JAŸ-Z in 8: 11 Things We Learned From the First Three Episodes

Obviously, he rapped about this on “What More Can I Say,” and his thoughts were as clear as day. He’d use a Biggie line to uplift the late wordsmith and Brooklyn, where they are both from. However, he broadened his thoughts to hip-hop as a whole and said the genre was built on paying homage. Whether it’s flipping lines, mimicking flows, or sampling, Hov believes countless people who have called themselves rappers are inspired by those before them and pay their respects in creative ways, which isn’t wrong. Especially when, like him, his signature style is so lauded and generational.

The father of three and Rubin went on a tangent at one point, and the late Tupac Shakur came up in conversation. The “Allure” rapper enthusiastically explained that while there are narratives about Pac not being the best technical rapper, his strengths actually lay in how raw and authentic his delivery was. He was able to take concepts so simple, such as “Dear Mama,” and turn them into timeless anthems. Jay said rap was often graded on a criterion of complexity, but in reality the most “basic” things are what can really get the job done. There was a clear affinity for the West Coast legend’s artistry.

The “Can’t Knock the Hustle” spitter’s past as a, well, hustler has been long-documented. He spoke to Rubin about how rappers were initially viewed as corny or lame by those who pushed drugs in the streets and made a comfortable living off of that. Initially, that was his primary occupation, and rap was something he did not plan to make a career out of, so much so that he originally only planned to put out one album. Obviously, that changed when he took off the way he did in the late ’90s, but just imagine an alternate universe where Jay-Z’s discography was solely made up of Reasonable Doubt.

Jay is often a very boastful individual in and out of his music, so people haven’t heard him acknowledge errors too often unless he is getting very personal in his raps. However, in this documentary, he revealed some missteps from his 2003 “retirement” LP, The Black Album. First, he felt that “Encore” should have been the lead single instead of the popular “Change Clothes.” He admitted they almost took “Encore” to radio, but there was a difference of opinion between himself and former Def Jam President Kevin Liles. Additionally, Hov believed that “What More Can I Say” would’ve been a more powerful project closer than “My 1st Song.”

With the “Encore” regret in mind, Jay spoke about how “picking” the single doesn’t necessarily exist anymore. Artists can simply put the album out, fans gravitate toward a song, and there’s the possibility of a record with no hook going No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Obviously many artists still do release promotional singles and select songs that go to radio, otherwise known as “focus tracks” but sometimes the cut that takes off is completely unexpected. Beyond that, he felt streaming cut the red tape and allowed hip-hop to push past the gatekeepers. The genre was highly popular, but the accessibility opened the door for it to be the legitimate biggest genre in the world.

The production of this record followed a standard four-beat structure, but both Hov and Biggie ended up having five bars each measure thus they would’ve sounded off beat if the track was left as is. Jay had to write in some “connectors” to help Biggie know when he should come in on the song to keep it orderly and sounding right. He spoke about how prior to this he had no real experience writing hooks, as Reasonable Doubt featured other people handling them or the very simple “Can I Live.” He also edited some of Big Poppa’s verse, removing the “Who shot ya” line to not spark more tension with Tupac and the West Coast. So, in the end, working with Big on “Brooklyn’s Finest” prompted him to take a new approach to ensure the song would be its best.

From his perspective, the legendary rappers were close friends. Biggie told Pac did not trust some people in Pac’s circle as he was blowing up. The “California Love” artist told those men about Big’s apprehension toward them, which caused friction. He even avoided going into a club with Hov and Ty Ty because those men were present. Nonetheless, Pac blamed Biggie for him being shot in NYC, instead of the unreliable people in his vicinity. Of course, the rest of their dissolved relationship is history, but also lead to their unfortunate demises. Jigga stated that he didn’t even like going to the West Coast for a long time because of their beef.

Hov has rapped over all types of beats and instruments from some of the best producers to ever grace music. Some of his best records are when he invites people into his psyche and takes them on a trip into his past. He revealed that hearing string instruments is what prompts him to want to deliver a narrative-like record to listeners. It might be time for a “Best Jay-Z String Songs” list.

It is always fun to hear rappers give superlatives to their catalogs. For Jay, the award for “The Most Conscious Thing He Ever Heard” goes to the hook on “This Can’t Be Life” with Beanie Sigel and Scarfare from 2000’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia compilation album. “This can’t be life, this can’t be love/ This can’t be right, there’s gotta be more, this can’t be us,” he says twice in the chorus. Once again, it is so simple, but he dedicated a lot of time to the mindset he had in this track and the layered meanings. When you factor in the in-depth verses from all three lyricists, it is hard to argue with him.

Jay-Z’s recent residency at Yankee Stadium and his overseas shows have proven one thing: he still loves performing and takes it very seriously. However, one revelation from the documentary may have shocked people: he only starts relearning lyrics and committing them to memory about a week before he is set to hit the stage. With such a vast catalog and the possibility of performing something on a whim, this may sound crazy. For the 25-time Grammy winner, though, it fuels him. “I run to the pressure,” he told Rubin. This may be one of his most impressive feats, and that says a lot given his resume.

There were two moments in the screening where he was visibly less enthused: discussing “You Must Love Me” and “4:44.” The former, a 1997 record, details his remorse for how he acted toward his mother as a child, shooting his brother, and how he treated an ex-girlfriend who assisted him in drug transactions. The latter, 20 years later, was dedicated to his wife, Beyoncé, whom he had been unfaithful to. The 56-year-old artist admitted that these are his least-played songs in his discography simply because they are hard to hear and reflect on. He was open about his transgressions and appreciated that he was in a state of mind to convey these thoughts, but it was the most vulnerable version of him that was shown in the screening.