We posted a few excerpts (criticism of D.O.A. x being Def Jam’s President x standing in the game) with the cover, then another clip about Jim Jones & The Game was posted. Now XXL put up a decent portion of Hov’s cover story.
What’s puzzling is that your own buddies, like Kanye and Pharrell, wear the brightest shirts and tightest jeans, but you’re clearly not going at them. You’re going after the cats that are trying to be like them, and not themselves. Correct?
Yeah, once it becomes… A trend is a trend. I follow trends. I set trends. Now, when a trend becomes a gimmick, it’s time to get rid of it. As far as hip-hop. Like, when they were saying “bling bling” on CNN, it’s time to never say that word again. It was just about the aggression of everything. I saw everyone, ’cause it was successful, following one path.
Hit the jump for the rest…
Working with Jay-Z keeps you on your toes. You’ve gotta be prepared to roll at a moment’s notice. And once things are in motion, plans change, then get rearranged. Start times for photo shoots and interviews are moved around, then locked down, then moved again. But if you want to work with arguably the greatest rapper of all time, you deal with it. It’s not like you don’t know how busy he is.
Over the past 13 years in hip-hop, Jay-Z has gone from an on-the-come-up lyricist (1996’s Reasonable Doubt), to a label owner (Roc-A-Fella Records), to a multiplatinum-selling rapper (1998’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life), to a classic-album-recording artist (2001’s The Blueprint), to a major-record-label executive (Def Jam president), to the builder of a sprawling empire, with a successful clothing line (Rocawear), stakes in an NBA team (New Jersey Nets), a chain of trendy sports bars (40/40 Club), his own fragrances (9IX and X) and a creative new venture (Roc Nation). That’s not even delving into his smaller, lesser-known, unconfirmed, secret or on-hold business dealings.
But most recently, Jay’s time has been dedicated to The Blueprint 3, his 11th solo album and 14th overall including three collaboration LPs. It’s the second follow-up to the Brooklyn MC’s classic, The Blueprint, released on the eight year anniversary of the reverred disc, which is also the eighth anniversary of 9/11. But unlike any of Hov’s previous LPs, BP3 doesn’t have a Def Jam or Roc-A-Fella logo on the back. After 12 years signed to Def Jam—three of those as pres—Jay split ways with the powerhouse label, after buying back his last remaining album from the company for a reported $5 million. He’s since been focused on Roc Nation, an entertainment, publishing and management company he has in an unprecedented partnership with mega concert promoters, Live Nation. The Blueprint 3 is the first release off of Roc Nation and is distributed by Atlantic Records for this one project.
Jigga’s new effort has stirred up several meaty issues of discussion since its existence became reality about three months ago. Despite Hov’s possible living-legend status (that depends on whom you’re talking to, of course), the hip-hop audience has been a bit underwhelmed by the constant trendsetter’s last two efforts (2006’s Kingdom Come and 2007’s American Gangster). So some topics have been: What will Jay have to offer on an album so closely tied to a classic? And after all his wealth and success, can he still relate to rap and its audience?
On June 5 of this year, Jay addressed the issues with defiance. That evening saw New York’s Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex introduce the initial single off The Blueprint 3, “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune),” a semiautomatic attack against those who’ve overdosed on T-Pain’s famed vocal-assistance technology. Yet, as polarizing as it was provocative—“D.O.A.” was celebrated in some parts for its brashness and No ID’s rugged, bluesy production—some critics found a reason to accuse Jay of being out of touch or, even worse, a bullying elder statesman. Mr. Carter considers the criticism ludicrous. In his eyes, his attack wasn’t on the youth, but instead on the lack of originality. A veteran with a reputation for quality, he sees hip-hop as a genre coming awfully close to the danger zone. For Hov, it’s simple addition by subtraction: To save the culture, the artists that routinely damage it by simply following trends (Auto-Tune, for instance) must perish.
