2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and over those five decades, we've unfortunately seen no shortage of beef between those working in the industry. Some situations become so tense that they result in violence or even death, while others are able to work through their issues and laugh about them years later. As one of the biggest names in music, Jay-Z is someone who's been caught up in his share of drama. Thankfully, all the experience has made him a pro at handling it in true New Yorker style.
During an interview with Breakbeat Media last month, Irv Gotti's brother, Chris, recalled how Hov handled his sibling's attempt to sign Nas to Murder Inc. in the earlier days of their careers. At the time, there was beef between the two artists, but still, the record exec argued to the father of three that it would be "good business" for Gotti and Nas to work together. According to Chris, Irv was too focused on making money to realize that Jay-Z was "just saying" that the beef between him and the King's Disease artist wasn't so serious that he wouldn't want to see them link up.
Reflecting on Jay-Z's Feud with Irv Gotti
While his words told one story, the 4:44 hitmaker's actions revealed his true feelings. Shortly after the situation unfolded, he and 50 Cent (who's notoriously known for his own beef with Gotti) went out on tour together. In addition to that, the east coast rappers released a joint sneaker and filmed a commercial around the same time.
"He came back to Irv and said, 'It's good business,'" Chris revealed, causing the interviewer to crack up along with him. Gotti may have thought he won that battle, but clearly, Jay-Z was thinking 10 steps ahead of his friend.
Chris Gotti's Full Interview
Tap into Irv Gotti's brother's full interview with Breakbeat Media on YouTube below. Do you think Jay-Z properly handled his beef with the 52-year-old DJ? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
[Via]