at the consumer market buying Uncle Ben's Rice:

"According to a market research survey, Uncle Ben's Converted Rice is purchased by 13 percent of black families and 23 percent of white families (Assael, 1987, p.333)" (Kem­

Foxworth 49). This research indicates that not only were Euro-American consumers literally buying and consuming Uncle Ben's stereotypical representation, but that African

American consumers were also buying and consuming it as well. This is disturbing, considering that these images were once created to appeal only to white consumers, but the effects of the history of the commodification of blackness led to an acceptance of these stereotypes as social norms. The reason that these images became accepted as social norms is because of the long history of these stereotypical images. Aunt Jemima has existed for one hundred fourteen years, Rastus's image has existed for seventy-three years, and Uncle Ben's image has existed for approximately sixty-three years. These images have been in existence so long that because of familiarity; their presence is not questioned in the multitude of images that is presented in the supermarket. (See Exhibit

VIII) It is commonplace to see these images, and is generally unquestioned by the majority of American consumers, whether they be African American or Euro-American.

Uncle Ben represents the same type of stereotype as Rastus, but without the evolution of Rastus, the use of Uncle Ben's image could not have been as successful.

The stereotype of the male African American servant had already been established as a social norm through the portrayal of Rastus that helped to make the image of Uncle Ben so successful as a marketing tool. Once again, blackness became associated with Aside from Roc-a-fella, Jay-Z owns and operates an elite sports bar, the 40140

Club NYC. He has also recently purchased the New Jersey Nets, with the aid of a corporate backer, and plans to relocate them to Brooklyn. The venue, and its subsequent traffic will surely boost the economy, creating jobs and commerce in his hometown borough.

Jay-Z has also made other philanthropic contributions toward his New York and

North American community. A portion of the funds raised from his Hard Knock Tour went families of Columbine victims. Proceeds from the Blueprint tour went to families affected by World Trade Center Incident. He has established a scholarship fund in his name, and Team Roc, a community outreach program "that uses the tenets of basketball to re-shape the lives of young people from Central Harlem and the outer boroughs" is an ongoing effort.

Rocafella and its offshoots all compliment to Jay-Z's concept of the 'Browning of

America'. The Browning of America, which Jay-Z defines as blacks gaining access to the finer things in life that can easily be considered elitist, materialistic and ultimately bougie. However this is a lifestyle and utilization of resources that is typically only given access to a small [white] minority in North America.

"There has to be a more equal playing field. And were starting to see some

changes. What myself, Puffy, will smith, and Denzel are doing, it's all new

ten-itory for African-Americans." (BlackBook 114)

These men are all successful (and black), situating themselves in the public arena that is only beginning to make space for such changes. Jay-Z references and inserts

20 himself into the dynamic, knowing the threat potential threat that may pose to his white counterparts.

According the Barthes, however, "it is a characteristic of bourgeois ideaology the deny the existence of a bourgeois class" (117). The myth of a nation, specifically the Hip-

Hop nation allows for Jay-Z to lay claim in it, as long as he 'keeps it real' and can allude the branding of bourgeoisie. In what can be read as a rationalization of being bougie, it does have merit. In this particular instance, there are still major inequities in regard to the

access of resources for blacks.

Jay-Z is a hybrid-bougie, both in lifestyle and in the mainstream and hip-culture's

view, this could be paralleled with the concept of 'new money'. Confronted with the

reality of his influence on both Hip-Hop mainstream youth culture, Jay-Z acknowledges

his presence, but also designates his own agenda.

"I do this for my culture To let em know What a Nigga look like When a Nigga in a Roll-sta

(Blackbook 113)

Jay-Z is setting an example. With so few [similar] idols to compare himself with, and in

this case the appearance of the first generation of competitive black male candidates in

the Browning of America, there is a room for discussion on the role of responsibility,

however one that an entertainer, or artist might not yet fully realize. From his fluid

identity from the deepest suburbs in the mainstream to the housing projects in the hood,

Jay-Z can easily maneuver and stay the same and true to himself [black book quote]

Keeping one foot in the old country, in this case the ghetto, and the other with bougie

elite in Manhattan. he simultaneously represents and pm1icipates in both.

21 The Best Rapper Alive Retires

They say "they never really miss you 'til you dead or you gone" So on that note I'm leaving after the song So you ain't gotta feel no way about Jay so long At least let me tell you why I'm this way, Hold on I was conceived by Gloria Carter and Adaness Reeves Who made love under the Sycamore tree Which makes me A more sicker emcee... Jay-Z December 4th

On September 24, 2003 at a news conference at Madison Square Garden to promote an upcoming concert, Jay-Z announced his retirement. For the issuing of his final album Jay-Z would also arrange an elaborate marketing scheme to coincide with the monumental event:

Coinciding with his retirement Jay-Z would:

• Write and release a memoir/autobiography entitled The Black Book!.

• Release his final Album, The Black Album.

• Perform and televise a farewell concert and promotional tour in which

he calls his "Victory lap"z.

3 • Design the S. Carter, jet-black athletic shoes for Reebok . (3)

Having become adept, and consequentially the best, Jay-Z is currently only in

competition with himself. In The Black Album he reveals fears of a violent backlash from

the lifestyle he lives, the same that claimed the lives of his two predecessors. Also

feeling that in regards to rhyming, he has said all that he can say, and has set the standard

I The Blm.:k Book is to be published by MTV/pocket books. 2 The wnl:ert sold out in four hours. and is benefiting The Shawn Carter sl:holarship fund (USA today 20m). , Jay-Z was the first non-athlete with a signature athletil: footwear collel:tion. It fastest seller in rbk history at $115 per pair (Vibe and USA today 2003)

22 that most Hip-Hop artist's have followed. Maturing at "33, an age when Hip-Hop cliche holds that most rappers are irrelevant, bankrupt or dead" (Tyrangiel 1) ] ay-Z is seeking to expand his proverbial horizons and get out of the game. To fans, this was exciting and devastating news. His retirement however, can be read as a calm before the storm, in this case the flourishing and revitalization or continual downgrade in the Hip-Hop arena.

23 Chapter Two: What More Can He Say?

Rapping, the verbal action form of Hip-Hop was a term originally used to refer to the persuasive, romantic language a man would use to win the affection of a woman

(Smitherman 4). This use of the term still resonates within the Five Percent Nation.

The Five Percent Nation (or The Nation of Gods and Earths) is an offshoot of the Nation

Of Islam. Five Percenter terminology and references permeate throughout Hip-Hop expressions and slang derives directly from Five Percent Nation terminology.

Expressions such as "Break it down," "Peace," "droppin'science" and "represent" all come from the Five Percenter ideology (Aidi 1). Within the mainstream consciousness however, rap is only known to signify the musical phenomenon.

"By the late 1960's, when the term crossed over into mainstream public

language, it had lost its sexual innuendo and came to mean any kind of

strong, aggressive, highly fluent powerful talk." (Smitherman 4)

In this paper, 'rap' is used synonymously with Hip-Hop music, as are rapper and

M.C.. These terms embody the art of storytelling that uses reality and fiction as

supporting details in the narrative. The rhythmic conveying of a message that desctibes

one's lived experiences is steeped in the African oral tradition. Rapping is the modem

manifestation of a mode of communication that has evolved from the griot, to the

bluesman, and playing the dozens (Smitherman 4).

In the telling of his or her own story, the M.C. has agency. Rapping stands in

contrast to a dominant. and often pastoral metanarrative of North American life.

24 Language is infused with power. This power is recovered through the rhetorical art of rap by the Hip-Hop culture. Within a common understanding of slang, a black identity is asserted.

Lyrics in rap music typically depict the experiences within the urban/ghetto consciousness. The application of slang, or Ebonies, allows for the dominant narrative to be further deconstructed.

"The result of this blend was a communication system that functioned both as a

resistance language and a linguistic bond of cultural and racial solidarity..."

(Smitherman 8)

With the creation of a new vernacular, there was thus a new way of speaking, thinking and seeing the world. The understanding of instance of 'in-speech' is a communal activity that binds the diverse Hip-Hop generation together.

In the evaluation of an M.C.'s talents, four elements are the determinants in the quality of performance: lyrics, style, flow, and sound. Lyrics refer to the subject matter

an~ the organization of a piece. A rapper's style refers to the originality and delivery

process. Flow is the rapper's ability to maneuver and manipulate the beat in which is

being rhymed over. A rapper's unique sound, which is a combination of all of the

characteristics is where a distinction is made between and among artists.

'What More Can He Say?'

All of Jay-Z's studio recorded albums have been certified as platinum and beyond

by the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA). With the exception of his MTV

unplugged live session (which was certified gold) were recorded in the studio. The

25 RIAA awards platinum certification for albums that reach or exceed sales of 1 million units (billboard.com).

Jay-Z has received two Grammy awards along with several other nominations in the rap/Hip-Hop genre. Despite his accepting the recognition of the musical canon, Jay-Z has yet to ever appear at the actual awards ceremony. His reasons for protesting the

Grammy's are the years of overlooking Hip-Hop/Rap as a competitive genre of music deserving to be represented.

Song Analyses

The endeavor of analyzing the lyrics of an artist is complicated. To explore, in a linear fashion is the attempt to recapitulate the circular development and ongoing process of growth of the subject, the artist, and the indi vidual. The artistic output, which is on hold for now, as to allow the development for the art from

"Hard Knock life ([the] ghetto anthem)"(l999), was by far Jay-Z's claim to international fame as a major crossover hit. The use of the sampled chorus from the

Broadway musical "Annie" tapped into American consciousness. The juxtaposition of his project housing upbringing with that of an orphan white child's symbolizes the color blind system that discriminates principally on all marginalized classes.

["Annie" sample] It's the hard knock life (uh-huh) for us It's the hard knock life, for us!! 'Steada treated, we get tricked 'Steada kisses, we get kicked It's the hard knock life!!

[Jay-Z] From standin' on the comers boppin' to dri vin' some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen For droppin' some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard

26 From the dope spot, with the smoke glock f1eein' the murder scene, you know me well from nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell But since when y'all niggas know me to fail? Fuck naw Where all my niggas with the rubber grips, bust shots And if you with me mom I rub on your tits, and what-not I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot let's stick up the world and split it fifty/fifty, uh-huh Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby! You know it's hell when I come through The life and times of Shawn Carter nigga Volume 2, y'all niggaz get ready

In the single "Izzo (R.O.V.A.)," Jay-Z introduces himself, in the 3rd person as a supernatural, God-like force in rap music. In the style of a championship, Jay-Z chronicles his struggle of staying in the games he plays.

H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA Was herbin' em in the home of the Terrapins Got it dirt cheap for them Plus if they was short wit' cheese I would work wit' them Boy and we...got rid of that dirt for them Wasn't born hustlers I was burpin' em H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Fo' sheezy my neezy keep my arms so freezy Can't leave rap alone the game needs me Haters want me clapped and chromed it ain't easy Cops wanna knock me,D.A. wanna box me in But somehow, I beat them charges hke Rocky H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Not guilty, he who does not feel me is not real to me Therefore he doesn't exist So pooL.vamoose son of a bitch

In "Big Pimpin'" (1999), Jay-Z glorifies the pimp in himself. Proclaiming to be immune against love for women and monogamy. He displays distrust for women, especially since he is wealthy and an eligible bachelor. Instead. Jay-Z pines for the materialistic.