If it’s an indisputable success, The Blueprint 3 could cement Jay as the first 40-year-old rapper (or almost 40) to truly dominate the music globe—a major feat in a time when hip-hop seems to skew younger than ever. Still, even in that potential triumph lies another interesting question: Will Jay-Z become bigger than hip-hop? Scratch that. Considering his staggering résumé as it stands before the release of BP3, is Jay already above rap’s clouds? And, if so, does it make a difference?
After weeks of waiting patiently, and some tennis-match-like back-and-forth scheduling, XXL’s Bonsu Thompson sat down with the tireless businessman and self-proclaimed God MC to talk about the one thing that matters most to his truest fans, the foundation of his entire kingdom: hip-hop. —Matt Barone
Because you had so much time to live with this new album, do you think it’s your most thoughtful body of work?
No, it’s just the approach. I don’t think it changed the music any. You can look at it both ways. The Blueprint was all natural. You could tell the rawness of the spontaneous thoughts. Or you can have someone who plans and plots and makes sure everything is the same. Lyor [Cohen, CEO of Warner Music Group] asked me, after he listened to the [new] album, “Did you mess up by putting an album out every year? Should you have taken your time and done it like this one?” And I was like, “No, it’s just process.” I don’t think The Blueprint was bad. But this album has to come out. It’s just really cohesive. It feels really good.
What would you say is The Blueprint 3’s grand statement?
I keep using this phrase “new classic,” because it has classic sounds and instrumentation, like how music was recorded before. That’s why the whole album cover [features] white instruments just left in the corner, no color. It’s all about the instruments. It feels classic in that approach, but it’s new subject matter, new flows. It’s not like an Amy Winehouse thing: a take on what was already done. I mean, if you listen to “D.O.A.” just the sax alone, those type of sounds. The subject matter is right now. It’s a hot-button issue right now.
It’s funny that you stress the subject matter being current. One criticism of “D.O.A.” has been that the topic is a year old.
A year past or a year early?
A year too old. Music was being saturated by Auto-Tune the most last year. So were you thinking business first, like, Kanye’s coming out with this 808s & Heartbreak album, so I’m going to hold off on the criticism ’til he’s in the clear?
No, that’s not how it happened. It really just happened in the studio. We were just having a discussion about the game and music and where everything is going. So No ID plays this track, and Kanye jumps up. Actually, Kanye gave me the idea. He jumps up and is like, “Man, this is hard. This is against everything.” I don’t know if he knew where I was going to take it, but he sparked the idea. I came back the next day and did the record.
What’s puzzling is that your own buddies, like Kanye and Pharrell, wear the brightest shirts and tightest jeans, but you’re clearly not going at them. You’re going after the cats that are trying to be like them, and not themselves. Correct?
Yeah, once it becomes… A trend is a trend. I follow trends. I set trends. Now, when a trend becomes a gimmick, it’s time to get rid of it. As far as hip-hop. Like, when they were saying “bling bling” on CNN, it’s time to never say that word again. It was just about the aggression of everything. I saw everyone, ’cause it was successful, following one path. You turn on the radio, and that’s all you hear. I’m not saying I hate T-Pain. What I’m talking about is a trend that’s becoming a gimmick. And if we continue down this path, we’re going to open the door for another genre of music. Same way when rock was doing hair metal it opened the door even wider for hip-hop to come through and put rock music in trouble for 10 years and more. Right now, there are a lot of indie bands coming out, which is making rock more exciting: the MGMTs and the Kings of Leons. You keep messing around, making generic music, people are going to start turning off one at a time. And if these guys [keep] making great music, guess what? [Fans are] gonna go to them. If you look back in the history of music, that’s what happens all the time. I’m just saying, Stay up. Be aware. Be innovative. Let’s keep making this shit interesting. I love Drake. I’m not hating on young people. Like, when people say that, I’m like, What are you talking about? It’s just stupid. I’m not hating on young people. I love Drake. I worked with him on the album. Every time they ask me what I’m listening to, it’s So Far Gone and Kings of Leon. Them two [acts] owe me money. I’m not Bill Russell, [saying] Michael Jordan ain’t shit. I’m saying Lil Wayne and Kanye are like LeBron and Kobe. My job as someone at the forefront of the game is to leave it in a better position than when I came in. Same way that Russell [Simmons] left it to me. ’Cause this thing saved my life. Literally. So I have a responsibility to it karmically. And after that it’s on you. I did my part. I made “D.O.A.” I said it. I made the statement. I made the push. Here, y’all take it from here.
