“I'm leading the league in at least six statistical categories right now: Best flow, most consistent, realest stories, most charisma, I set the most trends, and my interviews are hotter.”
When discussing the greats, Jay-Z’s placement on the list is inevitable. The rapper turned businessman has left his mere mortal status behind, opting to join the ranks of the entity. With a career spawning two decades, twelve solo albums, and a highly publicized relationship, it’s no wonder the Brooklyn star has achieved ubiquity. Yet these days, it’s hard to see Jay as a rapper anymore. His last album was in 2013, and many unfamiliar with hip-hop simply know him as Beyonce’s husband. More people reference his entrepreneurship; more Tidal than Magna Carter.
But the legend must be respected. In an unprecedented historical move, Jay recently became the first rapper to be inducted in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. Even today, many hip-hop heads are quick to hand Jay-Z the coveted mantle of GOAT.
But does the claim carry any weight? Is it all sleight of hand induced by a self-aggrandizing reputation? Or did the Jigga Man leave a trail of destruction in his wake, earning his claim to the throne he so eagerly watched?
Here are ten tracks proving the latter.
Can I Live
Produced by: Irv Gotti
"Dual levels like duplexes, in unity
my crew and me commit atrocities like we got immunity”
The 8th cut from bonafide classic Reasonable Doubt at once straddles the line between the classic 90’s aesthetic and the grandiose production of his later collaborator Just Blaze. Jay flows effortlessly here, showcasing lyrical dexterity while never coming off urgent. It’s funny in retrospect, how this song foreshadows a glimpse into Jay’s present reality. In the context of "Can I Live’s" release, the lavish lifestyle seems a fantasy, Frank Lucas wandering onto the set of a Scorcese film. But now, dude’s got a net worth of 550 million dollars. Consider this track a prediction.
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
Produced by The 45’ King
“Sleepin’ on futons and cots to king size, green 5’s
I’ve seen pies, let the thing between my eyes analyze life’s ills
Then I put it down type Braille”
Who’d have ever thought it possible to make Annie the Orphan go hard? The minimalist aesthetic of this track really shines, and the steady drums and theatrical hits give Jay room for his flow to shine. Something that always impresses is Jay’s clever vernacular, opting for unique ways to make a statement. He’s streetwise, but eloquent as hell. And while Jay’s In My Lifetimes were inconsistent in the grand scheme of his discography, "Hard Knock Life" is an iconic single showcasing Jay’s technical proficiency and developing his laid back charisma.
U Don't Know
Produced by Just Blaze
“One million, two million, three million, four
In just five years, forty million more
You are now lookin at the forty million boy
I'm rapin' Def Jam 'til I'm the hundred million man”
The first ten seconds of this legendary beat are iconic in themselves. Just Blaze turns in one of the best efforts of his career, and Jay Z wastes no time in establishing his dominant presence. The Blueprint was considered as somewhat of a resurgence for Jay, reaching instant-classic status and shining a light on both Just Blaze and a young up-and-comer named Kanye West. While the In My Lifetime series was lacking in a cohesive direction, the united front of Blueprint’s production helped elevate Jay Z from a rapper who killed shit to an auteur. When he boasts over the orchestral hits that we’re simply wrong, we believe it. And why wouldn’t we?
Meet The Parents
Produced by Just Blaze
“Let’s take a trip down memory lane at the cemetery
Rain, grey skies, seems at the end of every
Young black life is the line “damn, him already?
Such a good kid”, got us pourin’ Henn already”
Jay Z boasted that he, of all rappers, hits us with the realest stories. Meet The Parents is the culmination of that boast, in which Jay weaves a Gothic narrative over an haunting Just Blaze beat. The opening bars set a somber scene, painting a picture with a literary attention to detail. Throughout this journey, Jay gives us room to live with the characters, sparing no development. Simultaneously, his subtle observations on race and the socioeconomic cycle of tragedy are especially poignant today. The song also ends with a twist worthy of M. Night Shyamalan.
La La La
Produced by The Neptunes
“I move the weight like I’m Oprah, son
I show you how to do this, son!”