27 You know I- thug 'em, fuck 'em, love 'em, leave 'em Cause I don't fuckin' need 'em Take 'em out the hood, keep 'em lookin' good But I don't fuckin' feed 'em First time they fuss I'm breezin' Talkin' bout, "What's the reasons?" I'm a pimp in every sense of the word, bitch Better trust than believe 'em In the cut where I keep 'em 'til I need a nut, 'til I need to beat the guts Then it's, beep beep and I'm pickin' 'em up Let 'em play with the dick in the truck Many chicks wanna put Jigga fist in cuffs Divorce him and split his bucks Just because you got good head, I'm a break bread so you can be livin' it up? Shit I.. parts with nothin', y'all be frontin' Me give my heart to a woman? Not for nothin', never happen I'll be forever mackin' Heart cold as assassins, I got no passion I got no patience And I hate waitin'.. Hoe get yo' ass in And let's RI-I-I-I-I-IDE.. check 'em out now RI-I-I-I-I-IDE, yeah And let's RI-I-I-I-I-IDE.. check 'em out now RI-I-I-I-I-IDE, yeah

Whereas the Jay-Z's previous songs rely on materialistic themes, The Black

Album takes on a different form. The Black Album (2003) is an oral autobiographical rendering of Jay-Z's music and business career. Initially, Jay-Z declared that his first album, Reasonable Doubt (1996) would be his last. In between these two significant productions, Jay-Z produced eight commercially successful Albums. To his merit, he has· taken part in the artistic development of new and established artists. He has made cameo

appearances had has [ghost-] written for other artists, whi Ie constructing his own multi-

faceted agenda. Eight years and nine albums following Reasonable Doubt, The Black

28 Alhum was produced to be the prequel to his first album, but also the finale-in this stage- of his recording career.

The Black Album divulges a dimension of Jay-Z's aJ1istry and personality that has

previously been alluded to in his other albums, but is then fully revealed. Each Single

address significant themes concerning race, sex, class, ideological struggles, and other

topics from his cultural standpoint.

The first track is an interlude. It's sound is retro. A synthesized funk sound is re-

created which fades in and out to frame the commentary sampling of a motivation

speaker. The unidentified man is discussing the cycle of existence and all things coming

to an end. The use of the voice of an (presumed) elder is symbolic of a libation. The

libation is significant in African culture because it recognizes and commemorates the

ancestors; it asks the permission of the ancestors to proceed in any endeavor.

th "December 4 " the albums second track is also Jay-Z's birth date. The music in

the background is reminiscent of a fight song for a sporting event. The song is a duo of

Jay-Z and his mother's pre-recorded voice that recounts her son's life. Pondering his

legacy, Jay-Z raps over the beat and compliments his mother's commentary. This

electronic poly-vocalization, in a simultaneous greeting and farewell introduces The

Black Album.

They say "they never really miss you 'til you dead or you gone" So on that note I'm leaving after the song So you ain't gotta feel no way about Jay so long At least let me tell you why I'm this way, Hold on I was conceived by Gloria Carter and Adaness Reeves Who made love under the Sycamore tree Which makes me A more sicker emcee my momma would claim

29 The third track, "What More Can I Say?" begins with a sample from a scene in the motion picture The Gladiator (2001). The scene from a Roman coliseum depicts a break in the game in which the gladiator challenges the spectators on their barbaric forms of entertainment. The gladiator games represent the ultimate extreme sport. Looking at his life, Jay-Z accepts his maturing age matched with his youthful audience. Listing his triumphs and accomplishments, Jay-Z asserts his success story. This is an outspoken song, made literal as the background music fades to black and Jay-Z continues to rap acapella.

There's never been a nigga this good for this long This hood Or this pop is hot Or this strong With so many different flows This ones for this song The next one i'll switch up This one will get bit up These fucks To lazy to make up shit They crazy They don't...paint pictures They just trace me You know what Soon they forget who they plucked They whole style from And try to reverse the outcome I'm Iike...CLUCK I'm not a biter I'm a writter For myself and others I say a B.I.G. verse I'm only biggin' up my brother Biggin' up my borough I'm big enough to do it I'm that thorough

Plus I know my own flow is foolish

30 Jay-Z is the architect of this fOlmula, within which lies a higher knowledge and power that permeates the entire fabric of mainstream rap music. According to Adomo, the popular music produced by the culture industry is dominated by two processes: standardization and pseudo-individualisation...they are increasingly characterized by a core structure...(p65) The mainstream audience has become comfortable to the point it cannot recognize quality and true to form Hip-hop. Hip-Hop in its early days centered around the battle, without a worthy component Jay-Z has no challenges. "They don't paint pictures they trace me" With his audience, Jay-Z feels as if he has nothing left to say until someone comes and lifts the par that he sets.

"Encore" the fourth track is melancholy and sentimental. Jay-Z reflects on the game. He reveals, through his lyrics and by the title, that he remains a powerful force in

Hip-Hop, but requires his audience to prompt him back into action. Reinforcing his status as the 'Best Rapper Alive' and likening himself to the prophet Jehovah (J-Hova, rap's god).

Who you know fresher than Hov'? Riddle me that The rest of y'all know where I'm lyrically at Can't none of y'all mirror me back Yeah hearin' me rap is like hearin' G. Rap in his prime I'm, young H.O., rap's Grateful Dead Back to take over the globe, now break bread I'm in, Boeing jets, Global Express Out the country but the bluebelTy still connect On the low but the yacht got a triple deck But when you Young, what the fuck you expect? Yep, yep Grand openin' , grand c1osin' God your man Hov' cracked the can open again Who you gon' find doper than him with no pen just draw off inspiration Soon you gon' see you can't replace him with cheap imitations for DESE GENERATIONS

31 "Change Clothes" is a light, synthesized keyboard dominated song. The theme of fashion is literally reinforced with references to his own clothing line. Change Clothes is also symbolic to Jay-Z's recent maturation in his own appearance, updating his apparel to appear more professional, compared to the jeans and a jersey he used to wear.

He begins and ends the song, with the phrase "Peace," which is associated with the rhetoric of the 5% nation. Jay-Z weaves the catch phrases of this nation, throughout

The Black Album: "the Truth is back...gotta keep it peace like a Buddhist." This reinforces his presence within the trenches of Hip-Hop culture. This is noteworthy, because it is a new phenomenon in dealing with Jay-Z.

The sixth track, "Dirt Off Your Shoulder: Ladies Is Pimps too" awards some agency to women in the sense that they are now occupying a presence in the game. The phrase, 'dirt off your shoulder' is slang for letting go of one's personal problems in order to be able to see a larger picture.

A rapid, factory-like beat pulses and systematically carries the song. At one point, in t)1e climax of the song, the beat slowly breaks down. The machine stops running. Jay-

Z is sonically opposing the machine, which can be read as an anti-establishment gesture.

A sample of a young male's voice repeats "best rapper alive" asserting the blueprint Jay-

Z has constructed to covertly relay revolutionary sentiment. Referencing Marvin Gaye in his prime, in comparison to himself, Jay-Z reveals an ideal in the Black Liberation movement in the time when Gaye recorded songs like "What's Going' On."

I drop that Black, Album and then I back, out it As the best rapper alive nigga axe about me From Bricks to Billboards, from grams to Grammy's The O's to opposite. Orphan Annie You gotta pardon Jay, for sellin' out the Garden in a day I'm like a young Marvin in his hey'

32 I'm a hustler homey, you a customer crony Got some, dirt on my shoulder, could you brush it off for me?

The next track, "Threat" is overt threat, presumable aimed at Lance Rivera. In

2000, Jay-Z was sentenced to 3 years probation for stabbing Rivera in a nightclub. Rivera had been illegally pirating Jay-Z's music. The commentary of a pimp frames and infiltrates the song. Jay-Z's origins as a hustler is asserted as still being apart of who he

IS now.

Put that knife in ya, take a little bit of life from ya Am I frightenin' ya? Shall I continue? I put the gun to ya, I let it sing you a song I let it hum to ya, the other one sing along Now it's a duet, and you wet, when you check out the technique from the 2 techs and I don't need two lips To blow this like a trumpet you dumb shit This is a un-usual musical I conductin' You lookin' at the black Warren Buffett so all critics can duck sic I don't care if you C. Delores Tuck-it Or you Bill O'Reilly, you only rilin' me up For three years, they had me peein' out of a cup Now they bout to free me up, whatchu think I'm gon' be, what? Rehabilitated, man I still feel hatred I'm young black and rich so they wanna strip me naked

"Moment of Clarity" is an angry recounting of the events that shaped Jay-Z's career. Jay-Z confronts his commercial status and acknowledges his options of representing the socio-politically conscious spectrum of rap, but accepts his commercial status. At times Jay-Z incorporates message music into his materialistic rhetoric. Message rappers are a second wave of M.C.'s that directly address social conditions and relay positive lyrics.Conscious/Message rappers remain underground, at times in the case of

Common [Sense] and Talib Kweili they have surfaced into the mainstream.

33 In "99 Problems", Jay-Z confronts his critics. He asserts his intelligence proven by his maneuvering up the so-called corporate ladder. Jay-Z still has to face issues like police harassment and racial profiling; his reality is that of being unable to shed his racial stigma, despite his class status.

I got the rap patrol on the gat patrol Foes that wanna make sure my casket's closed Rap critics that say he's "Money Cash Hoes" I'm from the hood stupid what type of facts are those If you grew up with O's and you zap the toes You'd celebrate the minute you was havin' doe I'm like fuck critics you can kiss my whole asshole If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward Got beef with radio if i don't play they show They don't play my hits well i don't give a shit SO Rap mags try and use my black ass So advertisers can give em more cash for ads.. .fuckers I don't know what you take me as or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has I'm from rags to riches nigga I ain't dumb I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one Hit me

The "Public Service Announcement" interlude is one of the most poignant tracks on the album. The PSA interrupts the narrative implying that the tracks are woven together to tell a story. Again, Jay-Z reintroduces himself, taking the Roc-a-fella pun back further into his origins-- as CEO of the 'rock' from the beginning. Crack in its original form is a crystallized rock. The Announcement interrupts the album to remind the listener of Jay-Z's accomplishments. Allow me to re-introduce myself

My name is Hov', OH, H-to-the-O-V I used to move snowflakes by the O-Z I guess even back then you can call me CEO of the R-O-C, Hov'! Fresh out the fryin' pan into the fire I be the, music biz number one supplier Flyer/flier than a piece of paper bearin' my name Got the hottest chick in the game wearin' my chain, that's right

34 "Justify My Thug," track 11 is an electronic co-optation of Madonna's original song, "Justify My Love" (1990), a ballad to a lover. Jay-Z's love for the game replaces a passion that Madonna originally professed. Jay-Z provides an unsolicited justification of his participation in the game with the use of street proverbs and codes of conduct in the game.