You’ve been getting a lot of heat about your second single “Run This Town,” featuring Kanye and Rihanna. Critics and the blog world have said ’Ye out rapped you.
I think that thing has gone a little too far. I think it’s more about that than the song now. What I’m saying is that’s just life. If [whose verse was better] was the thing, and we based [song quality] on that, after I’ve done 400 songs, I’m sure once the average of who was better on the song weighs out, I’m pretty high. Some nights [L.A. Lakers player] Pau Gasol can score more points than Kobe Bryant—not saying that Kanye is Pau Gasol, ’cause you have to be really clear with that—[but] as long as I’ve been in the game, that’s going to happen, once or twice or even three times.
Issue hits stands on September 15th.
BP3 was Grrreeeaaatttt!!! lol
Thats a pretty interesting answer…..haha
Looks like a dope issue…Pics lookin crazy too!
Interesting answer indeed will be coping this issue for sure!
G.O.A.T…period
After BP3. Official Jay-z stan. Right here.
Jay-Z is very funny. He gives very political answers. lol “I don’t hate on young people. I love Drake.” that shit was hilarious! But yea BP3 is jive aight. Really cut down the playlist to about 10 songs and thats what im riding to. The other joints are whatever tracks. Wonder what this man is going to do now. Bamma is old out of his mind. Might as well just do a Gangsta Grillz mixtape, and a couple more tours and call it a day. Unless he is just going to do big features. Jive wished this man would have kept Roc-A-Fella or atleats Young Chris, Beans, Freeway, and Bleek on his roster, cuz them dudes are a good solid team. But I guess you got to grow, and that man off his presidential, marrying Beyonce shit, is big time shit. Nigga making moves like tennis shoes
Thia guy is the fuckin man
“…the hip-hop audience has been a bit underwhelmed by the constant trendsetter’s last two efforts (2006’s Kingdom Come and 2007’s American Gangster).”
Is it me, or is that very wrong? American Gangster is his 2nd best album to me, was anyone here “underwhelmed” by it?
one thing he said that stuck out to me that hip hip artists needs to realize is if they dont start innovating fans will flock to other artists with a different refreshing sound like mgmt and kings of leon. imo anytime anyday of the fucking week mgmt & kings of leon>>>>>>wack ass hip hop
BP3 IS SICK
bp3 was average at best. too much of a pop album. defo his worst album
@Im Just Saying:
Good hip hop >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MGMT & Kings of Leon>>>>wack ass hip hop
FUCK THIS CAMEL LOOKING FOOL HIP HOP IS OURS IN THE SOUTH IT WILL NEVER CHANGE….FROM NOW TO 3010 RAEKWON ON THE PRE-OREDER A REAL MANS ALBUM…HES JUST HOPING KINGS OF LEON WANT TO DO A SONG WITH HIM WHOEVER THE FUCK THEY ARE I DONT LISTEN TO GAYBOY MUSIC I LISTEN TO HARDCORE HIP HOP MGMT WTF WHO THEY RAP WITH? FAG SHIT
FUCK THE CAMEL
j-t-09 the underwhelmed thing is only based on sales. That is his 3rd classic in my eyes. RD, BP1 and then AG. But if you go by commercial success alone AG doesn’t get the acclaim that BP1 gets although RD probably has sold a gang of units …….. long after it’s initial release.
