If you want a review of the JAY-Z concert at this point then you are living under a R.O.C. Even LIL’ KIM’s azz in a prison jumpsuit has read the reviews already. JAY-Z is a showman if there was ever one in rap music. He replaces the raw energy that most of the entertainers in the genre have with a self assured swagger. JAY-Z doesn’t have to remember the words to his songs, because he knows that you do. He knows that you go home and you study his rhymes for the metaphors and similes and the occasional onomatopoeia. JAY-Z knew that he had you before you came in the door.
I scanned the crowd with a bemusement that I don’t usually bring to rap concerts. JAY-Z is a phenomena unlike anything inside of the music industry. Maybe SPRINGSTEEN or DYLAN have a fan base that idol worship them as philosophical gurus as much as the crowd in Radio City wanted to praise JIGGER. Incidentally, there was a small pocket of JAZ-O holdouts that chanted his name vociferously enough to get a chuckle out of JAY-Z. I can only assume that JAZ-O bought those seats for his fans. He should have saved his money. The audience that came this evening was here to fellate JAY. If he would only remove his big lips from his jock for a minute.
I can admit to being jealous of the ‘Reasonable Doubt’ JAY-Z persona because I remember his style before that. It was a popular theme for mid-nineties rappers to say that they left the streets for the sound studios. The truth is that there was never anyone in the streets who was legendary at two games. Even the great, PEE WEE KIRKLAND will admit that he wasn’t that good of a basketball player. The discipline of dealing drugs doesn’t transfer to counting rhyme bars, especially when you don’t even write them down. JAY-Z is undoubtedly an idiot savant who used the easy speaking flow created by RAKIM to craft tales of a marvelous and dangerous world that some people would never dream of visiting. JAY-Z became suburbia’s ghetto safari guide. He had all the cockiness of that Australian crocodile hunter. He spoke slow enough to let them know that danger lurked around every corner. It was each man for his own inside the concrete jungles. The concert at Radio City was a celebration of that principle. JAY-Z is still that paradigm.
As the leader of the free world JAY-Z could have been so much more than a stiff well-dressed manequin reciting verses. He could have brought the world together and created a solidarity inside the rap music game that would have truly made him a God. JAY-Z is a billionaire who owns the Nets basketball team, and Roc-A-Fella brand clothing and all the et ceteras. Why couldn’t he show his benevolence by bringing former friend and mentor JAZ-O to the stage. This would be even more momentous than the autumn coincert that brought him and NAS together. Speaking of NAS, wasn’t he available to put on a tux and voice the hook to ‘Dead Presidents’? How about letting another Bed Stuy legend shine by conscripting BIG DADDY KANE to do B.I.G.’s verses on ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’? For the JAY-Z stans in the stands none of this mattered, but to assume the role of the greatest of all time you have to contain the courage to hold humility. Only a coward associates humility with being humiliated.
And what did I expect from JAY-Z anyhoo? Even though he was never a drug pusher he does contain the sense of community that all drug dealers must have. It’s the attitude that everyone around him is here to serve him and if someone can’t make themself a servant then they must be an enemy. I didn’t want to believe that he was greedy and lacked valor, I wanted him to be that generous, courageous, intelligent leader that I assume all billionaires are. I wanted to be wrong about my negative perception of JAY-Z. In the end all I realized is that no matter how I feel I can’t knock the hustle.
So were you at least happy to see your woman Beyonce on stage?
Were they serving haterade? Cuz you must have had a big ass glass…
..Why didn’t he bring Jaz-O to the stage..?
– Jaz-O didn’t want to be on stage
People take celebrity status so seriously it amazes me. It’s either I worship this star or I hate this star to the extent where I will berate everything this star does, says, or stands for.
It’s only entertainment folks… life goes on.
I still like him, Turtle/Joe Camel look and all.
He has sex appeal.
^Random Hater, you are a bitchmade coward that much I am certain of.
When someone takes the time to issue a piece of criticism all the cowards use the word hater to somehow diffuse the valid points that have been raised. True, Jay-Z is entertainment like a Bozo the Clown or a Redd Foxx. The character Jay-Z is a persona and in no way should be connected to the actual person Shawn Carter. It is the character that he plays on T.V. like Archie Bunker was the character that Carroll O’Connor played.