Now if you shoot my dog, I'ma kill yo' cat Just the unwritten laws in rap - know dat For every action there's a reaction, don't have me relapsin' Relaxin's what I'm about, but about mine Don't be actin' like you can't see street action Take me back to +Reasonable Doubt+ time You see my mind's on the finish line, facin' the wreck I put my muh fuckin faith in the tech, tell Satan not yet You understand I am chasin' my breath I am narrowly escapin' my death, oh yes I am the Michael Schumacher of the Roc roster Travelin' Mach 5, barreIin" my power can stop God God forgive me but I can't let them deliver me to you Until, I won this race, then eventually My engine gon' bum out, I get whatever is meant for me However it turns out fine - red line!

In "Lucifer", the militanic name of the devil is portrayed as a dark side of Jay-Z.

As the self-proclaimed god of rap, he asserts his own customized liberation theology of

his lifestyle.

Lord forgive him He got them dark forces in him But he also got a righteous cause for sinnin' Them a murder me so Igotta murder them first Emergency doctors performin' procedures Jesus I ain't tryin to be facetious But "Vengance is mine" said the Lord You said it better than all Leave niggas on deaths door Breathin off res-per-ators

35 for killin my best boy, HATERS On perminnat hiatus as i skate In the Mabach Benz Fly this as I'm late Pumpin "Brown Sugar" by D'Angelo In Los Angeles Like an evangelist I can introduce you to your maker Bring you closer to nature Ashes after they cremate you bastards Hope you been readin' your psalms and chapters Payin' your ties being good Catholics I'm commin'

[Chorus] See,See,See I'm from the murder capitol where we murder for capitol

See,See,See So you niggas change your attitude 'for they askin what happened to you

"Allure" is another melancholy reflection of Jay-Z's involvement in the rap and street hustle. He questions hi addiction [love] for the game and is remorseful. Shots fired from rifles echo throughout the song. The rifle sounds foreshadow an impeding demise of

Jay-Z if he continues to participate in the destructive cycle that Hip-Hop culture wars has previously taken.

Young! For life Once again it's the life, yessss (I don't know why, I.. get so high on) It's intoxicatin' man, y'all don't know why you do what you do (Get so high on, get so high - high off the life)

[Verse One] The allure of breakin' the law Is always too much for me to ever ignore I gottu thing for them big body Benzes, it dulls my senses In love with a V-Dub engine Man I'm high off life, fuck it I'm wasted Bey Venay kicks, or them Marvin Kaye wrists My women friend get tennis bracelets Trips to Venice, get they winters replaced with the sun, it ain't even fun no more I'm jaded

36 Man, it's just a game, Ijust play it to play it I put my feet in the footprints left to me Without sayin' a word, the ghetto's got a mental telepathy Man my brother hustled so, naturally Up next is me, but what perplexes me Shit I know how this movie ends, still I play the starrin' role in "Hovito's Way"

The last song on the Black Album, "My 151 song" solidifies the prequel-finale scheme that Jay-Z constructed. Beginning with a sample of an interview with the

Notorious B.LG. Jay-Z commemorates his mentor. The last song, treated as his first and he acknowledges all of the people involved in his success. In this closing ceremony, this is another form of a libation.

Uhh, uhh, yes, yes Y'all wanna know, why he don't stop Y'all wanna know, why he don't flop Let me tell you pe-eople why Came from the bottom of the block I When I was born, it was sworn, I was never gon' be shit Had to pull the opposite out this bitch Had to get my ri-ide on Eyes on the prize, Shawn knew I had to Had to had to get these chips Had to make moves like Olajuwon Started out sellin' dimes and nicks Graduated to a brick No exaggeration, my infatuation with the strip Legendary like a schoolboy Crushin merely nearly every chick Heavy shit - that's how schoolboy got whipped And got left on some "Just +Me, Myself and 1+" On some Trugoy shit Had your boys threw place up, to a place of no return Had to play with fire and get burned Only way the boy ever gon' learn Had to lay way in the cut, 'til I finally got my tum Now I'm on top in the spot that I earned

[Chorus] It's my life - it's my pain and my struggle The song that I sing to you it's my ev-ery-thing Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first

37 And my thirst is the same as - when I came It's my joy and my tears and the laughter it brings to me It's my ev-ery-thing

In his music, Jay-Z interchangeably signifies the rap and hustle and uses them as a grounds on which to discuss other issues. The encoded messages have always been available, however within The Black Album, the direction of his commentary is more focused toward questioning the system in which he inhabits. This 'double-talk' provides indirect ways in which he can communicate indirectly with his culture while simultaneously being consumed by a broad mainstream audience. Once the mainstream appropriates the language practice, new phrases are thought up to ensure currency and applicability for the intended audience.

38 Chapter Three: Change Clothes and Go

Although the term fashion is often associated with dress and adornment, it cal be related to any object or phenomenon that changes over time. Fashion is the cultural construction of an embodied identity(Burns). The actual structure of a fashion article is significant because it is the determinant of the consumers choice to adopt or reject the commodity. Slang within Ebonics is also a fashion object that can be read as fads

(Fowles). New words and phrases are continually innovated to ensure an accuracy with the times.

Hip-Hop clothing lines

The commercial and economic reality of Hip-Hop culture has come to its full fruition. It has taken a new form, corporative uniformity eliminating the creative, original component, making it available to its large suburban audience. With the monumental popularity Hip-Hop has gained with its monetary success over the years, many of the artists have caught on to the trend of starting their own clothing lines.

Usually consisting of staples in Hip-Hop associated attire like sweat suits, jeans and more recently oxford shirts, clothing lines are filling a niche in youth consumer culture that has been overlooked for some time. The process in this music fashion crossover consists of

"buy the CD, see the tour, wear the clothes" These popular lines of urban wear such as:

Sean John, Outkast, Shady, and Rocawear are allowing consumers across the country to embrace another part of Hip-Hop culture that is endorsed by the artists themselves. The clothing lines award and affordable and accessable slice of the culture with the assistance of corporate 'backers' who partially fund the clothing lines.

39 Revolutionary Chic

In its August 2002 issue, VIBE magazine published a six page fashion spread entitled "Revolutionary Chic." This spread was an extended version of the appearances of recycled images from the black liberation movement have made in various clothing companies advertisements as they are circumvented for commerce. The photo shoot uses contemporary musicians to revive old images of the movement. The pictures are framed

in a pseudo-authentic decaying grayscale filmstrip. The various artists stand-in to scenes

from the lives of Malcom X, Angela Davis and other Black Panthers as if they are

continuing within their legacy. The purpose of this shoot was to advertise the retro-style

clothing that is appears in the re-presentations. Former panther, Angela Davis, notes that

her image is often used to recast her as a fashion figure rather than a political activist. The

political has taken on a theatrical tone that is entertaining to consume for both its product

offering and its cultural resonance.

The revolutionary identity is sold as a commodity. This is also an instance of

identity based marketing, where individuals are compelled to participate because they

feel it will compliment the identity they are trying to portray. All of the commodities

being advertised are relating an experience. This commercialized form can also be seen

as an extension of the institutionalization and glorification of the civil rights movement of

the past. Using only imagery, these advertisers may be inadvertently doing what Nelson

George and other critics have said today's black leaders are incapable of: inciting the

youth into movement. the black mainstream politicians has an inability to move beyond

the rhetoric of the civil rights movement (l86).This stagnant institutionalization blocks a

40 vision for newness, because there is still comfort and mystique found in these old images, but this is an attempt, however unintentional to start a dialogue with the young consumer.

bell hooks (4) assel1s that progressive black people must be willing to critically transform the world of image-making authority. Making a space for the transgressive image is essential to any effort of transformation. These activities have moving beyond representing and directly into co-optation for capitalizing. Hooks (5) goes on to say that

Images playa crucial way in defining and controlling the political and social power to which both individuals and marginalized groups have access.

Rocawear

Rocawear apparel and its campaign strives for fashion leadership in the realm of street style, 'letting people know what time it is' (Rocawear.com). Launching in 1998 originally as a men's signature line, it has since expanded to include women's, juniors'

and children's offerings. Rocawear is available at specialty and department stores

nationwide, including Macy's and Kaufman's. Surely extending its reach throughout the

mainstream and Hip-Hop culture, Rocawear grossed 300 million dollars at its 3-year

mark (Meyer 2003). Recently Rocawear expanded its market to the United Kingdom and

Canada, making this aspect Hip-Hop culture accessible to other countries.

The spring 2003 junior's advertising campaign featuring Naomi Campbell creates

a bold narrative and picks up the revolutionary concept to take it further. Campbell

portrays the likes of activists from the Black liberation movement of the 1960's. Most of

the advertisements are in black and white, giving them an authentic appearance. Co­

owner of Rocawear Damon Dash selected Naomi because of her revolutionary status in

41 the modeling arena. Campbell is an African immigrant who has been in the mainstream eye as a pop culture icon for several years. The Rocawear ads offer a heightened sense of subjectivity to the female model (Naomi Campbell). She takes the camera and in tum, the spectators, head-on in a series of gestures and looks. She has authority not only in her retuming of the look, but also in her militant style and stance. According to the Frankfurt

School, the culture industry reflects the consolidation of commodity fetishism ...it shapes the tastes and preferences of the masses therby molding their consciousness...(Strinati

61).Rocawear is attempting to incite sentiment through the image/product consumption process, in addition to selling their merchandise. The images with the appearance of

Naomi Campbell further contribute to the Browning of America concept. The effort of

using these liberation images is not only being taken up by Rocawear, the separate

agencies are contributing to form a counter narrative in the image base that is normally

offered to consumers. Revolutionary Chic is voyeuristic and enticing.

The nalTatives that are being constructed are reclaiming the signs and symbols of

the past to reshape the future. These themes are nostalgic in approach, but relevant in

subject matter. The locating of the self in the past awakens the collective memory of a

time when political action was a conceivable measure to be undertaken.

"[Instead] the mass audience is there to have its emotions and sensibilities

manipulated, to have its needs and desires distorted and thwarted, to have its

hopes and aspirations exploited for the sake of consumption" (Strinati 7)

The folk culture that is presented in this instance was the lived experiences of the

black liberation movement. Its images are recycled and updated to fit the consumer

42 tastes of today' s youth. The contemporary Hip-Hop generation and mainstream audience,

amid their confusion and in search for their own identities is complacent in this process.

Ironically these cultural expressions once used to reject the standards of white America

are appropriated and are now sold to its youth.

43 Conclusion

As a Hustler, Jay-Z is apparently 'pimping' the systems that he participates in.

Rappers appreciated as entertainers but criticized as spokespersons. He is a successful capitalist, equipped with street intelligence that yielded millions of dollars in profit.