There’s something about Jay Z that must bring out the best in producers, because Neptunes brought out their hardest beat since…ever, maybe. This track emerged during The Platinum Era (1998-2004), where BET and Much Vibe reigned supreme. It was originally included on the Bad Boys II OST, before finding a home on Blueprint 2.1. It’s also the closest Jay has ever come to a weed anthem. La La La straddles a very interesting line as a menacing club banger, not unlike 50 Cent’s In Da Club. While the percussion bangs, the pianos are tense, ready to explode. Jay rides the beat like a veteran, showcasing the many aspects of his multifaceted persona; the pusher, the lavish womanizer, the self-aware president of rap.
Lucifer
Produced by Kanye West
“Lord forgive him, he got them dark forces in him
but he’s also got a righteous cause for sinnin’
they gon murder me so I gotta murder them first
emergency doctors perfomin’ procedures
Jesus, I aint tryin’ to be facetious”
The first verse of this track could very well be the most finely penned verse of Jay’s career. He taketh the religious motif and runs like hell, spitting fire and brimstone over one of Kanye West's finest beats. Yet beneath the dexterous flow and wordplay, there is heart, primarily in the final passage of the song. Jay pays homage to his fallen friend Bobalob, framing the existential nature of Bob’s passing against the current state of his own life. “I gotta get my soul right, gotta get these devils out my life”, spits Jay. Yet the song itself is permeated with threats of violence, as if Jay is a harbinger of death itself. This juxtaposition makes Lucifer one of Jay’s most thematically complex tracks, revealing just how layered a poet he really is.
No Hook
Produced by Diddy, Sean C & LV
“I don’t need no hook for this shiiiit!”
No, he does not. On another slow burning beat, Jay Z focuses his energy on straight killing it lyrically. With American Gangster, a concept album loosely based on the film, Jay channels legendary gangster Frank Lucas, drawing parallels through their shared notoriety. And while Jay Z may or may not have blood on his hands, the parallel is apt on a metaphorical level. Jay-Z’s back story is that of an entrepreneurial drug-dealer, ambitious, ruthless, and clever. It might be easy to take his reputation at face value, and respect him regardless of his mic skills. Yet "No Hook" makes it unquestionable - Jay can spit with the best of them. And he doesn’t need to fall back on a catchy hook to leave an impression.
Minority Report ft. Ne-Yo
Minority Report ft. Ne-Yo
Produced by Dr. Dre
“And the next five days, no help ensued
They called you a refugee because you seek refuge
And the Commander-in-Chief, just flew by
Didn't stop, I know he had a couple seats, just rude
Jet blue, he's not, jet flew by the spot
What if he ran out of jet fuel and just dropped?”
While Kingdom Come as an album is oft-maligned, largely viewed as a mediocre comeback album, there are some gems to be found. The best of which is Minority Report, an elegiac reflection on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Jay is at his most somber, spitting poetry rich with images, lamenting the mistreatment from government and former Commander-In-Chief George Bush. The pattern of A-List producers continues with Dr. Dre at the boards, and Ne-yo closes off the track with a haunting, powerful refrain - “seems like we don’t even care”.
Renegade ft. Eminem
Produced by Eminem
“Motherfuckers say that I’m foolish
I only talk about jewels
do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?”
While many speak of Eminem’s verses on this track (prompting Nas to proclaim that Eminem murdered him on his own shit), Jay most definitely holds his own. Another Blueprint cut, Renegade was a monumental track, pairing two of the biggest rappers on the same track and letting them go off. The aforementioned line is the perfect message to Jay Z’s detractors, letting them know that his bars require focus. There are layers. While some decry the ostentatious nature of his braggadocio, others see it as part of a larger character arc. Renegade shows another case of Jay Z excelling over a haunting beat; perhaps the aesthetic inspires him to delve into the darker nature of his personality.
Public Service Announcement
Produced by Just Blaze
“My name is HOV, H to the O V
Used to move snowflakes by the OZ”
The victory lap. The mic drop. The track that one might play for any alien coming to Earth looking to learn about Jay Z. When Black Album first dropped in 2003, the zeitgeist buzzed with talk of Jay’s retirement from the game. A time-line in which theoretically, there might be no more Jay Z music. Once again enlisting the aid of the legendary Just Blaze, Hov lays down bars with the swagger of an outlaw-turned-sheriff, walking through both the hood and the suburbs alike, getting respect from all walks of life. “Only God can judge me, so I’m gone, either love me or leave me alone”.
(PSA begins at 2:24)