The game as a collective has grown so used to universally recognizing JAY-Z as a legend, and recent emphasis has been placed on his business acumen. The man is, after all, hip-hop's first billionaire. Yet he's also a man with thirteen studio albums to his name, with many of them being widely recognized as classics. Some, like The Black Album, The Blueprint, and his debut Reasonable Doubt, are named among the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
Suffice it to say, JAY-Z has ample evidence pointing to his status as the greatest lyricist of all time, and though his musical output has slowed of late, his sporadic drops have only strengthened the narrative. So much so that even the younger generation of rising rap stars are taking notice of Hov's example. Following JAY's verse on DJ Khaled's "Sorry Not Sorry," Lil Baby couldn't help but marvel at the rapper's triple entendre (don't even ask him how). Polo G, fresh off scoring his first number-one single on the Billboard charts, also shared some praise for JAY-Z's latest.
Jay-Z's Bars At 50">Jim Bennett/Getty Images
"This man Jay Z 50yrs Old still Walkin On Shit Effortlessly," writes Polo G, clearly impressed that JAY continues to remain elite this deep into his career. In truth, it's not entirely uncommon to see writers improving with age, having had to opportunity to gain perspectives on life. Hip-hop has proven to be no different, with many older emcees putting out some of their most compelling work to date. Look no further than Benny The Butcher and Conway, 36 and 39 respectively, easily two of the best lyricists putting in work right now.
While it's certainly wholesome to see Polo G inspired by JAY-Z's exemplary leadership behind the mic, the true importance lies deeper. There's no age limit on shifting the culture -- Black Thought was forty-six when he absolutely bodied a freestyle on Funkmaster Flex, and Nas won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at 47. Upon seeing how deeply JAY-Z's "Sorry Not Sorry" verse has resonated with today's young musical innovators, perhaps we'll see a shift in the philosophy that rap is a "young artist's game," and further proof that longevity is a goal to which all should aspire.
Check out Polo G's "Sorry Not Sorry" praise below, and show some love to the Jigga Man in the comments below.