"In the end, Hip-Hop is as much about commerce as it is about art. It is naive to think rappers should deny themselves that extra cut for the sake of preserving the culture ...' (VIBE January 2004p.32)

Hip-hop has a long history of facing off its contradictions, and at its core it is a source for entertainment. His simultaneous occupation of multiple positions and statuses allows some his sentiments to be transmitted throughout each. It would be simple to dismiss Jay­

Z's marketing schemes as another capitalistic intent. Like his own appearance (a Che

Guevarra shirt with large a gold necklace) is complicated and cannot be situated in any extreme of a definite answer. His community activity by way of his philanthropic involvement further complicates his motivations. Many corporations also strive to give back to the communities in which they exploit. The impression of this textual nationalistic rhetoric message resonates within the communal consciousness, however its lasting effect will only be apparent with the chronicling of activity that may arise after the fact.

The post-modem representations of a part of the Black experience through music and fashion brings about new meaning for a new generation. This meaning is both implicit and explicit at the same time. The interplay between art and lived experiences are constantly in motion. Although highly commercial these cultural expressions are still meaningful to the culture in which they represent.

44 Works Cited

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Bums, Leslie Davis. "Fashion Theory." Online posting. 14 Nov. 2003.

Carter, Sean. "Hova and Out" VIBE. January 2004. pp. 72-80.

Ciment, James. Atlas Of African-American History. New York:Facts On File Inc., 2001.

CNN Online. 20 March 2003. Cable News Network.

Diawara, Manthia Ed. Black American Cinema. New York: Routledge, 1993.

Foner, Phillip S. The Black Panthers Speak. Massachusetts: Da Capo, 1970.

George, Nelson. Hip-Hop America. USA: Penguin ,1999.

Gladney, Marvin J. "Black Arts Movement and Hip-Hop." African-American Review. Vol. 29. No.2, Special Issues on the Music (Summer 1995).

Henderson, Errol A. "Black Nationalism and Rap Music." Journal of Black Studies. Vol. 26, No.3 (Jan., 1996). pp.308-339.

Hooks, Bell. Black Looks: Race and Representation. Massachusetts: South End, 1992.

Hutchinson, Helene D. and Simmons, Gloria M. Black Culture: Reading and Writing Black. Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1972.

Kitwana, Bakari. The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture. New York: Basic Civitas, 2002.

Kitwana, Bakari. "Jay-Z: Hip-Hop and High Society." BlackBook. Spring 2004. 112-117.

Kweli, Talib. "An Evening with Talib Kweli." Unversity of Pittsburgh Forum. Black History Month. Williams Pitt Union. 19, Feb. 2004.

Marable, Manning. The Great Wells of Democracy: The Meaning of Race in American Life. New York: Basic Civitas, 2002.

45 Microsoft Encarta Africana Online. 04 April 2004.

Ogbar, Jeffrey O. G "Slouching tow Bork: The Culture Wars and Self-Criticism in Hip­ Hop Music" Journal Of Black Studies. Vol. 30, No.2 (Nov. 1999) pp.164-183.

Online Posting. Jay-Z Lyrics. 22 April 2004.

Rocawear advertisements. VIBE. March-November 2003.

Sarup, Madan. An Introductory Guide to Post-Structuralism and Post-Modernism, 2d ed. Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 1993.

Shomari, Hashim. From the Underground: HipHop Culture as an Agent for Social Change. pp.291-301.

Smitherman, Geneva. "The Chain Remain the Same: Communicative Practices in the Hip-Hop Nation" Journal Of Black Studies. Vol. 28, NO.1 (Sep. 1997) pp.3-25.

Strinati, Dominic. An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture. London: Routledge, 2001.

The Black Album Contest Giveaway. Hear/Say. March 2004.

"The Black Teen Explosion: Powerful Group Shapes Fashion Music, Movies and Love." Ebony April 2004. pp 71-74.

Trebay, Guy. "In a Suit? Hip-Hop Grows up and Buttons Down." The New York Times. 4 Feb. 2004.

Tyrangiel. Josh. "In his Next Lifetime." Time. 24 Nov. 2003.pp. 66-69.

Mtume ya Salaam 'The Aesthetics of Rap". African American Review. Vol. 29. No.2, (Summer, 1995), pp.301-315.

Watkins, Craig S. " A nation of millions: Hip-Hop Culture and the Legacy of Black Nationalism. The Communication Review (2001) 373-397.

Winbush, Raymond A. Ed. Should America Pay? Slavery and the Raging Debate on Reparations. New York: Amistad, 2003.

46 Appendix A: Images and Advertisements

47 Four Original Elements of Hip-Hop Break dancing Rapping

_"7"" • • , DJ'ing

Elements Expanded to Include:

Verbal language [I.e. Ebonies)

1_(;l,'Ie.,I...!!'y l'f1'!"'i"~t -t, ZUM mct1e.l'.. ta ~ *0 cl"Z '5+0-. ~ BodV Language/Attitude lB-Bov Stancel ~\,. ~ FASHION/STYLE ..... --....uo_ --~ , ~ RADICAL '''''':Ii iii CHIC _-_~-.._...... - I -----.r.; --n =. -.'v"':::" • ------_._-- I------....._-_ .. ------__.._---...... _...... --_----_...... 1----=------..__...... -.. - ; -- ..-_--- ~~~-=. -----...... , J------_...... _-__...... -.. • --_..._- • ----.... _---.~..- • • •• • •• •• • • • ;...--_ - -.-- , . __ <: ..~ _;;J ..

,.(- ,._----...--_.....__ ....__..­.. ---- ..-._---__ _-...._---__------...._-- ,_..__----...... --_._------_-­..­ -_-----_-_---_._---..._---_...._-..--.. ------_--...._------.. .. ---_..--._---_---_--_.. _--­_--_-..-

BobbV Seale of the BPP Women of the BPP Black Panther PartY Poster of Fred Hampton Angela Davis Bunon Huev P. Newton of the BPP

- Authentic Communist Propaganda Poster

I*J I,!:in" 11 ~l7(TMrlln:{'IIli, l~ ll1l.mll~ ~"'fl twIlWlllll:t :OCI Utili llII'l.U\.l:1Il ~ , l11mltll FliII~1l ~ IUt ~nlTlollrn.l 111lll.1 1111111 !U~\~II W~ Nt lIlI Appendix B: Jay-Z's Lyrics

The Black Album

"December 4th"

[Jay-Z's Mom:] Sean Carter was born December 4th Weighing in at 10 pounds 8 ounces He was the last of my 4 children The only one who didn't give me any pain when I gave birth to him And that's how I knew that he was a special child

[Jay-Z Verse 1] They say "they never really miss you 'til you dead or you gone" So on that note I'm leaving after the song So you ain't gOlla feel no way about Jay so long At least let me tell you why I'm this way, Hold on I was conceived by Gloria Carter and Adaness Reeves Who made love under the Sycamore tree Which makes me A more sicker emcee my momma would claim At IO pounds when I was born I didn't give her no pain Although through the years I gave her fair share I gave her her first real scare I made it from birth and I got here She knows my purpose wasn't purpose I ain't perfect I care But I feel worthless cause my shirts wasn't matchin' my gear Now I'm just scratchin' the surface cause what's buried under there Was a kid torn apart once his pop disappeared I went to school got good grades could behave when I wanted But I had demons deep inside that would raise when confronted Hold on

[Jay-Z's Mom:] Shawn was a very shy child growing up He was into sports And a funny story is At 4 he taught himself how to ride a bike A two wheeler at that Isn't that special? But. I noticed a chance in him when me and my husband broke up

[Jay-Z Verse 2/ Now all the teachers couldn't reach me And my momma couldn't beat me Hard enough to match the pain of my pops not seeing me. SO

73 With that distain in my membrane Got on my pimp game Fuck the world my defense came Then Dahaven introduced me to the game Spanish Jose introduced me to cane I'm a hustler now My gear is in and i'm in the in crowd And all the wavey light skinned girls is lovin me now My self esteem went through the roof man i got my swag Got a volvo from this girl when her man got bagged Plus i hit my momma with cash from a show that i had Supposedly knowin nobody paid Jaz wack ass I'm geting ahead of myself, by the way, i could rap That came second to me movin this crack Gimme a second i swear I will say about my rap career Til 96 came niggas i'm here Good-bye

[Jay-Z's Mom:] Shawn use to be in the kitchen Beating on the table and rapping And urn, unti I the wee hours of the morning And then i bought him a boom box And his sisters and brothers said he would drive them nuts But that was my way to keep him close to me and out of trouble

[Jay-Z Verse 3] Good-bye to the game all the spoils, the adreneline rush Your blood boils you in a spot knowing cops could rush And you in a drop your so easy to touch No two days are alike Except the first and fifteenth pretty much And "trust" is a word you seldom hear from us Hustlers we don't sleep we rest one eye up And the drought to find a man when the well dries up You learn to work the water without workin thirst ti I die YUP And niggas get tied up for product And little brothers ring fingers get cut up To show mothers they really got em And this was the stress i live with til i decided To try this rap shit for a livin I Pray i'm forgiven For every bad decision i made Every sister i played Cause i'm still paranoid to this day And it's nobody fault i made the decisions i made This is the life i chose or rather the life that chose me

If you can't respect that your whole perspective is wack Maybe you'll love me when i fade to black

74 If you can't respect that your whole perspective is wack Maybe you11 love me when i fade to black [repeat 2 more times tofade}

75 "What more can I say?" (Are you not entertained?) (Are.. you.. not..entertained?) (Is this not why you're here?) Uh, Uh, Huh Turn the music up Tum me down Guru...Lets go get 'em again This time it's for the money my nigga Brooklyn stand up

[Verse One} There's never been a nigga this good for this long This hood Or this pop is hot Or this strong With so many different flows This ones for this song The next one i11 switch up This one will get bit up These fucks To lazy to make up shit They crazy They don't...paint pictures They just trace me You know what Soon they forget who they plucked They whole style from And try to reverse the outcome I'm Iike...CLUCK I'm not a biter I'm a writter For myself and others I say a B.I.G. verse i'm only biggin up my brother Biggin up my borough I'm big enough to do it I'm that therough Plus i know my own flow is foolish So the rings and things you sing about Bring em out It's hard to yell when the bar-rel's in your mouth I'm in... New sneakers Deuce seaters A few Diva's What more can i tell you Let me spell it for you W-I-Double L-I-E Nobody truer than H-O-V And i'm back for more New Yorks ambassador Prime Minister back to finish my business up

76 [Chorus: Singing] What more can i say? What more can i do? I give this all to you I know this much is true My Life (Look at my life) (See what i see)

[Verse Two] You already know what i'm about Flyin birds down south Movin wet off the step Purple Rain in the drought Stuntin on hoes Brushin off my shirt But ain't nothin on my clothes 'Cept my chain My name Young H-O Pitch the yea faithful Even if they patrol i make payroll Benz paid for Friends they roll Private jets down to Turks and Kayko's Chrys case loads I don't give a shit Nigga one life to live i can't let a day go Bye Without me being fly Fre~h to death Heau to toe until the day i rest And i don't wear jerseys i'm thirty plus Give me a crisp pair ofjeans nigga button ups S dots on my feet Make a cypher comeplete What more can i say Guru play the beat

We gonna let this ride into the hook I'mma snap my fingers on this one What more can i say to you? Get my grown man on LET'S GO (What more can i say?)