I was down on BP3 thanks to all these bloggers…… But I listened to it on Rhapsody today… And seriously if he just cut out the Timbo tracks…B3 would be up there…. Like non-Timbo track is incredible…..”On To The Next One” has gotten MAD spins in my dorm room ahaha
American Gangster is a classic (or at least close to it). What the fuck is wrong with peoples’ ears these days?
I cosign on GDC’s comment the “at least close to it” part. I thought American Gangster was an impressive album. No Hook, Party Life, Ignorant Shit, Say Hello, Blue Magic solid fcuking songs.
Jay-Z IS a living legend! True Story.
Jay is just on another level to me. Like that answer for the Kanye outrapping him question, he knows who he is, that’s a great answer.
The metaphor of him as Jordan and Kanye as Kobe, that’s solid. Musically, he has nothing to prove, he still kills. Businesswise, etc, just on a totally different plane
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
edit kobe and pau Gasol
But I meant the earlier one too
OB4CL2.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/rapper_not_entirely_sure
Jay-Z isn’t even top 30. Average lyrically, wack flow. Real ish. Dude wasn’t even recognized in Hip-Hops prime during the mid 90s and now people say he is the G.O.A.T. Slap yo self.
Jay-Z wasnt recognized in the 90’s Kuruption because of his lack of record sales and notorioty just to the new york area. I mean really how could he be recognized with icons like pac and bigs death
@MuSik
GOAT… you’re too hype. He’s a great lyricist but never GOAT.
2pac is one of the few GOAT. He has songs that touched people. What song touched people with Jay-Z? Big Pimpin? Song Cry? Street’s Watching? Just a Week Ago?
2pac had songs like Dear Mama, Keep Ya Head Up, Tear Drops and Closed Casket.
I mean seriously, jay-z goat? lil wayne? If you can’t make a whole coast beef like Pac and Biggie, you’re IN NO WAY GOAT!
50 cent I would say was GOAT until his stupid songs. That boy mad people hate one of the most successful artists in his period!
………… jay WAS recognized in the 90s… Vol 2 did 5 mill. wtf else do you want?
wow u wud say 50 as goat over jay?
wat songs has he made that touched people?
p.i.m.p, in da club, 21 questions lol
get real here
hov made “”all them ordinary joes button up” and it still stuck even today
everyone stopped them XXL shirts and jeans and cleaned up and now people like kanye ran with that idea and took it to another level ie. polos, etc.
jay has an impressive catalog that makes him the goat
pac touched people true and hov touched people which is why his fans have stuck by him for over 10 years
if he didnt touch people no one would still wanna hear him today
lil wayne is no where near goat..the only one who says that is the tight pants wearin lil teenagers who probably hardly listened to pac nd biggie
u can have ur opinion that hov isnt the goat but at least put him in the argument… pac, biggie, jay-z
http://flyerthanuraverage.blogspot.com/
updated daily, clothing, music, and everything else you love
Listen to the album legally before you buy it. http://www.rhapsody.com/player?type=album&id=alb.29893975&remote=false&page=&pageregion=&guid=&from=&__pcode=mtvtheleak
Don’t download it bootleggers.
I also second GDC bout “American Gangster” being a “close to” a classic. Jay’s last classic album was the Black album. no doubt. He is the greatest
“reasonable doubt, classic, shoulda went triple”, hov is the GOAT, ps i dont know what the fuck drugs those of you who said he didnt sell in the 90s are on, but every album released in the 90s has gone platinum…
[...] View original post here: Jay-Z x XXL (Excerpts) [...]
Jay-Z x XXL (Excerpts) « RapSide.nl ::..Stijl van de muziek..:: said this on September 2nd, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Yo jay is a great rapper but greatest of all time i dont know. Game is good so is pac snoop big nas and dont forget rakim of course i have to say jay is one of the greats. Oh also dope artists like UGK for keeping it trill Twista for the venomously fast raps and Raekwon tha chef for cooking it up in the kitchen. Most importantly support good music. Leave all this ringtone rap shit in the past. Cause we off that. Dont wanna hear no more so fall back. Holla at cha boy
I’m not a Jay fan at all. BP3 is all I’ve been bumpin for the past few days. I only listened to it because of Kanye. Now I might go bac and listen to his old shit again to see if I’d like it. I still don’t like D.O.A. but I’m glad he explained his reasoning in this interview. The question is…doesn’t personality make an artist the shit? Cause I could name a couple Pac, Biggie, Wayne and Jay verses that if someone else would’ve spit woulda been horrible. ?????????
