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.
Part II
Jay-Z Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cliché, cliché, cliché, cliché
Who wants that hero love that saves the day, anyway
Cliché, cliché, cliché, cliché
What about the bad guy goes good, yea
And the missing love that's misunderstood, yea
Black hour glass, our glass toast to clichés in a dark past
Boy meets girl
Girl perfect women
Girl get the bustin' before the cops come running uh
Chucking deuces, chugging D'USSE
Fuck what you say, boys in blue say uh
I don't care if we on the run
Baby as long as I'm next to you
And if loving you is a crime
Tell me why do I bring out the best in you
I hear sirens while we make love
Loud as hell but they don't know
They're nowhere near us
I will hold your heart and your gun
I don't care if they come, no
I know it's crazy but
They can take me
Now that I found the places that you take, take me
Without you I got nothing to lose
I'm an outlaw, got an outlaw chick
Bumping 2Pac, on my outlaw shit
Matching tatts, this ink don't come off
Even if rings come off
If things ring off
My nails get dirty
My past ain't pretty, my lady is, my Mercedes is
My baby momma harder than a lot of you niggas
Keep it 100, hit the lottery niggas
You ain't about that life ain't gotta lie to me, nigga
You know it's 'til the death, I hope it obvi' to niggas
Uh cross the line, speak about mine
I'mma wave this TEC, I'm a geek about mine
Touch a nigga where his rib at, I click clat
Push your ma'fucka wig back, I did that
I been wilding since a juvi'
She was a good girl till she knew me
Now she is in the drop bustin' U-ies screaming
Take me
Now that I found the places that you take, take me
Without you I got nothing to lose
Deeper then words, beyond right
Die for your love, beyond life
Sweet as a Jesus piece, beyond ice
Blind me baby with your neon lights
Ray Bans on, police in sight
Oh, what a beautiful death
Let's both wear white
If you go to heaven and they bring me to hell
Just sneak out and meet me, bring a box of L's
She fell in love with the bad guy, the bad guy
What you doing with them rap guys, them rap guys
They ain't see potential in me girl, but you see it
If it's me and you against the world, then so be it uh
I don't care if they give me life
I get all of my life from you
And if loving you had a price
I would pay my life for you
I hear sirens while we make love
Loud as hell but they don't know
They're nowhere near us
I will hold your heart and your gun
I don't care if they come, no
I know it's crazy but
I don't care I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
No I swear I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
I don't care I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
No I swear I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
(Without you I got nothing to lose)
In "Part II (On The Run)," Jay-Z reflects on his relationship with Beyoncé amid the public fascination with their romance. The rapper acknowledges that their love story is often subject to clichés, but he questions the idea of a perfect "hero love" that saves the day. Instead, he focuses on the idea of the "bad guy goes good" and the "missing love that's misunderstood." He's proud of their relationship and willing to fight for it, even if it means he's seen as an "outlaw" or a "bad guy." Ultimately, he feels that he has nothing to lose without Beyoncé and is willing to risk it all to be with her.
The lyrics paint a vivid portrait of a passionate, intense relationship that is not without its dangers. Jay-Z describes himself as an "outlaw" and shares what appears to be fantasies of violence, which raises questions about how much of this is bravado and how much is truly reflective of his life. Beyoncé's involvement in the song is more of a background vocal role, but she does make a memorable appearance in the bridge, where she declares that she would "pay [her] life" for Jay-Z's love.
Overall, "Part II (On The Run)" is a love song that also comments on the state of celebrity relationships and the tabloid culture that surrounds them. Jay-Z is proud of his love affair and is willing to fight for it no matter what the public or the authorities may say.
Line by Line Meaning
Who wants that perfect love story anyway, anyway
Who really wants the overly idealized and often clichéd love story that is constantly portrayed in movies and media?
Cliché, cliché, cliché, cliché
It's all so overdone and lacking in originality.
What about the bad guy goes good, yea
What if we focused on a story where an imperfect character is able to turn their life around and become a better person?
And the missing love that's misunderstood, yea
What if we explored a story where love isn't always straightforward and simple, but is instead complicated and difficult to navigate?
Black hour glass, our glass toast to clichés in a dark past
We're acknowledging that clichéd love stories were a thing of the past and toasting to the new era of broken and complex relationships.
Boy meets girl
Starting off with the classic line of many love stories.
Girl perfect women
The idealized love interest who is often seen as overly perfect.
Girl get the bustin' before the cops come running uh
The girl takes the lead and busts a move before the cops show up to interrupt them.
Chucking deuces, chugging D'USSE
Throwing up two peace signs and chugging Jay-Z's own brand of cognac.
Fuck what you say, boys in blue say uh
Ignoring what anyone else has to say, including the police who symbolize an opposing force.
