Early history
Originally from the infamous Marcy Houses projects in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn in New York City, Shawn Carter was abandoned by his father Adnes Reeves when he was only twelve years old and he was consequently raised by his mother Gloria Carter. Jay-Z attended George Westinghouse High School in Downtown Brooklyn, NYC and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey but did not graduate. He claims to have been caught up in selling drugs on the streets of New York in the Marcy Projects. In addition to this, Jay-Z has lyrically alluded to having sold crack cocaine and marijuana in Virginia and Maryland.
According to his mother, a young Jay-Z used to keep his siblings up at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table. Eventually, she bought him a boombox for his birthday and thus sparked his interest in music. He began freestyling, writing rhymes, and followed the music of many artists popular at the time.
In his neighborhood, Carter was known as "Jazzy," a nickname which eventually developed into his stage name, "Jay-Z." The moniker is also a homage to his musical partner Lee Dub (www.soundclick.com/kingdeezy) Jaz-O (a.k.a. the Jaz, Big Jaz) as well as to the J-Z subway lines that have a stop at Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn.
Jay-Z can be heard on several of The Jaz's early recordings, including 1988's "The Originators" and "Hawaiian Sophie", he also collaborated with Inglewood, California producer Three-1-Zero which began his popularity as an artist. His career had a jump start when he battled a rapper by the name of Zai. The battle caught the eye of many record labels, as Jay-Z was able to hold his own against Zai. He also made an appearance on a popular song by Big L, "Da Graveyard."
Commercial work
From the beginning of his commercial recording career, Jay-Z chose a route that many would consider untraditional. Rather than waiting to get signed to a major label, Jay-Z created Roc-A-Fella Records as his own independent label. After striking a deal with Priority to distribute his material, Jay-Z released his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt with beats from acclaimed producers such as DJ Premier and Clark Kent and a notable appearance by The Notorious B.I.G.. Although the album received critical acclaim, record sales were poor and were a disappointment.
After reaching a new distribution deal with Def Jam in 1997, Jay-Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Executive produced by Diddy, it sold better than his previous effort even though Jay later explained that this was one of the worst periods of his life. He was reeling from the death of his close friend Biggie. Due to the glossy production on his sophomore album, many of the fans he'd earned previously now claimed he was selling out and catering to a more commercial audience. However, the album did feature some beats from producers who had worked with him on Reasonable Doubt, namely DJ Premier and Ski.
1998's Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life spawned the biggest hit of his career at the time, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)." Critics would still accuse him of becoming even more commercial and egotistical, due to the lack of intellectual matter on this album. He also relied more heavily on flow, developing it further, and he continued his penchant for mining beats from the popular producers of the day such as Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. Charting hits from this album included "Can I Get A..." featuring Ja Rule and "Jigga What, Jigga Who.". Vol. 2 would eventually become Jay-Z's most commercially successful album, certifying platinum five times in the United States.
In 1999 Jay-Z released Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter. Despite continued criticism for his increasingly pop-oriented sound and a large number of collaborations that many felt crowded out Jay-Z himself, the album proved to be successful and went platinum three times. Through his lyricism, he was able to retain respect from some of his die-hard fans. Vol. 3 is remembered for its smash hit, "Big Pimpin" (feat UGK) and the negative remarks to then-underground New York rapper known as 50 Cent.
By this time, Jay-Z was seen as a hip-hop figurehead both by hardcore fans and by the corporations of rap due to his lyrics and his high album sales, achieving a pinnacle rarely held in rap music. The subject of much criticism, praise, popularity, condemnation, and discussion, Jay decided to begin developing other artists besides himself. Around 2000, he and Damon Dash signed various artists (including Beanie Sigel and Freeway) and began introducing them to the public. He next appeared on The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, which was intended as a compilation album to introduce these new artists, though the album had Jay-Z's name on it to strengthen sales and acclaim.
2001's The Blueprint is considered by many to be one of hip hop's "classic" albums, receiving the coveted "5 mic" review from The Source magazine. Released on September 11, 2001, the album managed to debut at #1, selling more than 450,000 albums in its first week.
The Blueprint was applauded for its production and the balance of "mainstream" and "hardcore" rap, receiving recognition from both audiences. Eminem was the only guest artist on the album, producing and rapping on the single "Renegade" (to which rival Nas would rap, "Eminem murdered you on your own shit" on "Ether.") The Blueprint also includes the popular "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Takeover", a song which takes rivals Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Nas. A large portion of the material on this album was produced by Kanye West and represents one of West's first major breaks in the industry.