[Verse Three] Now you know ass is willie When they got you in a mag For like half a billi And your ass ain't Lilly White

77 That mean that shit you write must be illy Either that or your flow is silly It's both I don't mean to boast But damn if i don't brag Them crackers gonna act like i ain't on they ads The Martha Stewart That's far from Jewish Far from a Harvard student Just had the balls to do it And no i'm not through with it In fact i'm just previewin it This ain't the show i'mjust EQ'in it One, Two and i won't stop abusin it To gropie girls stop false accusin it Back to the music The mayback roof is translucent Niggas got a problem Houston What up B They can't shut up me Shut down I Not even P.E. I'mma ride God forgive me for my brash deivery But i remember vivily What these streets did to me So picture me Lettin these clowns nit pick at me Paint me like a pickiny I will literally Kiss Tee-Tee in the forhead Tell her please forgive me Then squeeze until your forhead I'm not the one to score points off In fact I got a joint to knock your points off Young Hova the God nigga blast for me I'm at the Trump International Ask for me I ain't never scared I'm everywhere You ain't never there Nigga why would i ever care Pound for pound i'm the best to ever come around here Excluding nobody Look what i embody The soul of a hustler i really ran the street I CEO's mine That marketing plan was me And no i ain't get shot up a whole bunch of times

78 Or make up shit in a whole bunch of lines And i ain't animated, like say a, Busta Rhymes But the real shit you get when you bust down my lines Add that to the fact i went plat a bunch of times Times that by my influence On pop culutre I supposed to be number one on eYerybodys list We11 see what happens when i no longer exist Fuck this (What more can i say?)

"Encore" Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind

{Chorus] Now can I get an encore, do you want more Cookin raw with the Brooklyn boy So for one last time I need y'all to roar

Now what the hell are you waitin for After me, there shall be no more So for one last time, nigga make some noise

{Verse Olle] Who you know fresher than Hoy'? Riddle me that The rest of y'all know where I'm lyrically at Can't none of y'all mirror me back Yeah hearin me rap is like hearin G. Rap in his prime I'm, young H.O., rap's Grateful Dead Back to take oyer the globe, now break bread I'm in, Boeing jets, Global Express Out the country but the blueberry still connect On the low but the yacht got a triple deck But when you Young, what the fuck you expect? Yep, yep Grand openin, grand c10sin God your man Hoy' cracked the can open again Who you gon' find doper than him with no pen just draw off inspiration Soon you gon'see you can't replace him with cheap imitations for DESE GENERATIONS

{Chorus - 1/2]

IWhat the hell are you waiting forrrr?}

{Verse Two] {si~hsJ Look what you made me do. look what I made for you Knew if I paid my dues, how will they pay you When you first come in the game. they try to play you Then you drop a couple of hits. look how they wave to you From Marcy to Madison Square

79 To the only thing that matters in just a matter of years (yea) As fate would have it, Jay's status appears to be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye When I come back like Jordan, wearin the 4-5 It ain't to play games witchu It's to aim at you, probably maim you If lowe you I'm blowin you to smithereeens Cocksucker take one for your team And I need you to remember one thing (one thing) I came, I saw, I conquered From record sales, to sold out concerts So muh'fucker if you want this encore I need you to scream, 'til your lungs get sore

{Interlude] OWWWW! It's star time This man is MADE! He's KILLIN all y'all jive turkeys Do y'all want more of the Jigga man? Well if y'all want more of the Jigga man Then I need y'all to help me, bring him back to stage Say Hova, c'mon say it! HO-VA! HO-VA! Are y'all out there? {crowd chants "HO-VA! HO-VA!"] Are y'all out there? C'mon, louder! Yeah, now see that's what I'm talkin bout They love you Jigga - they love you Jigga! {Jay-Z] I like the way this one feel It's so muh'fuckin soulful man! (Whoaaaaaahhhh, whoahhhhhhhhhhhhh. whoahhhhhhhhhhhhh) Yeah {crowd still chanting] okay

{Verse Three] So this here is the victory lap Then I'm lea-vin, that's how you get me back After a year of them I6's, it's one point two And that's two point four, and I'm only doin two You wanted to gain attention new dudes I can get you BET and TRL too You wanna be in the public, send your budget Well fuck it, I ain't budgin! Young did it to death, you gotta love it Record companies told me I couldn't cut it Now look at me, all star-studded Golfer above par like I putted All cause the shit I uttered, was utterly ridiculous How sick is this? You want to bang, send Kanye change. send Just some dust Send Hip a grip, then you got' spit A little somethin like this. WOO!

80 {What the hell are you waiting forrrr?} [piano plays Ollt as crowd cheers IOlldly]

81 "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" You're now tuned into the muh'fuckin greatest Turn the music up in the headphones Tim, you can go and brush your shoulder off nigga I got you, yeah

{Chorus: Jay-Z] If you feelin like a pimp nigga, go and brush your shoulders off Ladies is pimps too, go and brush your shoulders off Niggaz is crazy baby, don't forget that boy told you Get. that, dirt off your shoulder {Verse aile] I probably owe it to y'all, proud to be locked by the force Tryin to hustle some things, that go with the Porsche Feelin no remorse, feel in like my hand was forced Middle finger to the Lord, nigga grip I'm a boss Stab the ladies they love me, from the bleachers they screamin All the bailers is bouncin they like the way I be leanin All the rappers be hatin, off the track that I'm makin But all the hustlers they love it just to see one of us make it Came from the bottom the bottom, to the top of the pots Nigga London, Japan and I'm straight off the block Like a running back, get it man, I'm straight off the block I can run it back nigga cause I'm straight with the Roc

{Chorus] {Chorus Two] You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder You gOtta get, that, dirt off your shoulder You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder

{Verse Two] Your homey Hov'in position, in the kitchen with soda I just whipped up a watch, tryin to get me a Rover Tryin to stretch out the coca, like a wrestler, yessir Keep the Heckler close, you know them smokersl1 test ya But like. fifty-two cards when I'm, I'm through dealin Now fifty-two bars come it, now you feel 'em Now, fifty-two cars roll out, remove ceiling In case fifty-two broads come out, now you chillin with a boss bitch of course S.c. on the sleeve At the 40/40 club. ESPN on the screen I paid a grip for the jeans, plus the slippers is clean No chrome on the wheels, I'm a grown-up for real {Chorus + Chorus Two]

{Verse Three} Your boy back in the building. Brooklyn we back on the map Me and my beautiful beeeeeeeitch in the back of that 'Bach I'm the realest that run it, I just happen to rap

82 I ain't gotta clap at 'em, niggaz scared of that black I drop that +Black, Album+ then I back, out it As the best rapper alive nigga axe about me From Bricks to Billboards. from grams to Grammys The O's to opposite. Orphan Annie You gotta pardon Jay, for sellin out the Garden in a day I'm like a young Marvin in his hey' I'm a hustler homey, you a customer crony Got some. dirt on my shoulder, could you brush it off for me?

[Chorus + Chorus Two}

You're now tuned into the muh'fuckin greatest

Best rapper alive, best rapper alive

"Threat" [Intra} Yo once a pi mp gets threats That's right, that's the - the that's, that's threats them And I'm serious about mine. I'm so sin-SUIT And I, nigga I'll kill ya. I'll chop ya up Put ya inside the mattress like drug money nigga

[Jay-Z} Yeah. I done told you niggaz 9 or 10 times stop fuckin with me I done told you niggaz 9 albums. stop fuckin with me I done told you niggaz The 9 on me. stop fuckin with me You niggaz must got 9 lives 9th wonder [Verse One} Put that knife in ya. take a little bit of life from ya Am I frightenin ya? Shall I continue? I put the gun to ya. I let it sing you a song I let it hum to ya. the other one sing along Now it's a duel, and you wet. when you check out the technique from the 2 tecs and I don't need two lips To blow this like a trumpet you dumb shit This is a un-usual musical I conductin You lookin at the black Warren Buffett so all critics can duck sic I don't care if you C. Delores Tuck-it Or you Bill O'Reilly, you only rylin me up For three years. they had me peein out of a cup Now they bout to free me up. whatchu think I'm gon' be. what'? Rehabilitated. man I still feel hatred

83 I'm young black and rich so they wanna strip me naked. but You never had me like Christina Aguiler-y But catch me down the Westside. drivin like Halle Berry Or the FDR. in the seat of my car Screamin out the sunroof death to y'all You can't ki II me, I live forever through these bars I put the wolves on ya, I put a price on your head The whole hood'lI want ya. you startin to look like bread send them boys at ya, lain't talkin bout Feds Nigga them body-snatchers, nigga you heard what I said

[Chorus] I make 'em wait for you 'til five in the mornin Put your smarts on the side I of your garment Nigga stop fuckin with me R. -- I. -- P.

[Interlude] That's right there nigga, nigga I'm wild Nigga I keep trash bags with me Never know when you gotta dump a nigga out This sin-sun, this some sin-sun SHIT right hUIT!

[Verse Two] Grown man I put hands on you dig a hole in the desert. they build The Sands on you Layout blueprint plans on you We Rat Pack niggaz. let Sam tap dance on you Then, I Sinatra shot ya God damn you ... ~ put the boy I in'the box like David Blaine Let the audience watch, it ain't a thang Y'all wish I was fronlin. I George Bush the button Front of all you in your car lift up your hood nigga run it Then lift up your whole hood like you got oil under it Your boy got the goods y'all don't want nuttin of it Like. castor oil. I Castor Troy you Change your face or the bullets change all that for you ... y'all niggaz is targets Y'all garages for bullets. please don't make me park it in your upper level. valet a couple strays from the 38 special. nigga. God bless you

[Chorus]

[Interlllde1 Yeah I'm threatening ya. YEAH I'm threatening ya! Who you thank you dealin with? They call me Chris. nigga

84 I been makin threats since I been in kindergarten nigga! Huh, ask about me. see if you ain't heard [Verse Three] When the gun is tucked. untucked, nigga you dies like numchuks held by the Jet L-I I'm the one, thus meanin no one must try No two, no three, no four, know why?

"99 Problems"

If your havin girl problems i feel bad for you son I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one

[Verse One] I got the rap patrol on the gat patrol Foes that wanna make sure my casket's closed Rap critics that say he's "Money Cash Hoes" I'm from the hood stupid what type of facts are those If you grew up with O's and you zap the toes You'd celebrate the minute you was havin doe I'm like fuck critics you can kiss my whole asshole If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward Got beef with radio if i don't play they show They don't play my hits well i don't give a shit SO Rap mags try and use my black ass So advertisers can give em more cash for ads.. .fuckers I don't know what you take me as or understand the intellegence that Jay-Z has I'm from rags to ritches nigga i ain't dumb I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one Hit me

[Chorus] 99 Problems but a bitch ain't one If you havin girl problems i feel bad for you son I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one Hit me

[Verse Two] The year is '94 and in my trunk is raw In my rear view mirror is the mother fuckin law I got two choices yall pull over the car or Bounce on the devil put the pedal to the floor Now i ain't tryin to see no highway chase with jake Plus i got a few dollars j can fight the case So i...pull over to the side of the road And i heard "Son do you know why j'm stoppin you for?"

