Jay-Z Turned Down The Beat For Big Pun's "Still Not A Player," Hip Hop Says

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 02: Rapper, Jay-Z is seen following the conclusion of Game One of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics on June 02, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Hip-Hop reveals which beats Jay-Z turned down in the past.

Jay-Z once turned down the beat for Big Pun's “Still Not A Player,” according to Joshua “Hip Hop” Kyambo.

The former Roc-A-Fella A&R recently appeared on the R.O.A.D podcast where he delved into his history with the legendary label, working with Jay-Z, and defining the label’s distinct production style. Hip Hop deserves the credit for some of the biggest records in Jay’s catalog since the signature sound of the label heavily depended on his ear for production.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 25: (L-R) Kareem Biggs Burke, Jay Z, and Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua at Fourth of November presents 20th Anniversary of Reasonable Doubt on June 25, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Bezjian/WireImage)

While he shared some tales of Jay's studio sessions, he also dived into a few songs that he turned down. Some of them included massive records that have withstood the test of time.

Hip-Hop presented the beat for “Still Not A Player” before it ultimately landed in Big Pun’s lap. He also tried to get Jay-Z on “Whoa!” which wound up becoming Black Rob’s biggest hit. Finally, he revealed that he tried to get Jay-Z to rap on the beat for Mr. Cheeks’ “Lights, Camera, Action.”

“He said it was too slow,” Hip-Hop recalled of Jay’s reaction to “Lights, Camera, Action.” “I was like ‘Whatchu mean it’s too slow?’”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 01: Jay-Z is seen out and about in Manhattan on August 01, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Robert Kamau/GC Images)

The hosts then asked how he felt about the success of the song. He explained that he didn’t feel any way about Jay turning the beat down.

“Nah, it’s like whatever is best for the record," he said. And I know that a record just got to motivate [Jay-Z]."

Check out the clip below and let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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