A feud between Jay-Z and Nas culminated in "Takeover", a diss from Jay-Z to Nas, in the fall of 2001. Many fans praised the diss as an effective method to shut down Nas's career for good. Nas responded with the diss track "Ether". He shocked fans by creating arguably an even more lethal track than Takeover, and had regained his respect. Over the course of the feud, Jay-Z claims that he and Allen Iverson slept with Carmen Bryan, the mother of Nas' daughter, Destiny. Nas, in turn, accused Jay of brown nosing other artists for fame, and then leaving them for dead once he was famous. This feud proved to be a huge draw in the world of hip-hop. The feud died down over 2002 and was finally resolved in October 2005.
Jay-Z's next solo album was 2002's The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse a sprawling double-album which was touted by fans as having too much 'filler' or unnecessary material. It was later reissued in a single-disc version, The Blueprint 2.1, which retained half of the tracks from the original. The album spawned two hit singles "Excuse Me Miss" and "03 Bonnie and Clyde" featuring Beyoncé Knowles.
In 2003, Jay-Z toured with 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and Sean Paul while finishing work on what was announced as his final album, The Black Album. Notable songs on the album included "What More Can I Say," "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," "Change Clothes," and "99 Problems." That song was a cross-over hit comparable to The Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" which some believe pays homage to the now-rare old-school rap style. A few of the songs done on this album portray a more personal side of Jay-Z; for example, "Moment of Clarity" sheds light on his feelings towards his estranged father and coping with his death. It also deals with accusations that he sold out to reach a wider audience. "What More Can I Say" addresses the "biting" accusations with which many critics have impugned him.
In 2004, there was a runaway hit remix project by DJ Danger Mouse called The Grey Album in which Jay-Z's Black Album vocals were blended with instrumentals sampled exclusively from The Beatles' White Album (which subsequently embroiled the DJ in a lawsuit that was later dropped with EMI, the owner's to the Beatles' work). This was made possible by an a cappella version of the "Black Album" that Jay-Z released with the specific intent for others to mix. The success of "The Grey Album" led to a rainbow of Black Album remix projects including "The Red Album", "The Blue Album" and so forth.
Also in 2004, Jay-Z collaberated with the triple platinum selling band, Linkin Park. The project was named Collision Course, and contained a six track EP, as well as a making of DVD. Some of the mash ups tracks were entitled Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Lying From You, Jigga What/Faint, and Numb/Encore.
Jay-Z returned with his comeback album on November 21, 2006 titled Kingdom Come. Jay-Z's comeback single, "Show Me What You Got", was leaked on the Internet in early October 2006, scheduled to be released later on that month, received heavy air-play after its leak, causing the FBI to step in and investigate. Jay-Z worked with video director Hype Williams, and the single's video was directed by F. Gary Gray. The album features producers such as Just Blaze, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Coldplay's Chris Martin. This album has sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. alone. Jay-Z made a guest appearance on the Fall Out Boy album Infinity On High. Jay-Z appeared on rapper T.I.'s album T.I. vs. T.I.P. on the song "Watch What You Say to Me".
Jay-Z released his tenth album entitled American Gangster on November 6, 2007. After viewing the film, he was heavily inspired to create a new "concept" album that depicts his experiences as a street-hustler. The album features production from Diddy & The Hitmen, Just Blaze, and The Neptunes, among others. Guest appearances include Beanie Sigel, Lil Wayne, and Nas. The album sold 425,861 copies in it's first week and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Recent years
It was announced on February 2, 2008, that Jay-Z would headline the 2008 Glastonbury Festival, becoming the first major hip hop artist to headline the British festival. Tickets sold out before the opening of the festival. One of the more outspoken critics of his selection was Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame, who criticized the organizers of the festival for scheduling Jay-Z as a headliner for the traditionally guitar-driven festival, stating "I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."
Controversy ensued in the months leading up to the event with artists, promoters and fans weighing in both for and against. Jay-Z responded to this saying, "We don't play guitars, Noel, but hip hop has put in its work like any other form of music. This headline show is just a natural progression. Rap music is still evolving. We have to respect each other's genre of music and move forward." In response to Gallagher's criticism, Jay-Z opened his Glastonbury set with a tongue-in-cheek cover of Oasis's iconic song "Wonderwall". His Glastonbury performance was heralded as a successful response to pre-festival criticism.