85 Cause i'm young and i'm black and my hats real low Do i look like a mind reader sir, i don't know Am i under arrest or should i guess some rna? "Well you was doin fifty five in a fifty four" "Liscense and regestration and step out of the car" "Are you carryin a weapon on you i know alot of you are" I ain't steppin out of shit all my papers legit "Do you mind if i look round the car a little bit?" Well my glove compartment is locked so is the trunk and the back And i know my rights so you gon' need a warrent for that "Aren't you sharp as a tack are some type of lawyer or something?" "Or somebody important or somethin?" Nah i ain't pass the bar but i know a little bit Enough that you won't illegally search my shit "Well see how smart you are when the K-9's come" I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one Hit me

[Chorus X2]

[Verse Three] Now once upon a time not too long ago A nigga like myself had to strong arm a hoe This is not a hoe in the sense of havin a pussy But a pussy havin no God Damn sense, try and push me I tried to inore him and talk to the Lord Pray for him, cause some fools just love to perform You know the type loud as a motor bike But wouldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight The only thing that's gonna happen is i'mma get to c1appin He and his boys gon be yappin to the captain And there i go traped in the kit kat again Back through the system with the riff raff again Fiends on the floor scratchin again Paparatzi's with they cameras snappin them D.A. tred to give the nigga the shaft again Half-a-mil for bail cause i'm African All because ths fool was horrasin them Tryin to play the boy like hes saccarin But ain't nothin sweet bout how i hold my gun I got 99 problems but this bitch ain't one Hit me

[Chants X3]

You're crazy for this one Rick It's your boy

86 "P.S.A. (Interlude)"

This is a public service announcement Sponsored by Just Blaze and the good folks at Roc-A-Fella Records

"Fellow Americans, it is with the utmost pride and sincerity that I present this recording, as a living testiment and recollection of history in the making during our generation."

[Jay-Z} Allow me to re-introduce myself My name is Hov', OH, H-to-the-O-V I used to move snowflakes by the O-Z I guess even back then you can call me CEO of the R-O-C, Hov'! Fresh out the fryin pan into the fire I be the, music biz number one supplier Flyerlflier than a piece of paper bearin my name Got the hottest chick in the game wearin my chain, that's right Hov', OH - not D.O.C. But similar to them letters, "No One Can Do it Better" I check cheddar like a food inspector My homey Strict told me, "Dude finish your breakfast" So that's what I'ma do, take you back to the dude with the Lexus, fast-forward the jewels and the necklace Let me tell you dudes what I do to protect this I shoot at you actors like movie directors {laughing} This ain't a movie dog (oh shit)

"Now before I finish, let me just say I did not come here to show out, did not come here to impress you Because to tell you the truth when I leave here I'm GONE! And I don't care WHAT you think about me - but just remember, when it hits the fan brother. whether it's next year. ten years, twenty years from now, you're gonna be able to say that these brothers lied to you JACK!"

{Jay-Z} Ving ain't lie I done came through the block in everything that's fly I'm like, Che Guevara with bling on. I'm complex I never claimed to have wings on Nigga I get mine - by any means on whenever there's a drought Get your umbrellas out because. that's when I brainstorm You can blame Shawn. but I ain't invent the game I just rolled the dice. tryin to get some change And I do it twice. ain't no sense in me Iyin as if, I am a different man And I could blame my environment but there ain't no reason why I be buyin expensive chains Hope you don't think youse as hardy

87 Only a fews-us niggaz, gettin high within the game If you do then, how would you explain? I'm ten years removed, still the vibe is in my veins I got a hustler spirit, nigga period Check out my hat yo, peep the way I wear it Check out my swag' yo, I walk like a ballplayer No matter where you go, you are what you are player And you can try to change but that's just as hot player Man, you was who you was 'fore you got here Only God can judge me, so I'm gone Either love me, or leave me alone

88 "Justify My Thug"

Uhh, this feel right right here Quik It's like it's 'sposed to happen this one right here Young! God damn.. .. let me justify my thug on this one right here

{Verse One: Jay-Z] It goes one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock rock Five six seven o'clock, eight o'clock rock Eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, the party bout to pop Then - Roc-A-Fella y'all, it's your boy S. Dot And lain't never been to jail; I ain't never pay a nigga to do no dirt for me I was scared to do myself I will never tell even if it means sittin in a cell I ain't never ran, never will I ain't never been smacked; a nigga better keep his hands to himself or get clapped for what's under that man's belt I never asked for nothin I don't demand of myself Honesty, loyalty, friends and then wealth Death before dishonor and I tell you what else I tighten my belt 'fore I beg for help Foolish pride is what held me together through the years I wasn't felt which is why I ain't never played myself I just play the hand I'm dealt, I can't say I've never knelt before God and asked for better cards at times to no avail But I never sat back feelin sorry for myself If you don't give me heaven I1I raise hell TiI it's heaven

[Chorus - imitating Madonna] Justify my thug! "For you!" - [Run-D.M.C.] My thug.. (hoping.. ) My thug.. (praying.. ) for you to justify my thug! My thug.. (hoping.. )

My thug.. (praying.. ) for you.. "For you! Fresh" - [Rwl-D.M.C.]

[Verse Two: Jay-Z] Now if you shoot my dog, I'ma kill yo' cat Just the unwritten laws in rap - know dat For every action there's a reaction, don't have me relapsin Relaxin's what I'm about, but about mine Don't be actin like you can't see street action Take me back to +Reasonable Doubt+ time You see my mind's on the finish line. facin the wreck I put my muh'fuckin faith in the tee, tell Satan not yet

89 You understand I am chasin my breath I am narrowly escapin my death, oh yes I am the Michael Schumacher of the Roc roster Travellin Mach 5, barrelin, my power can stop God God forgive me but I can't let them deliver me to you Until, I won this race, then eventually My engine gon' burn out, I get whatever is meant for me However it turns out fine - red line!

[Chorus}

[Verse Three: Jay-Z} They sayan eye for an eye, we both lose our sight And two wrongs don't make a right But when you been wrong and you know all along that it's just one life At what point does one fight? (Good question right!) Fore you knock the war, try to put your dogs in it Ten-and-a-halfs, for a minute-and-a-half Bet that stops all the grinnin and the laughs When you play the game of life and the win ain't in the bag When your options is none and the pen is all you have or the block, niggaz standin tight, there's limits on the ave Tryin to cop or shot-call theyself cleansin in the cash But can't put they name on paper cause, then you on blast Mr. President. there's drugs in our residence Tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us Mr. Governor. I swear there's a cover up Every other corner there's a liquor store - fuck is up?

[Chorus]

90 "Lucifer"

See, See. See I'm from the murder capitol where we murder for capitol

See, See. See Kanyeeze you did it again you a genius nigga

So you niggas change your attitude 'for they askin what happened to you

[Verse One] Lord forgive him He got them dark forces in him But he also got a rightous cause for sinnin Them a murder me so i gotta murder them first Emergency doctors performin procedures Jesus I ain't tryin to be facetious But "Vengance is mine" said the Lord You said it better than all Leave niggas on deaths door Breathin off res-por-rators for killin my best boy. HATERS On perminate hiatus as i skate In the Mabach Benz Fly this as i'm late Pumpin "Brown Sugar" by D'Angelo In Los Angeles Like an evangelist I can introduce you to your maker BriJllg you closer to nature Ash~s after they cremate you bastards Hope you been readin your psalms and chapters Payin your ties being good Catholics I'm commin

[Chorus] See. See. See I'm from the murder capitol where we murder for capitol

See, See, See So you niggas change your attitude 'for they askin what happened to you

[Verse T\I'()] Yes This is Holly war I wet cha all with the Holly water Spray from the Hetckler Koch auto Matic all the static shall cease to exist Like a sematical i throw a couple at you Take six

91 Spread love to all of my dead thugs I'll pour out a little Louie til i head above Yes Sir And when i perish The meek shall inherit the earth Until that time it's on a poppin Church Like Don Bishop The fifth upon cock either Lift up your soul or give the Holly ghost please I leave ya in somebodys Catedrial And stuntin like Evil Kenevil I'll let you see where that bright light lead you The more you talk the more you irkin us The more you gonna need memorial services The Black Albums second verse is like Devi I's Pie please save some dessert for us

Man i gotta get my soul right I gotta get these Devils out my life These cowards gonna make a nigga ride They won't be happy til somebody dies

Man i gotta get my soul right For i'm locked up for my whole life Evertime it seems it's all right Somebody want they soul to rise (111 chase you off of this Earth)

{Verse Three} I got dreams of holdin a Nine milia To Bobs killa Askin him "why?" as my eyes fill up These days i can't wake up with a dry pillow Gone but not forgotten holmes i still feel ya SQ...Curse the day that birthed the bastard Who caused your Church mass Reverse the crash Reverse the blast And reverse the car Reverse the day. and there you are Bob Allah Lord forgive him we all have sined But Bobs a good dude please let him in And if you feel in my heart that i long for revenge Please blame it on the sun of the mournin Thanks Again

92 "Allure"

Young! For life Once again it's the life. yessss (l don't know why, I.. get so high on) It's intoxicatin man, y'all don't know why you do what you do (Get so high on, get so high - high off the life)

[Verse One] The allure of breakin the law Is always too much for me to ever ignore I gotta thing for them big body Benzes, it dulls my senses In love with a V-Dub engine Man I'm high off life, fuck it I'm wasted Bey Venay kicks, or them Marvin Kaye wrists My women friend get tennis bracelets Trips to Venice, get they winters replaced with the sun, it ain't even fun no more I'm jaded Man, it's just a game. I just play it to play it I put my feet in the footprints left to me Without sayin a word. the ghetto's got a mental telepathy Man my brother hustled so. naturally Up next is me, but what perplexes me Shit I know how this movie ends, still I play the starrin role in "Hovito's Way"

[Chorus] It's just life, I solemnly swear To change my approach. stop shavin coke Stay away from hoes, put down the toast Cause I be doin the most.. oh no! But every time I felt that was that. it called me right back It called me right back, man it called me right back - oh no!