The problem arises when you see firsthand how people’s lives are shaped by these images. I remember walking in the Fulton Mall, right across the street from Albee Square when the song ‘Jigger, My Nigger’ was playing on the radio from one of the sneaker stores. I watched a child that was no more than five years old sing the hook to the song. The verse is slow and repititious, perfect for a child to memorize and repeat. With that image I came to understand that the character Jay-Z did not care for children. Who would you blame? The child’s mother? Surely she was too young and miseducated to be able to tell her son not to sing the song that was so melodious and simple to recant. Do I blame the merchant for broadcasting the music because it acts like a song of the Sirenes and attracts consumers to his store like moths to a burning flame?
Who do I blame when I have to throttle that young boy because he doesn’t know how to conduct himself in public or he makes the wrong decision which appears to be threatening to me or my family? Being a billionaire is all fun and games until someone tells you that your wealth is just as ill-gotten had you actually been on the block with jums in your hand or traveling out of state with a trunk full of ki’s. The result is still the same when you have no conscience.
Oh, and yeah, Jay-Z stood in the same place all night and only waves his free hand. He should use one of those hands free microphones that Janet Jackson uses that way he can wave both hands.
Agreed – I have no idea who Shawn Carter is and I don’t care. For me, this account of Jay-Z is about the most honest thing I’ve ever read about him.
In some sense you have to think that even his billionaire image is the result of a caricature that has been crafted as well. It seems just as stereotypical as the “thug with a mic” routine or at least that’s the rap it’s getting on MTV news.
Also, people who follow the recording industry and business news in general must also get the sneaking suspicion that his moneybags persona is just as phony as his credentials as a street thug when you read how profits are down overall in an industry that continues to decline every year by double digits and a similar executive having the same rank would certainly be loaded but we wouldn’t exactly be talking about a mogul. There is nothing about this image that doesn’t seem like good PR.
Exposing these myths is what good writing is all about, and it’s clear that the mainstream music press can’t take the heat for this kind of analysis. That’s why I read Dallas Penn.
ya’ll nikkus MAD! lol
Good read! I have the same sentiments about Jay’s motives at this point. And I say this as an avid Jay fan. Zillz is listening to the Commission joint as he types. Until I start seeing some real effort and push on Redman, Joe Budden albums, I’ma feel that way…
Jay’s International tour … over-the-top, unneccessary, greedy.
[…] Give it up for that guy Sauce! And now for a tangent…because I can do that. But on the real to hell with a “celebration” concert for his album. Real talk. Why is he doing concerts making his lemmings pay twice for this album. Hell I’ve already paid twice with the re-issue about 6 years or so ago. Jay is on a snob’s route. If you read the Freddie Foxxx interview at Hiphopgame.com, he speaks on Jay being out of touch with hip-hop and not going back to Marcy PJ’s. Jay’s a suit. People…look at what you did. You made this guy a diety, and now he wants nothing to do with you but touch your pockets. Hov’s still that dude. And yes Zillz is a fan of his music, but why not do some FREE concerts for those kids who can’t afford the tickets. Kids who currently live in the situation he came from. Last edited on Wednesday 28th of June 2006 12:12:13 PM […]
NEVA been a JIGGER Fan. Great great post!!
Onomatopoeia? As the daugther of an English teacha, I’m impressed. 🙂
C’mon…
Jay spit 44 “fours” after dropping 22 “twos”!!!!!
That was up there with Mike doing the moonwalk on Motown 25 or the other Mike doing that crazy switch-to-his-left-hand-while-falling shot against L.A.
After all, “all we got is sports and entertainment.” ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED???
Brave post !!!!
How come every time someone has an opinion contrary to POPular belief their called a Hater. I hate that.
Ive never been a fan of most of Jay z’s lyrical content but he has a Great combination of flow & timming. He’s also moderately clever.
On Moment of Clarity he say’s Truthly I wanna rhyme like Common Sense-I say truthly with all that money he has that he still lacks the courage , creativity, & moral responsibility at this point of his life to rhyme like Common Sense.
What can you expect from someone who once rhymed I don’t prey to God I prey to Gotti.
fuck you. you don’t deserve B