He also headlined many other summer festivals in 2008, including Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Hove Festival in Norway and O2 Wireless Festival in London. During Kanye West's August 6, 2008 concert at Madison Square Garden, Jay-Z came out to perform a new song and he and Kanye proclaimed that it was to be on The Blueprint 3. On May 21, 2009, Jay-Z announced he would be parting ways with Def Jam, and had struck a multi-million dollar deal to sign with Live Nation, with whom he would start his Roc Nation imprint which would serve as a record label, talent/management agency, and music publishing company and also partnered up with production team Stargate to start a record label called StarRoc. Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 was originally to be released on September 11, 2009, but was instead released in North America on September 8, 2009, due to increasing anticipation. Its international release followed on September 14. It is his 11th album to reach No.1 on the Billboard 200 and has surpassed Elvis Presley's previous record, making him the current solo artist record holder.
On October 9, 2009, Jay-Z kicked off his tour for The Blueprint 3, during which he supported his new album in North America. In a Shave Magazine review of his performance at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Jake Tomlinson expressed that "It was the type of smooth performance you would expect from the hip-hop superstar." The review gave this performance 4 stars. His North American tour continued until November 22, 2009. At his concert on November 8, 2009, at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, Rihanna joined him on stage and performed "Hard" for the very first time, then performed "Run This Town" with Jay-Z. Among his success, Jay-Z has ventured into producing Broadway shows. Along with Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, Jay-Z helped produced the play Fela!, a musical celebrating the work of the late Nigerian star Fela Kuti. Jay-Z said he was inspired by the power of Kuti's work and his life story, which resulted in his interest to help produce the musical. Fela! is a story about an African pioneer and political activist who made his first moves on the scene during the 1970s.
Jay-Z performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2010.
On January 23, 2010, Jay-Z released a track, "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)", with Rihanna, and U2's Bono and The Edge, as well as performing it at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon. In June 2010, Eminem and Jay-Z announced they would perform together in a pair of concerts in Detroit and New York. The event was dubbed The Home & Home Tour. The first two concerts rapidly sold out, prompting the scheduling of an additional show at each venue. Jay-Z was the supporting act for U2 on the Australian and New Zealand leg of their U2 360° Tour, beginning in Auckland, New Zealand in November 2010, followed by Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in December. He also appeared on stage during U2 performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday", and in Auckland also joined the band for a performance of "Scarlet", singing some lines of his song, "History". In August 2010, it was revealed that Jay-Z and Kanye West would be collaborating on a five-track EP entitled Watch the Throne. Although, it was later revealed by West that the project had become a full-length LP. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations and began in November 2010. The first single released for the project was "H•A•M". The track was co-produced by Lex Luger and West himself. The track ended up being on the deluxe edition of the album. The follow-up to that was the second single "Otis", which premiered on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show, and was later released to the iTunes Store eleven days later. The song's existence, along with several other tracks from the album, was confirmed during a listening session hosted by Jay-Z. The album was first released on the iTunes Store, five days prior to it being released in physical format, a strategy Jay-Z later said was used to block an internet leak. It debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Store in 23 countries. It also broke Coldplay's record for most albums sold in one week on the online retailer, selling 290,000 copies on iTunes alone. It held that record, until Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV was released twenty-one days later, selling only 10,000 copies more. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart at No. 1, selling 436,000 copies in its first week. The album received generally positive reviews. Jay-Z and West later gave a surprise performance of "Otis" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. In April 2011, Jay-Z launched a blog-like, lifestyle website by the name of Life + Times. It covers everything from music, to fashion, to technology, to sports. The site is curated based on Jay-Z's interests, and he himself works with a small staff to produce every single piece of content.
Jay-Z collaborated with M.I.A. on the single "XXXO", which achieved a fair level of success and went on to become remixed by several producers worldwide. In May 2012, Jay-Z and Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Jay-Z will be the curator and the headliner for the first annual "Budweiser Made in America" festival at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on September 1 and 2, 2012. The performance will be produced by Live Nation and will assemble an eclectic lineup of “rock, hip hop, R&B, latin music and dance” musicians. Jay-Z and Rihanna are to be the two main headlining acts for BBC Radio 1's 2012 Hackney Weekend music festival on June 23 to 24. Jay-Z opened his set with an appearance from Rihanna, they performed "Run this Town". On September 6, "Clique" was released, a single for the album "Cruel Summer", by GOOD Music. Kanye West and Big Sean star alongside Jay-Z in the track. Jay-Z took the subway to his sold out show at The Barclays Center On October 6, 2012.[91] On November 12, 2012 Coldplay announced that they will be playing with Jay-Z at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on December 31.