I don't care if we on the run
Being on the run means being on the edge but remaining unaffected by the pressure and danger.
Baby as long as I'm next to you
Together and in each other's company, even in dangerous circumstances.
And if loving you is a crime
Loving someone so deeply could be seen as a punishable offense.
Tell me why do I bring out the best in you
Even though it's a crime, the love brings out the best in both individuals.
I hear sirens while we make love
The danger and chaos can't disrupt the physical and emotional connection between the two.
Loud as hell but they don't know
Making love despite the danger and the noise level disguising what is really happening from everyone around them.
They're nowhere near us
Despite the chaos of sirens and danger, they are in their own world.
I will hold your heart and your gun
By holding both the heart and the weapon, both their love and protection are in Jay-Z's hands.
I don't care if they come, no
Jay-Z is unafraid of anyone trying to threaten or capture them.
I know it's crazy but
Despite the risk, danger and fear, he can't help but love and want to be with them.
I'm an outlaw, got an outlaw chick
Jay-Z and his love interest are seen as outlaws doing what they want and living in their own world.
Bumping 2Pac, on my outlaw shit
Referencing Tupac who was an outlaw in his own right, and Jay-Z is emulating that mentality.
Matching tatts, this ink don't come off
The tattoos symbolize the permanence and commitment of their relationship.
Even if rings come off
Despite losing something as significant as a wedding ring, the tattoos will always remain in place symbolizing the lasting bond.
If things ring off
If a situation escalates and leads to gunfire, Jay-Z is ready to defend their survival (ringing off is used to describe gunfire).
My nails get dirty
Jay-Z is tough and gets into the gritty details of living as an outlaw.
My past ain't pretty, my lady is, my Mercedes is
While his past may have been turbulent, his love interest and possessions are more glamorous.
My baby momma harder than a lot of you niggas
Jay-Z is paying respect to his wife, Beyoncé, by acknowledging her strength as a challenge for other men who come in contact.
Keep it 100, hit the lottery niggas
Jay-Z is successful in every aspect – his career and love life make him feel like hitting the lottery.
You ain't about that life ain't gotta lie to me, nigga
Jay-Z doesn't want someone to pretend to be something they're not; he respects truthfulness.
You know it's 'til the death, I hope it obvi' to niggas
He is hoping that people understand that their connection is so strong and deep that it will last until they die.
Uh cross the line, speak about mine
Jay-Z is fiercely protective of his partner and warns anyone not to cross the line or bring up anything related to his loved ones.
I'mma wave this TEC, I'm a geek about mine
Jay-Z is ready to show his gun, symbolized as 'TEC', in defense of those he cares about; and he is unashamed of this ownership.
Touch a nigga where his rib at, I click clat
Jay-Z is emphasizing the importance of his loved one's safety in telling an intruder to keep away from their vital organs or the consequences will be deadly.
Push your ma'fucka wig back, I did that
Jay-Z has already inflicted violence upon someone who crossed the line before, and is not afraid to do so again.
I been wilding since a juvi'
Jay-Z has been rebelling and living outside of societal rules since he was young and in juvenile detention.
She was a good girl till she knew me
Jay-Z's love interest may have been 'good' or law-abiding until she met him, perhaps hinting at his criminal influence on an otherwise moral person.
Now she is in the drop bustin' U-ies screaming
She's now triumphantly deviating from the usual, making U-turns, and is excitedly along for the ride.
Deeper then words, beyond right
Their love goes beyond what can be communicated through words, it is something tactile or tangible.
Die for your love, beyond life
Jay-Z is willing to risk or sacrifice his own life to secure and maintain their love.
Sweet as a Jesus piece, beyond ice
The value, sweetness and worth of their love is on par with the most valuable and revered jewelry, the Jesus piece.
Blind me baby with your neon lights
The love and passion they share is so bright and overpowering, symbolized in neon lights.
Ray Bans on, police in sight
Jay-Z's wayfarer sunglasses (Ray Bans) allow him to not only protect his eyes from the sun, but also from the police because what they don't see doesn't bother them.
Oh, what a beautiful death
Even if the love story ends in their inevitable deaths, it would still be considered beautiful and memorable.
Let's both wear white
Jay-Z and his loved one will wear white, typically associated with purity, on their final day, despite having lived a life of crime.
If you go to heaven and they bring me to hell
If their afterlife destinations are different, he still hopes and asks that they meet in the middle, wherever that is.
Just sneak out and meet me, bring a box of L's
In case they end up in different places, if she can sneak out of Heaven, she should bring cigarettes to enjoy with him wherever he may be.
She fell in love with the bad guy, the bad guy
Despite his reputation as an outlaw and bad guy, she still fell in love with him.