Cosign @Kuruption 100%
I see what Jay’s saying. Hip hop is going the way of 80’s glam rock. Somebody’s gonna pop out of nowhere with a new sound and change the whole game up like Kurt Cobain did with Grunge music.
Why do rappers go back to the golden era? instead they are saying they are inventive, progressive and all that when really a weak album like BP3 (yeah i said it) is what opens the door for another genre! Stick to making good hip hop and don’t screw it up by thinking you gonna reinvent the wheel! Give the ppl what the want and not what you want them to want. You a god on the mic (no doubt), but stop playing god.
Everybody who says this album is so great or close to RD or the Black Album is fucking brainwashed! You guys fall for marketing and promotion schemes like programmed robots. None of the songs, I repeat, NONE, is in Jay-Z’s top 25 songs of all time. Every album had a song that’s in there, not this one though! To close it out, any album that has a song on it like “Young Forever” should be burned! Just taking that faggot ass song (nothing against gay ppl, y’all know what i mean), adding some pieces but leaving it 90% original, and making it the last track to listen to on the album…c’mon now – are u f’n serious???? Think about it!
I love Jay-Z (pause), but this album broke my heart.
Meant to say “why don’t rappers go back…”. My bad.
Jay is great. That is true. BP3 just ain’t IT.
OB4CL2 is the shiiiiit. WAY WAY WAY better than BP3.
who really cares what jay-z puts out musically anymore? hip hop acts come and go. they’re hot one minute then they’re gone. my opinion is jay-z hasn’t really dont shit musically in awhile so why do people still give a fuck about him? wu tang has been more consistent than him musically over the years and they did way more for NYC than jay did. he’s like brett favre right now. jordan on the wizards. dudes ego is outta control
BP3 is a really good album, and I’ll definitely be buying it on 9/11 to support. This interview was great too. Still don’t have respect back for XXL, but they did good here.
I love the response to the Run This Town question. At least he didn’t act like a certain other legend has several times and go back to re-record his verse.
interesting thought
Damn man you people obviously have no real idea what real music is? Jay-Z made an album that people could relate to… He’s grown not only musically but financially and to excellent business standards. What has Raekwon done? Still rapping about selling coke. That shit’s played out. Real hip hop artists have realised that they need to branch out into other musical facets and that hip hop is not just about shootin up someones crib or wearin big ass chains… Mgmt are a great band, incline yrself musically and open your world. But i bet u won’t be able to because the words they use are more than your 2 syllable vocabulary… Now i know why Jay-Z made track 12…. BP3 Bitches
Eiger, you are a real douchebag. Jay has kept his shit consistent since day 1. Even Kingdom Come if it were anyone else’s album, you’d call it a classic. Wu Tang fell off for YEARS. They are dope, but cmon. Lemme guess, you love Drake, Wayne, and Kudi?? WACK
as long as he admits he’s a fuckin’ mason I’ll have no more problems with anything else Jay-z chooses to do or address…lol…for u non-believer’s just research it and put 2gether the pieces… that’s all i’m saying…
Tired of this bullshit looking for something relevant tired of this niggas saying rae is the shit and he aint even farted yet
[...] he was only a producer. He was laughed at when he asked to rap. Essentially, he was signed to keep the beats in house and to surround Cam and Beanie. He was not taken legitimately. However, when he came back to Dame and Jay with College Dropout, [...]
JacquesMorel.com » Sidebar: Jay Z Is Angry At Kanye for More Reasons… said this on September 15th, 2009 at 1:29 pm