On September 23, 2010, Q-Tip confirmed working on Jay-Z's follow up album to The Blueprint 3, saying the album was to hit stores by spring 2011. The album has not yet been released; it has been confirmed 3 songs have been recorded and one of which features Frank Ocean. In May 2012 it was reported that Jay-Z is working on new music with Roc Nation producer Jahlil Beats. In an interview with XXL, Beats stated: "Me and Jay-Z been going back and forth. He picked a couple of my joints that he’s working on. I don’t even wanna say too much about Jay, but we definitely working on some stuff. I haven’t even sent him a bunch of beats. I sent him my favorite stuff. He hit me right back like, ‘Yo, I’ma go in on this,’ or, ‘I like this.’” The album has been named one of the most anticipated albums of 2013 by Complex Magazine, MTV and XXL Magazine. Production will come from Jahlil Beats, Kanye West, Rick Rubin, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and Pharrell Williams. Jay-Z also made an appearance on Justin Timberlake's comeback single Suit & Tie from his third studio album The 20/20 Experience, the song itself was produced by both Jay-Z and Timberlake's mutual friend, Timbaland.[97] During the fifth game of the 2013 NBA Finals, Carter announced that his twelfth studio album would be titled, Magna Carta... Holy Grail and would be released on July 4, 2013. He has been in the studio with various artists such as Drake, Nas, and Justin Timberlake working on the album.[98] In December 2013, it was announced that Jay-Z had received nine nominations at the 2014 Grammy Awards, more than any other artist. Jay-Z appeared on his Beyoncé's self-titled fifth studio album, Beyoncé, with a feature on the song "Drunk in Love". They performed this song together at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards opening.
Technique
In his earliest appearances, Jay-Z's style was less polished; he had a propensity for rhyming fast, which gradually lessened over the years. By 1996, he had become more known for his metaphors and similes, as well as being a rapper to stress the ordeals of the drug-dealer's life. Later, flow would become a big part of his style.
He has often pointed to his ability to switch from emotionally provocative material like "Song Cry" to mainstream topics, such as "Big Pimpin", as a sign that he straddles a line between material and intelligent rhymes that not a lot of artists have been able to do. However, he has been criticized for selling out to reach a mainstream audience, and he has acknowledged this on the song "Moment of Clarity".
Recently, producers and artists alike have been praising Jay-Z's ability to create verse after verse completely in his head without the aid of a pen and paper. His ability to memorize and recite verbatim line after line of lyrics is praised.
Retirement
On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden, which would later be the focus of his film Fade to Black. This concert was his "retirement party." All proceeds went to charity. Other performers included collaborators like The Roots (in the form of his backing band), Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown, Pharrell and R. Kelly with special appearances by Violetta Wallace and Afeni Shakur; the mothers of Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur respectively.
While Jay-Z had attested to a retirement from making new studio albums, various side projects and appearances soon followed. Included in these were a greatest hits record, mash-up projects and concert appearances with R. Kelly, Linkin Park and Phish. These appearances have kept Jay's name in the spotlight and furthered peoples' speculation that he would not remain retired for long.
Jay-Z was the executive producer of Fort Minor's debut album The Rising Tied. Mike Shinoda got together with Jay-Z himself, as well as his Linkin Park bandmate Brad Delson, and they went over what tracks they thought should make the album. Some of the tracks on the album include Remember The Name, Petrified, Believe Me, Where'd You Go and Right Now.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release of Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z performed a show at Radio City Music Hall on June 25th, 2006 and a rehearsal show at New York's Nokia Theatre one day prior. These shows will be followed by a world tour in September, calling at various cities throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. While locations for the tour have been confirmed, no dates have yet been given apart from 4 dates in the UK and 1 in Ireland.
"I Declare War" concert
Having been such a visible artist in the late '90s through the early 2000s, Jay has been the subject of more rap-related controversy than most artists in mainstream hip-hop. Some of these have been resolved, some are ongoing, and some have simply dissipated.
On October 27, 2005, Jay-Z headlined New York's Power 105.1 annual concert, Powerhouse. The concert was entitled the "I Declare War" Concert leading to intense speculation in the weeks preceding the event to whom exactly Jay-Z would declare war on. As he had previously "declared war" on other artists taking lyrical shots at him at other events, many believed that the Powerhouse show would represent an all-out assault by Jay upon his rivals. However, an anticipated response to subliminal shots taken by The Game and Cam'ron never materialized.
The theme of the concert was Jay-Z's position as President and CEO of Def Jam, complete with an on-stage mock-up of the Oval Office. Many artists made appearances such as the old roster of Rocafella records artists, Ne-Yo, Teairra Mari, T.I., Young Jeezy, Akon, Kanye West, Paul Wall, the LOX, and P. Diddy.
