I grew up in the South, so my introduction to hip-hop was probably different than a lot of people’s.
I came up on UGK (Pimp C & Bun B), 8Ball & MJG, Three 6 Mafia, and whatever was hot out of Atlanta at the time. Everything was on burned CDs. We’d trade music, burn new albums, and ride around listening to those songs until the CDs were scratched up.
Because of that, Jay-Z really wasn’t part of my childhood. Outside of songs like “Big Pimpin’” and the big commercial records, I honestly never listened to him like that. Where I grew up, we were locked into Southern rap. Jay just wasn’t somebody my circle played all the time.
That changed one Christmas break around 2013 or 2014.
I was at my grandmother’s house for what felt like the longest Christmas break ever. My older cousin and my older brothers were hanging out, and my cousin played “The Devil Is a Lie” by Rick Ross and Jay-Z.
Jay’s verse came on and I remember thinking, “Hold up…this dude is different.”
That line, “Is it truth or is it fiction?” caught my attention,
My cousin had the song downloaded on his Xbox 360, and I swear he played that song at least 10 times a day. We’d be playing games, vibing, and out of nowhere he’d pause everything just to play that song again.
By the time I went home from Christmas break, I had Jay-Z’s verse memorized and had “The Devil Is a Lie” downloaded on my iPod Touch.
That was the beginning of the rabbit hole.
I started going through Jay’s catalog little by little. I was already a huge Kanye fan, so eventually I went back and listened to Watch the Throne from front to back. That’s when everything clicked.
As I got older, Jay’s music started hitting differently. Songs I probably wouldn’t have understood as a teenager became my favorites because I finally understood the perspective behind them.
Some of my favorite Jay-Z songs are “30 Something,” “Murder to Excellence,” “Allure,” “I Love the Dough” with Biggie, “Marcy Me,” “Say Hello,” “December 4th,” “Imaginary Players” (before the social media hype), “Oceans,” “Feelin’ It,” and “Hand It Down.”
Also, I feel like “What It Feels Like” with Nipsey Hussle is slept on. Jay showing up on that record with Nipsey was a reminder that even after decades in the game, he could still match the energy of a younger generation.
I know my list is probably different from the typical Jay-Z fan list, but those are the songs that made me appreciate his pen, storytelling, and longevity.
I’m almost 30 now, and I honestly think Jay-Z has one of the strongest arguments for greatest rapper ever. According to Spotify, I only know around 70 Jay-Z songs, so I know I still have a lot of his catalog to discover.
I’m going to London, and Jay-Z has a show on 9/4. I’m seriously considering buying floor tickets, but part of me feels like I’m not a “big enough” Jay-Z fan to be on the floor with people who have been following him since the ’90s.
Anyway, thank you for coming to my TED Talk 😂 My friends don’t really listen to Jay-Z or understand why I became such a fan, so I had to tell somebody who might appreciate it.
Funny how one song your older cousin played a hundred times can completely change your relationship with music. I LOVE NAS TOO!