[Verse Two] I'm like a Russian mobster, drinkin distilled vodka Til I'm under the field with Hoffa. it's real Pillow-top him like a toupee Mix the water. with the soda Turn the pot up make a souflee All of y'all can get it like group-ays in your 2-way I'm livin proof that crime do pay Say hooray to the bad guy. and all the broads puttin cars in they name for the stars of the game Puttin 'caine in they bras and their tomorrows on the train All in the name of love Just to see that love locked in chains and the family came over the house to take back. everything that they claimed Or even the worst pain is the distress Learnin you're the mistress only after that love gets slain And the anger and the sorrow mixed up leads to mistrust

93 Now it gets tough to ever love a-gain But the allure of the game. keeps callin your name To all the Lauras of the world. I feel your pain To all the Christies in every cities and Tiffany Lanes We all hustlers. in love with the same thang

[Chorus}

[Verse Three} I never felt more alive than ridin shotgun In Cline's green 5 until the cops pulled guns And I tried to smoke weed to give me the fix I need what the game did to my pulse, with no results And you can treat your nose and still won't come close The game is a lightbulb with eleventy-miIIion volts And I'm just a mark, addicted to the floss And doors lift from the floor and the tops come off By any means necessary, whatever the cost Even if it means lives is lost.. And I can't explain why. I just love to get high Drink life, smoke the blueberry sky, blink twice I'm in the blueberry 5. you blink three times I may not even be alive How mean James Dean couldn't escape the allure Dyin young. leavin a good lookin corpse Of course

[Chorus}

Once again it's the life I said it's the life Once again it's the life - oh no! (I don't why I) why I (get so high on) get so (get so high on) uh-huh (get so high - high off the life!) Hahahahahahaha - woo!

94 "My First Song"

{Notorious B,J.G. imell1iew] I'm just. tryin to stay above water y'know Just stay busy. stay workin Puff told me like, the key to this joint The key to staying, on top of things is treat everything like it's your first project, knahmsayin? Like it's your first day like back when you was an intern Like, that's how you try to treat things like, just stay hungry

[Verse One: Jay-Z] Uhh, uhh, yes, yes Y'all wanna know, why he don't stop y'all wanna know, why he don't flop Let me tell you pe-eople why Came from the bottom of the block I When I was born, it was sworn, I was never gon' be shit Had to pull the opposite out this bitch Had to get my ri-ide on Eyes on the prize, Shawn knew I had to Had to had to get these chips Had to make moves like Olajuwon Started out sellin dimes and nicks Graduated to a brick No exaggeration, my infatuation with the strip Legendary like a schoolboy Crushin merely nearly every every chick Heavy shit - that's how schoolboy got whipped And got left on some "Just +Me. Myself and 1+" On some Trugoy shit Had your boys threw place up. to a place of no return Had to play with fire and get burned Only way the boy ever gon' learn Had to lay way in the cut. 'til I finally got my turn Now I'm on top in the spot that I earned

[Chorus] It's my life - it's my pain and my struggle The song that I sing to you it's my ev-ery-thing Treat my first like my last. and my last like my first And my thirst is the same as - when I came It's my joy and my tears and the laughter it brings to me It's my ev-ery-thing

[Verse TH'O: Jll."-Zj Like I never rode in a limo Like I just dropped flows to a demo Like it's ninety-two again and And I got O's in the rental Back in the Stu' again, no prob'livin was a whole lot simpler

95 When you think back, you thought that you would never make it this far. then you take advantage of the luck you handed Or the talent, you been given Ain't no, half steppin, ain't no, no slippin Ain't no different from a block that's hidden Gotta get it while the getting's good Gotta strike while the iron's hot, 'fore you stop Then you gotta bid it, good riddance Goodbye, this is my second major breakup My first was, with a pager With a hooptie, a cookpot, and the GAME This one's with the stool, with the stage, with the fortune Maybe not the fortune, but certainly the FAME

[Chorus] It's my life - my pain and my struggle The song that I sing to you it's my ev-ery-thing Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first And my thirst is the same as - when I came It's my joy and my tears and my laughter it brings to me It's my ev-ery-thing Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first And my thirst like the first song I sang

[Outro: Jay-Z] Woo! It's like the blues - we gon'ride out on this one Ta-tah, be-hah Yo Hah, 'member you was makin them dashes for them niggaa at radio and shit? Clark Kent, that was good lookin out nigga Carlene - who ever thought we'd make it this far homey? Sha, they can't stop us, knahmsayin? Lenny S Dame whattup? Robbin the bank Niggaz thought we was crazy man, 'member uhh You had that fucked up ass handwritin You was writin all the numbers that we was spendin now for the videos we was doin ourselves. whattup? Original Flavor. your accountant was crazy wrong and shit But we we still put it together Bigs, whassup? Member we went to St. Thomas and uh But y'all my nizzle, your dog peed on homey leg and shit at his crib - I think that was Rudy And they was havin a IiI trouble with the pool You and Ta-tah was laughin Emory was there, whattup Emory? What up Ta? Hip-Hop, whattup man? Ay, ay Hobb. you ain't. you ain't have no uhh You ain't have no muh'fuckin seat on your. on your bicycle. Now you uhh, the head of black music That's what I'm talkin bout right there homey - G. whattup G?

96 Yessir, e'rybody in the Roc Hey Guru, I know you spoiled man I be takin them shits in one take You gon' have to punch niggaz shit STICK IT. you gon' be tight OG One, whattup? I'm a little upset that you wasn't involved in this whole process But it's all good - whassup Dash? My whole family, my nephew, cousin Angie. whassup? Te-Tee (B, B, B, B) Mom, you made the album, how crazy is that? Bob Allah, rest in peace My pops, rest in peace (Sup AJ.?) Biggie Smalls, rest in peace Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh Nigga, I'm bout to go golfin man Ay, I might even have me a cappuccino. fuck it! I'm goin somewhere nice where no mosquitos at nigga Holla at me - it's your boy!

97 "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"

{Jav-Zj Check the bassline out, uh-huh Jigga (bounce wit it), uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh. yeahh Let it bump though

["Annie" samplej It's the hard knock life (uh-huh) for us It's the hard knock life, for us!! Steada treated, we get tricked Steada kisses. we get kicked It's the hard knock life!!

{Jay-Zj From standin on the comers boppin to drivin some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen For droppin some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock fleein the murder scene, you know me well from nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell But since when y'all niggaz know me to fail? Fuck naw Where all my niggaz with the rubber grips, bust shots And if you with me mom I rub on your tits, and what-not I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot let's stick up the world and split it fifty/fifty, uh-huh Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie. baby! YOli know it's hell when I come through The life and times of Shawn Carter nigga Volume 2, y'all niggaz get ready

{"Annie" samplej It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us!! Steada treated. we get tricked Steada kisses. we get kicked It's the hard knoc k life!!

{Jm-Zj I flow for those 'dro'ed out; all my niggaz locked down in the ten by fo'. controllin the house We live in hard knocks, we don't take over we bOlTow blocks Burn em down and you can have it back daddy. I'd rather that I flow for chicks wishin. they ain't have to strip to pay tuition I see you vision mama, I put my money on the longshots All my bailers that's born to clock Now I"ma be on top whether I perform or not I went from lukewarm to hot; sleepin on futons and cots

98 to King Size. dream machines, the green fives I've seen pies let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills Then I put it down type braile I'm tight grill with the phony, rappers y'all might feel we homies I'm like still. y'all don't know me, shit! I'm tight grill when my situation ain't improvin I'm tryin to murder everything mavin, feel me?!

["Annie" sample} It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us!! Steada treated, we get tricked Steada kisses. we get kicked It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us!! Steada treated, we get tricked Steada kisses. we get kicked It's the hard knock life!!

{Jay-Z} I don't how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes Gatta a lot of beef, so logically, I prey on my foes Hustling's still inside of me, and as far as progress you'd be hard-pressed. to find another rapper hot as me I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and y'all lamed out Didn't really appreciate it, til the second one came out So I stretched the game out, X'ed your name out Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya, nigguh!

{"Annie" sample} It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life. for us!! Steada treated. we get tricked Steada kisses. we get kicked It's the hard knock life, for us It's the hard knock life, for us!! Steada treated. we get tricked Steada kisses. we get kicked It's the hard knock life!! .. It's the hard knock life!! .. It's the hard knock life!!

99 "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"

Ladies and gentlemen. put our hands together for the astonishing... [girls singing] H to the izz-O... V to the izz-A...

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 8th wonder of the world The flow 0' the century...oh it's timeless...HOVE! Thanks for comin' out tonight You coulda been anywhere in the world, but you're here with me I appreciate that...uuunnnh...

H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA Was herbin' em in the home of the Terrapins Got it dirt cheap for them Plu~ if they was short wit' cheese I would work wit' them Boy and we...got rid of that dirt for them Wasn't born hustlers I was burpin' em H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Fo' sheezy my neezy keep my arms so freezy Can't leave rap alone the game needs me Haters want me clapped and chromed it ain't easy Cops wanna knock me, D.A. wanna box me in But somehow, I beat them charges like Rocky H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A Not guilty, he who does not feel me is not real to me Therefore he doesn't exist So poof... vamoose son of a bitch

[CHORUS] H to the izz-O. V to the izz-A Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA H to the izz-O. V to the izz-A That's the anthem get'cha damn hands up H to the izz-O. V to the izz-A Not guilty yall got-ta feel me H to the izz-G. V to the izz-A That's the anthem get'cha damn hands UP!

Holla at me ... I do this for my culture To let 'em know what a nigga look like... when a nigga in a roaster Show em how to move in a room full '0 vultures Industry shady it need to be taken over Label owners hate me I'm raisin' the status quo up I'm overchargin' niggaz for what they did to the Cold Crush Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you hold us We can talk. but money talks so talk mo' bucks

{CHORUS]

100 Yeah... Hove is back. life stories told through rap Niggaz actin' like I sold you crack Like I told you sell drugs...no... Hove did that so hopefully you won't have to go through that I was raised in the pro-jects, roaches and rats Smokers out back, sellin' they mama's sofa Lookouts on the corner, focused on the ave Ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolk Me under a lamp post. why I got my hand closed? Cracks in my palm. watchin' the long arm 0' the law So you know I seen it all before I seen hoop dreams deflate like a true fiend's weight To try and to fail. the two things I hate Succeed in this rap game, the two things is great H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A What else can I say about dude, I gets bizzay

[CHORUS]

[girls singing] H to the izz-O. V to the izz-A... [4x to fade out]

WI "Big Pimpin'"

{Jay-Z] Uhh, uh uh uh It's big pimpin baby .. It's big pimpin, spendin G's Feel me.. uh-huh uhh. uh-huh.. Ge-ge-geyeah,geyeah Ge-ge-geyeah, geyeah..