At the conclusion of the concert, Jay-Z put many beefs to rest to the surprise of hip-hop fans. Instead of declaring war, he declared that he was the "United Nations of this rap shit." The most significant development in this show was closure to the infamous beef between Jay-Z and Nas. The two former rivals shook hands and shared the stage together to perform Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" blended with Nas's song "The World is Yours," from which "Dead Presidents" had sampled the vocals on the chorus. (Nas's verses were rapped over the "Dead Presidents" beat in the vein of a mix song done by DJ Statik Selektah.) Nas later performed songs of his own.
Beefs between other artists were also brought to a close (or put on hold) at the Powerhouse show. The event brought together for the first time in years, P. Diddy and The LOX, both who had a longstanding animosity due to a contract agreement between P. Diddy and The Lox and the latter's departure from Bad Boy Entertainment. Shortly after the concert, the beef was fully rectified.
The event also saw the return of Beanie Sigel from incarceration. There had been some speculation that Beanie Sigel was going to depart from Rocafella Records, but this concert proved otherwise. Beanie and The LOX's Jadakiss also officially ended their own beef when they, Jay-Z, the rest of the LOX and Sauce Money (who had been thought to have some animosity towards Jay) all performed the song "Reservoir Dogs."
Hip-Hop entrepreneur
Apart from being former President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, Jay-Z is also one of the owners and founders of the Roc-A-Fella empire, which includes Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc-La-Familia, Roc-A-Fella Films and Rocawear.
At heart, Jay-Z is an entrepreneur like his fellow hip-hop-moguls-turned-friends Russell Simmons and Sean "Diddy" Combs, who also have business holdings such as record companies and clothing lines. He redirected the hip hop culture from hooded sweatshirts and baggy jeans to button-ups and crisp jeans, and received GQ's International Man of the Year award.
Roc-A-Fella Records
Jay-Z co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with partners Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Def Jam purchased a 50% stake in the company in 1997 for a reported $1.5 million.
In late 2004, Jay-Z, Dame Dash and Biggs sold their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records and the label was retained as an Island Def Jam imprint. Soon thereafter Jay-Z was appointed the new President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings by Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid. Reportedly this major industry move was prompted by disagreement between Jay-Z and Dash as to what new ventures Roc-A-Fella could undertake.
The publicized split between Jay, Dash and Biggs led to the former partners sending jabs at each other in interviews. Dame Dash has made comment that after the break up he was portrayed as "Osama Bin Laden" to ensure that rappers would stay with Jay and not sign with him. Dash currently operates the recently-founded Dame Dash Music Group as a joint venture with Island Def Jam producing former Roc-A-Fella artists such as Beanie Sigel.
Universal Music Group announced on December 24th, 2007 that Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter stepped down from his post as president of Def Jam Records. The rapper, 38, served as CEO of the historic hip hop label since 2005. He will continue to work as a solo artist under the Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam umbrella, Reuters reports. Universal did not give a reason for his departure.
Rocawear and fashion
Co-founded in 1999 by Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, Rocawear designed for and sought out a share of the lucrative urban fashion market already being capitalized on by labels like Phat Farm.
In 2005, Jay-Z bought out Rocawear co-founder Dash for an estimated $30 million and has sought to expand the company's reach by developing the S. Carter high-end clothing line. Jay also has a line of Reebok sneakers aptly named The S.Carter Collection, which holds the record for fastest-selling Reebok shoe in history and made him the first non-athlete to have a signature line of sneakers. In the spring of 2006, he is in collaboration with Swiss luxury-watch maker Audemars Piguet.
Entertainment and lifestyle
Jay-Z co-owns The 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar which started in New York City and has since expanded to Atlantic City, NJ. Future plans will see 40/40 Clubs in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Singapore. Roc-A-Fella also distributes Armadale, a Scottish vodka, in the U.S.
Jay-Z is a part owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team, and is one of the franchise owners interested in relocating the team to Brooklyn. In October 2005, he was reported in English media as considering a takeover of Arsenal F.C., an English football team.
Personal life
Criminal charges
Jay-Z was accused of stabbing record executive Lance "Un" Riviera for what he perceived was Riveria's bootlegging of Vol 3...Life and Times of S. Carter. The stabbing allegedly occurred at the record release party for Q-Tip's debut solo album Amplified at the Kit Kat Klub, a now defunct night club in Times Square, New York City, on December 9, 1999. Jay-Z's associates at the party were accused of causing a commotion within the club, which Jay-Z allegedly used as cover when he supposedly stabbed Riviera in the stomach with a five-inch blade.
