JAY-Z breaks down the 1st verse of “What More Can I Say”. He talks about how hip hop is built on homage & sampling. He said the 1st time he recognized it is when Snoop did it & he was impressed. Jay also talks the irony in the fact that SO MANY ARTISTS uses his lyrics as well. “Soon they forget where they plucked their whole style from, & try to reverse the outcome, I’m like TUH” Jay also addresses the notion that he steals Biggie lyrics & explains that after Big died, Jay said he would keep his name & legacy alive. “I’m not a biter, I’m a writer for myself & others, I say a Big verse, I’m only bigging up my brotha, Bigging up my borough,I’m big enough to do it, I’m that thorough, Plus I know my own flow is foolish” Then he references ANOTHER Biggie bar right after just to give a live example😮‍💨

Man. Watching this documentary is really putting into perspective how Jay became who he is. He was WRITING raps & reading the dictionary before the 1st rap hit was on the radio. From 9-14 years old he wrote raps nonstop. 5 years of just writing. No recording. Simply mastering the craft of writing. At 14 he started selling drugs. At 15 he met Jaz-O, another brilliant lyricist. At 16 he left home to go to Trenton NJ to deepen his hustle. He went from NJ, to MD, & VA, selling drugs & becoming RIDICULOUSLY rich over the course of 10 years. So at 26, the person/businessman/rapper we met in 1996 when Reasonable Doubt dropped, he had already been rich for a decade. I don’t think people truly grasp the wealth of life experience that comes with that. Most rappers are dead poor before receiving that advance check. Then they have the record execs telling them what to do & what type of music to make. Plus, they’re “rich” now, so they have a new persona. They never had money before, so they’re overcompensating & are thirstier to make more/not lose it. Whereas, Jay was rich for a full decade+ before his 1st album. He could have flopped for 3 years straight & still be rich. If a normal artist flop just once at that time, their career was basically over. It’s not a coincidence his music feels so personal & strapped with self-awareness, nor is it a coincidence that he’s the richest musician to ever live. All the way from the projects btw.