What you doing with them rap guys, them rap guys
Jay-Z is seen as more than a rap artist, and his love interest is being questioned on why she's with a member of that culture.
They ain't see potential in me girl, but you see it
Others may have written Jay-Z off or underestimated him but his love interest has always believed him and seen the best in him.
If it's me and you against the world, then so be it uh
Jay-Z is saying that no matter what, he and his love interest are together against everything else.
I don't care if they give me life
Jay-Z is willing to go this far for love and is unafraid of the biggest threat, losing his own life.
I get all of my life from you
To Jay-Z, his love and his passion for them is enough to sustain and fulfill his life, regardless of the outcome.
I don't care I'll never give it up
Jay-Z's love is so strong, he'll never give it up even if it comes at great cost or danger.
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
The repetition of this line emphasizes the magnitude of what is being given or risking for their love.
No I swear I'll never give it up
Jay-Z's commitment and vow to never give up is repeated, as if to convince himself as well as the listener.
Without you I got nothing to lose
To Jay-Z, his love interest is everything, and without them he has nothing to protect or gain.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Garland Mosley, Jerome Harmon, Shawn Carter, Timothy Mosley, Terius Nash, James Edward Fauntleroy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@selma9631
Who wants that perfect love story anyway, anyway
Cliché, cliché, cliché, cliché
Who wants that hero love that saves the day, anyway
Cliché, cliché, cliché, cliché
What about the bad guy goes good, yea
And the missing love that's misunderstood, yea
Black hour glass, our glass toast to clichés in a dark past
Toast to clichés in a dark past
Boy meets girl
Girl perfect women
Girl get the bustin' before the cops come running uh
Chucking deuces, chugging D'USSE
Fuck what you say, boys in blue say uh
I don't care if we on the run
Baby as long as I'm next to you
And if loving you is a crime
Tell me why do I bring out the best in you
I hear sirens while we make love
Loud as hell but they don't know
They're nowhere near us
I will hold your heart and your gun
I don't care if they come, no
I know it's crazy but
They can take me
Now that I found the places that you take, take me
Without you I got nothing to lose
I'm an outlaw, got an outlaw chick
Bumping 2Pac, on my outlaw shit
Matching tatts, this ink don't come off
Even if rings come off
If things ring off
My nails get dirty
My past ain't pretty, my lady is, my Mercedes is
My baby momma harder than a lot of you niggas
Keep it 100, hit the lottery niggas
You ain't about that life ain't gotta lie to me, nigga
You know it's 'til the death, I hope it obvi' to niggas
Uh cross the line, speak about mine
I'mma wave this TEC, I'm a geek about mine
Touch a nigga where his rib at, I click clat
Push your ma'fucka wig back, I did that
I been wilding since a juvi'
She was a good girl till she knew me
Now she is in the drop bustin' U-ies
screaming
Take me
Now that I found the places that you take, take me
Without you I got nothing to lose
Deeper then words, beyond right
Die for your love, beyond life
Sweet as a Jesus piece, beyond ice
Blind me baby with your neon lights
Ray Bans on, police in sight
Oh, what a beautiful death
Let's both wear white
If you go to heaven and they bring me to hell
Just sneak out and meet me, bring a box of L's
She fell in love with the bad guy, the bad guy
What you doing with them rap guys, them rap guys
They ain't see potential in me girl, but you see it
If it's me and you against the world, then so be it uh
I don't care if they give me life
I get all of my life from you
And if loving you had a price
I would pay my life for you
I hear sirens while we make love
Loud as hell but they don't know
They're nowhere near us
I will hold your heart and your gun
I don't care if they come, no
I know it's crazy but
I don't care I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
No I swear I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
I don't care I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
No I swear I'll never give it up
Give it up, give it up, give it all away
(Without you I got nothing to lose)
@pearlof_africa9119
First time I heard this song was in my boyfriends car, we had an argument and he played this song while we rode in silence, they spoke every word we wanted to say each other. Every time I hear this it reminds me that he is my everything
@mohamedchellouf
OMG :') ! You have a better love story than Twilight.
@thagenius1018
Blah blah blah
@imanim5783
Aww🙌😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😩😍😍
@dwmusic147
This so sweet❤️
@babyyzyii5446
Are y’all still tgt 🖤
@melvinkelly9200
Hands down their best collaboration.
Their chemistry and vocals are so harmonious on this track.
@caligulalauren9071
It deeply bothers me that this song didn’t have the machine behind it as much as their other hit commercial songs.
@Strawberry.leeraymartinez5829
@@caligulalauren9071 yeah it's dam near underground
@keybrazy8046
@@Strawberry.leeraymartinez5829Lowkey a hood classic tho.. at least where im from lol