Jay-Z initially denied the incident and pled not guilty when a grand jury returned the indictment. Jay-Z and his lawyers contended he was nowhere around Riviera during the incident and they had witnesses and videotape evidence from the club that showed Jay-Z's whereabouts during the disturbance. Nevertheless, he later pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge which resulted in a sentence of three months probation. The New York Post reported that Jay-Z had bought out Riviera for $600,000 to cease his cooperation with prosecutors, and without the cooperation of the victim, prosecutors had to cut a plea deal that would not interfere with Jay-Z's touring plans. Riviera also dropped a civil suit, where he asked for $40 million.
Jay-Z makes reference to the trial and incident on his songs "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", off The Blueprint, and "Dear Summer", which was included in Memphis Bleek's 2005 release 534.
Rival rapper Cam'ron has since claimed on his song "You Gotta Love It" that Jay-Z had actually "stabbed Un over Charli Baltimore". Some media moguls have criticized Jay-Z for not fulfilling his position as a role model due to these incidents.
Romantic life
Jay-Z is married to American R&B singer Beyoncé. In 2002, Jay-Z and Beyoncé collaborated for the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". Jay-Z also appeared on Beyoncé's hit single "Crazy in Love" and as well as "That's How You Like It" from her debut Dangerously in Love. On her second album, B'Day, he made appearances on the 2006 hits, "Déjà Vu" and "Upgrade U". In the video for the latter song, she comically imitates his appearance. The couple generally avoid discussing their relationship. Beyoncé has stated that she believes that not publicly discussing their relationship has helped them. Jay-Z said in a People article, "We don't play with our relationship." They kept a low profile while dating, and married quietly in April 2008. It became a matter of public record on April 22, 2008, but Beyoncé did not publicly debut her $5 million Lorraine Schwartz-designed wedding ring until the Fashion Rocks concert on September 5, 2008 in New York City.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z were listed as the most powerful couple for TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2006. In January 2009, Forbes ranked them as Hollywood's top-earning couple. They also made it to the top of the list the following year.
On January 7, 2012, she gave birth to their daughter, named Blue Ivy Carter. On January 9, 2012, Jay-Z released "Glory", a song dedicated to their child, on his social website LifeandTimes.com.
22 Two
Jay-Z Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We here tonight to have a good time
("Yo! Start the show! Start the show!")
Wait a minute, I see my man over there Jay-Z
Jay-Z, Dame Dash let me hear that lil' tape of yours, and it's fat
Why don't you come up here and kick a lil' freestyle
Put that champagne down, and kick a lil' freestyle for me tonight
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Y'all motherfuckers musta hear that Tribe Called Quest, let's do it again
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Well I'm gone, check this out
Too much West coast dick-lickin', and too many niggaz on a mission
Doin' your best Jay-Z rendition
Too many rough motherfuckers, I got my suspicions
That you're just a fish in a pool of sharks nigga, listen
Too many bitches wanna be ladies, so if you a hoe
I'ma call you a hoe, too many bitches are shady
Too many ladies give these niggaz too many chances
Too many brothers wannabe lovers don't know what romance is
Too many bitches stuck up from too many sexual advances
No question, Jay-Z got too many answers
I been around this block, too many times
Rocked, too many rhymes, cocked, too many nines, too
To all my brothers it ain't too late to come together
Cause too much black and too much love, equal forever
I don't follow any guidelines cause too many niggaz ride mine
So I change styles every two rhymes, ha, what the fuck
That's twenty two too's for y'all motherfuckers out there, yaknahmean?
Shall I continue? Check it out, what?
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Well I'm gone, yo, yo, yo
Copped to reach my quota, push rock, roll up smooth like on ya
Whole groove like hold-up, swoll up
Too many faggot niggaz, clockin' my spendin'
Exercisin' you're, gay like minds like Richard Simmons
If you could catch Jay right, on the late night
Without the eight right, maybe you could test my weight, right
I dip, speak quicker than you ever seen
Administer pain, next the minister's screamin' your name
At your wake as I peak in, look in your casket
Feelin' sarcastic, "Look at him, still sleepin'"
You never ready, forever petty minds stay petty
Mines thinkin' longevity until I'm seventy
Livin' heavenly, fuck, felony after felony, what?
Nigga ya broke, what the fuck you gon' tell me?
("Oh!")
Jay-Z, Jay-Z, now you know this is a fat track (a'ight)
Now this is comin' on your new album, on Roc-A-Fella records in ninety-six
(no doubt no doubt) well, it is definitely the bomb
But you know I do wanna say somethin' to you, I know
You've been havin' a lot of problems with the law
But I know you innocent, and I'm behind you 100%
Mad Wednesday's, Ruby King, DJ Ace, Dang Dash
Roc-A-Fella Records, we all behind you, you can come back anytime
(Hah, thanks a lot)
Wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute
Ace, turn that music down
I smell some reefer, now you see?