You know I- thug em, fuck em, love em, leave em Cause I don't fuckin need em Take em out the hood, keep em lookin good But I don't fuckin feed em First time they fuss I'm breezin Talkin bout. "What's the reasons?" I'm a pimp in every sense of the word, bitch Better trust than believe em In the cut where I keep em til I need a nut. til I need to beat the guts Then it's, beep beep and I'm pickin em up Let em play with the dick in the truck Many chicks wanna put Jigga fist in cuffs Divorce him and split his bucks Just because you got good head, I'ma break bread so you can be livin it up? Shit I.. parts with nothin, y'all be frontin Me give my heart to a woman? Not for nothin. never happen I'll be forever mackin Heart cold as assassins. I got no passion I got no patience And I hate waitin.. Hoe get yo' ass in And let's RI-I-I-I-I-IDE.. check em out now RI-I-I-I-I-IDE. yeah And let's RI-I-I-I-I-IDE.. check em out now RI-I-I-I-I-IDE. yeah

{ChorllS aile: Jay-Z]

We doin.. big pimpin. we spendin G's Check em out now Big pimpin. on B.L.A.D.·s We doin .. big pimpin up in N.Y.C. It's just that Jigga Man. Pimp C. and B-U-N B Yo yo yo.. big pimpin. spendin G's We doin - big pimpin. on B.L.A.D.'s We doin .. big pimpin up in N.Y.C. It's just that Jigga Man. Pimp C. and B-U-N B

102 [Bun B} Nigga it's the - big Southern rap impresario Comin straight up out the black bar-rio Ma~es a mill' up off a sorry hoe Then sit back and peep my sce-nawr-e-oh Oops, my bad, that's my scenario No I can't fuck a scary hoe Now every time, every place, everywhere we go Hoes start pointin - they say, "There he go!" Now these motherfuckers know we carry mo' heat than a little bit We don't pull it out over little shit And if you catch a lick when I spit. then it won't be a little hit Go read a book you illiterate son of a bitch and step up yo' vocab Don't be surprised if yo' hoe stab out with me and you see us comin down on yo' slab Livin ghetto-fabulous, so mad, you just can't take it But nigga if you hatin I then you wait while I get yo' bitch butt-naked, just break it You gotta pay like you weigh wet wit two pairs of clothes on Now get yo' ass to the back as I'm flyin to the track Timbaland let me spit my pro's on Pump it up in the pro-zone That's the track that we breakin these hoes on Ain't the track that we flow's on But when shit get hot, then the glock start poppin like ozone We keep hoes crunk like Trigger-man Fo'real it don't get no bigger man Don't trip, let's flip, gettin throwed on the flip Gettin blowed with the motherfuckin Jigga Man, fool

[Chorus Two: Bun B}

We be.. big pimpin, spendin G's We be.. big pimpin, on B.L.A.D.'s We be.. big pimpin down in P.A.T. It's just that Jigga Man, Pimp C. and B-lJ-N B Cause we be .. big pimpin, spendin G's And we be.. big pimpin, on B.L.A.D.'s Cause we be .. big pimpin in P.A.T. It's just that Jigga Man, Pimp C. and B-lJ-N B.. nigga

[Pimp Cj Uhh.. smokin out. throwin up, keepin lean up in my cup All my car got leather and wood, in my hood we call it buck Everybody wanna ball, holla at broads at the mall If he up, watch him fall. nigga I can't fuck witch'all If I wasn't rappin baby, I would still be ridin Mercedes Chromin shinin sippin daily, no rest until whitey pay me lJhhh. now what {all know bout them Texas boys Comin down in candied toys, smokin weed and talkin noise

103 [Chorus Two}

104 "Ain't No Nigga"

(feat. Foxy Brown)

[Jay-Z] I keep it fresher than the next bitch no need.. for you to ever sweat the next bitch .. with speed, I make the best bitch see the exit..indeed, you gotta know your thoroughly respected by me. you get the keys to the Lexus, with no driver you gotcha own '96 suh-in.. the ride and keep your ass tighter than Versace thats why you gotta watch your friends you got to watch me they conniving shit the first chance to crack the bank they try me, all they get is 50 cent franks and papayas, from the village to the tele time to kill it on your belly no question I got more black chicks between my sheets than Essence they say sex is a weapon, so when I shoot mmet your death in less than 8 seconds still poundin in my after life.. laugin my shit is tight you who askin right...

[Chorus:]

Aint no nigga like the one I got no one can fuck you betta sleeps around but he gives me alot keeps you in diamonds and leathers friends 'ill tell me I should leave you alone hah hah, hah hah, hah hah, hah ha tell the freaks to find a man of there own (man a they own, man a they own)

[}ay-Z] Fresh to def in Moschino. coach bag lookin half black and filipino fakin no jacks got you a beeper to feel important sUITouding your feet in Joanie Dega's and Charles Jordan I keep ya dove but love you know these ho's be makin me weak yall knows how it goes b and so I creep Ive been sinnin since you been playin wit Barbie and Ken in you can't change a players game in the 9th inning the chrome rim spinning keeps em grinnin so I run way the fuck up in em and wrinkle the face like linnin I play hard-eh till they say God.. he's keepin it real jigga stay hard

105 lawd don't even trip I never slip, nigga what you dont see is whatcha get weapons concealed what the fuck yall feel when you nigga play sick we can all get ill -whats the deal-

[Chorus]

[}ay-Z] Yo. aint no stoppin this, no lie promise to stay monogamous, I try but love you know these ho's be makin me weak Y'all knows how it goes B so I stay deep

[Foxy Brown] What up boo just keep me laced in the ilia snakes bank rolls and shit, back rubs in the french tubs Mackin this bitch, wifee nigga so when you flip that coke remember them days you was dead broke but now your style and I raised you basically made you into a don flippin weight..heroin and shit you know my pussy is all that thats why I get bagets 5 carats and all that From Dolce Gabana to H Vendell I'm ringin bells so who the playa, I still keep you in the illest gators Tailor made so we can lay up in the shade reminiscin on how I fuck the best a shit specially when 1m flippin Baileys dont give a fuck about how you move with them other mamis I push da Z, eating shrimp scampi with rocks larger than life Fuck them Reebok broads, you made it known who your wife was I got you frontin in Armani sweaters before this rap shit when you was in letters and bullshit berattas and eek classes with mo in the glasses shows in Cali wit all the flavor suede Bally's now all your mens' up in your benz's high post. I swear you be killin me playin inside my pubic hairs I never worry bout them other chicks cuz you proved who was your wiz when you was spinnin that bitch I took a little when you was up north your comisary stay pilin how you livin large on the island all them collects have me vex but when you come home knew I was comin off wit half of dem checks now we on the rise

106 your diamond mami wit the slanted eyes holdin this grip cocked the green and the shit Fucks no. I see half the dough Made you into a star, pushin hundred thousand dollar cars

[Chorus}

107 "Money Ain't a Thang"

Uh uh So So Def Yeah, yeah

[ChOrl/s: Jeri/wine Dupri and Jay-Z]

[Jermaine Dl/pri] In the Ferrari or Jaguar. switchin four lanes With the top down screamin out Money ain't a thang

[Jay-Z] Bubble hard in the double R flashin the rings With the window cracked, holler back Money ain't a thang

[Jermaine Dl/fJri] Jigga. I don't like it if it don't gleam clean And to hell with the price cause the money ain't a thang

[Jay-Z] Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bang When you hit the bricks, new whips Money ain't a thang

[Jermoinc Dl/fJriJ Come on. y'all wanna floss wit us Cause all across the ball we burn it up Drop a little paper. baby toss it up Ya slackin on your pimpin, turn it up See the money ain't a thang

[Jay-Z] I flex the ror. sign a check for yo' hoe Jigga's style is love. X and 0 Save all your accolades. just the dough My game is wide. all lames aside Tryin to stay alive. hundred thou' for the bracelet Foolish. ain't I? The chain11 strain ya eye Twin platinum gun son. aim for the sky Ice on my bullet. you die soon as I pull it Willies wanna rub shoulders, your money's too young See me when it gets older. ya bank account grow up Mine's is one-zero-zero-zero-zero-oh-doub' Damn near out the rear trunk when I roll up Multi till close up. it's all basic I been spending hundreds since they had small faces Rob your stash house. doubled out down in Vegas

108 Me and Jermaine Dupri got it locked crazy Where you at haters?

[Repeat J}

[Jermaine Dupri} My cake thick, I live the life Eatin' crab, watching bitches shake shit all night I make the big moves, do the big things Take small groups, turn them into big names The big dog with the big chain, frost bit bracelet to match Cats say I'm the shit man The type of nigga that you need in yo' crew Type of dude that will do shit you won't do, can't do Get more burnt than a candle Too hot to hold, too much to handle In the black C-Iow, he know if she look She go bye-bye with da-da and I ain't gotta say no more I'm the truth like air, got the proof and stay fly In the safest shit you could never buy Know why? Cause I write the songs that the whole world sing I don't know bout y'all but every night I swing

[Repeat J}

[Jay-Z} Yall shit ain't for real til y'all ship a mil' And ya hit a R&B chick and she fit the bill Said she loved my necklace, started relaxin Now that's what the fuck I call a chain reaction Went from wholesome to Jigga, you owed some Baby, I don't play all my jewelry is light grey Platinum, spend your whole life in the day What's down is a bet. roll the dice

[Jennaine Dupri} Yeah, yeah. so let's play So what, you went gold and rock a Roley with the ice bezel It's gonna take a lot more to see my level Where I'm at. your check, you better double that And personally your raps is where the trouble at I'm a Benz bubble cat. leather with the wood grain In the platinum frame screaming it's not a game Gleaming. from ear to ear. wrist to wrist, ring and chain Even me and Jay-Z got it locked. crazy

[Repeat Chorus}

So So DeL Roc-A-Fella. collabo' You know. all we do is rock Rock on

109 "Rap Game/Crack Game"

Uhh... Uhh, yeah Won't stop niggaz "Somehow the rap game remind me of the crack game" --> {Nos} Jigga! Feel me People, told ya motherfuckers, told ya "See that rap shit is really just like sellin smoke" --> {OutKast} Uhh, Roc-a-Fella Geyeah

We treat this rap shit just like, handlin weight What they want we give it to em, what they abandon we take Hit a rapper with consignment, let him know it's at stake Put his ass in the studio, let him cook up a cake When it's hot, get on my money spot in every state Like the wiz in Camelot, the mom-and-pop's is the gate But first we scope shit. advertise in every area Let the fiends know hey, we got some dope shit Gon' need a middle man, so we look to radio Let em test the product, give em a promo show Just a breeze, not enough to catch a real vibe Then we drop a maxi single and charge em two for five Ain't tryin to, kill em at first just, buildin clientele So when the album drops the first weeks it's on sale But when demand grows it's time to expand yo You don't want no garbage papi it's ten grand per blow, fo' sho'

"Somehow the rap game reminds me of the crack game" --> {Nos} "See that rap shit is really just like sellin smoke" --> {OutKast} [repeat 3Xj

Ge-ge-geyeah I got that uncut raw to make a fiend's body jerk Got your whole block now, pumpin my work My CD's is like keys for you Willie's who like to floss my cassette tapes in sixty-two's And my singles like gems. you know the treys Get you high for a while, but the. high don't stay You need another fix. you better cop these last two bricks Cause when this shit flip. I'ma get on some other shit Never pitchin for a label, Jigga's the hook-up You know my shit is fish scale. y'all niggaz is cook up Just blow up, scream my name from Brooklyn to Da-kota They know my shit stretch without the baking soda Went from an eighth. to a quarter. to a half a key Priority's work wasn't right so 1switched factories Now I'm the new nigga, who figured I'd get the game locked Now watch how the prices of your cocaine drop, ha ha

110 "Somehow the rap game reminds me of the crack game" --> [Nas] "See that rap shit is really just like sellin smoke" --> [OutKast] [repeat 4X]

III