That's why, our people don't have anything
Because we don't know how to go in places and act properly
("Hey shut the fuck up!")
Wait a minute wait a minute who told me shut the eff up?
Who told me to shut the eff up? Get him out of here
I'm not gonna continue this show, until you throw him out
Get him out right now, then I'ma continue my speech
Thank you, he's out of here now, now like I was sayin'
We gotta build our own business, we gotta get our own
Record companies goin like Roc-A-Fella Records
The lyrics of Jay-Z's song “22 Two’s” primarily revolve around his thoughts on the rap scene at the time, as he critiques a variety of aspects about the genre. In the first verse, he decries the West Coast influence on East Coast rap, believing that too many people are striving to sound like Jay-Z, and that this is stunting the genre’s creativity. He also criticizes certain people for being “fish in a pool of sharks,” suggesting that they are pretending to be tough in order to fit in. In the second verse, he addresses several other issues he sees in the rap scene, including misogyny and a lack of romance, sex-obsessed men, and women who give them too many chances. Jay-Z concludes with a freestyle in which he discusses his own mindset and approach to music, stating that he doesn’t follow guidelines and likes to switch styles often.
One interesting fact about “22 Two’s” is that the song actually features a total of 44 uses of the phrase “22 Two’s,” rather than the titular 22. Additionally, the song is notable for being one of Jay-Z’s earliest releases, and for featuring his signature flow and wordplay. Another interesting fact is that the beat in the song samples the intro from the song “The Spartan’s Revenge” by Mandrill. Additionally, the song features a sample of MC Lyte’s “Paper Thin,” which is chopped up and used as the song’s chorus. “22 Two’s” is also significant for being featured on Jay-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” which many fans consider one of the greatest rap albums of all time. Finally, the track is notable for being one of Jay-Z’s many collaborations with producer Ski Beatz, who has worked with the rapper on a number of other projects throughout his career.
Chords: Unfortunately, we don't have the specific chords used in "22 Two's."
Line by Line Meaning
Yo wassup everybody this is Maria Davis, Mad Wednesday's
Maria Davis welcomes everyone to Mad Wednesday's event.
We here tonight to have a good time
The crowd is at the event to have a great time.
"Yo! Start the show! Start the show!"
Someone in the crowd urges the start of the show.
Wait a minute, I see my man over there Jay-Z
Maria Davis notices Jay-Z in the crowd.
Jay-Z, Dame Dash let me hear that lil' tape of yours, and it's fat
Maria asks Jay-Z and Dame Dash to share a sample of their music, and she loves it.
Why don't you come up here and kick a lil' freestyle
Maria invites Jay-Z to perform freestyle on stage.
Put that champagne down, and kick a lil' freestyle for me tonight
Maria asks Jay-Z to focus on freestyling and stop drinking champagne.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Jay-Z responds affirmatively to the call of the crowd.
Can I kick it? (Yes you can!)
Jay-Z asks the crowd permission to perform.
Y'all motherfuckers musta hear that Tribe Called Quest, let's do it again
Jay-Z references the song 'Can I Kick It?' by A Tribe Called Quest and suggests to perform it again.
Too much West coast dick-lickin', and too many niggaz on a mission
Jay-Z complains about people copying the West Coast style and acting with selfish motives.
Doin' your best Jay-Z rendition
Jay-Z is frustrated that people imitate his style.
Too many rough motherfuckers, I got my suspicions
Jay-Z suspects some people in the crowd are violent and may cause trouble.
That you're just a fish in a pool of sharks nigga, listen
Jay-Z advises the audience to be careful because they may be in danger.
Too many bitches wanna be ladies, so if you a hoe
Jay-Z remarks that some women act like they are refined, but they're really promiscuous.
I'ma call you a hoe, too many bitches are shady
Jay-Z expresses his frustration with women who act dishonestly.
Too many ladies give these niggaz too many chances
Jay-Z believes that some women are too forgiving of men who make mistakes.
Too many brothers wannabe lovers don't know what romance is
Jay-Z observes that some men do not know how to show affection to women.
Too many bitches stuck up from too many sexual advances
Jay-Z asserts that some women act arrogant because they receive a lot of attention from men.
No question, Jay-Z got too many answers
Jay-Z is confident that he can solve any problem.
I been around this block, too many times
Jay-Z has seen a lot and has lots of experience.
Rocked, too many rhymes, cocked, too many nines, too
Jay-Z has performed many times and has dealt with firearms.
To all my brothers, it ain't too late to come together
Jay-Z urges people to unite even though there might have been disagreements in the past.
Cause too much black and too much love, equal forever
Jay-Z believes that love and unity among black people will last forever.
I don't follow any guidelines cause too many niggaz ride mine
Jay-Z doesn't conform to the conventional ways of doing things because many people copy him.
So I change styles every two rhymes, ha, what the fuck
Jay-Z switches styles regularly to ensure uniqueness and avoid being copied.
That's twenty-two too's for y'all motherfuckers out there, yaknahmean?
Jay-Z counts the occurrences of the word 'too' in his lyrics and challenges the audience to keep up.
Shall I continue? Check it out, what?
Jay-Z asks if he should continue and prepares to perform another verse.
Copped to reach my quota, push rock, roll up smooth like on ya
Jay-Z tells his life story and how he started selling drugs to make money.
Whole groove like hold-up, swoll up
Jay-Z describes his smooth style and the ease with which he handles tough situations.
Too many faggot niggaz, clockin' my spendin'
Jay-Z complains about people who judge him for his spending habits.
Exercisin' you're, gay like minds like Richard Simmons
Jay-Z insults people who have a similar mindset as Richard Simmons.
If you could catch Jay right, on the late night
Jay-Z challenges people who question his credibility to confront him.
Without the eight right, maybe you could test my weight, right
Jay-Z asserts that people can only challenge him if they are on the same level.
I dip, speak quicker than you ever seen
Jay-Z boasts that he can act faster and smarter than anyone.
Administer pain, next the ministers screamin' your name
Jay-Z warns people that he can cause them physical harm.
At your wake as I peak in, look in your casket
Jay-Z threatens to attend people's funerals and mock them.
Feelin' sarcastic, "Look at him, still sleepin'"
Jay-Z intends to make fun of people who have died.
You never ready, forever petty minds stay petty
Jay-Z critiques people who hold onto small grudges for a long time.
Mines thinkin' longevity until I'm seventy
Jay-Z plans to be successful and relevant for a long time.
Livin' heavenly, fuck, felony after felony, what?
Jay-Z is living a successful life despite committing multiple crimes.
Nigga ya broke, what the fuck you gon' tell me?
Jay-Z doesn't take advice from unsuccessful people.
("Oh!")
Someone from the crowd responds with enthusiasm.
Jay-Z, Jay-Z, now you know this is a fat track (a'ight)
Maria compliments Jay-Z on his performance.
Now this is comin' on your new album, on Roc-A-Fella records in ninety-six
Maria promotes Jay-Z's upcoming album on Roc-A-Fella Records.
(no doubt no doubt) well, it is definitely the bomb
Maria thinks the album will be excellent.
But you know I do wanna say somethin' to you, I know
Maria has something important to say to Jay-Z.
You've been havin' a lot of problems with the law
Maria acknowledges Jay-Z's legal troubles.
But I know you innocent, and I'm behind you 100%
Maria believes Jay-Z is innocent and supports him.
Mad Wednesday's, Ruby King, DJ Ace, Dame Dash
Maria gives a shoutout to the performers on stage and to Dame Dash, who is behind Roc-A-Fella Records.
Roc-A-Fella Records, we all behind you, you can come back anytime
Maria expresses Roc-A-Fella Records' support for Jay-Z and invites him to come back anytime.
(Hah, thanks a lot)
Jay-Z thanks Maria for her support.
Wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute
Maria pauses the show for a moment.
Ace, turn that music down
Maria asks DJ Ace to reduce the volume of the music.
I smell some reefer, now you see?
Maria smells marijuana smoke in the audience.
That's why, our people don't have anything
Maria believes that smoking marijuana leads to poverty for her community.
Because we don't know how to go in places and act properly
Maria thinks that people should know how to behave in public.
("Hey shut the fuck up!")
Someone from the crowd rudely interrupts Maria.
Wait a minute wait a minute who told me shut the eff up?
Maria questions the person who interrupted her.
Who told me to shut the eff up? Get him out of here
Maria orders the audience to remove the person who interrupted her.
I'm not gonna continue this show, until you throw him out
Maria refuses to continue the show until the person who interrupted her is removed.
Get him out right now, then I'ma continue my speech
Maria insists that the person must be removed before she continues speaking.
Thank you, he's out of here now, now like I was sayin'
Maria thanks the audience for removing the person and resumes her speech.
We gotta build our own business, we gotta get our own
Maria encourages her community to start their own businesses and become self-sufficient.
Record companies goin like Roc-A-Fella Records
Maria cites Roc-A-Fella Records as an example of a successful, black-owned record company.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Anthony Willis, Shawn C. Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind