I have never seen anyone so unfairly criticized for his swift precision and artistic genius as much as Jay-Z. For a man who generates most of his money performing for the masses, he is partially dismissed by the general public and the media alike. For many years, I’ve seen Jay-Z torn apart by hip-hop heads, fans and critics due to his industrial approach to music as well as his affluent lifestyle. At first this criticism did not bother me one bit, however today Jay-Z has ascended beyond the slums of Brooklyn, beyond the recording industry, beyond the White House and still he is picked apart by the multitudes. My question is why? Is it simply out of envy due to his prosperity and his success? Is it because he’s reached the height of iconic figures such as Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson? Is it because he comes off bombastic on the microphone when really his wordplay consists of playful braggadocio and triple entendres? Or is it because he parted ways with many of his former label mates and partners after his resignation as president of Def Jam Recordings in 2008? It simply blows my mind because in all honesty Jay-Z truly sets the standard and is without a doubt the epitome of a “rags-to-riches model”. The man strongly emulates the savvy business mind of John D. Rockefeller and embodies the modesty and wholesomeness of American author, Horatio Alger. During the course of his career spanning approximately twenty-seven years, he has met one milestone after another. These naysayers fail to understand that Jay-Z grew up in a world indulged in poverty, loan sharking, homicide, and drug trafficking. Abandoned by his father at a young age, Jay-Z and his three siblings were raised by his mother in the Marcy Projects where he wrote songs and listened to cadences on his boom box. He worked extremely hard to get where his is today and his extensive catalog of work is pretty much self-explanatory. From his rocky beginnings in the Marcy Projects within Brooklyn, New York City to shaking hands with the President of the United States of America in 2009, Jay-Z has climbed mountains and reached plateaus unimaginable. Unlike some of his fellow hip-hop moguls that are active today, Jay-Z accumulated a majority of his wealth through low risk/high reward investments. Earlier in his career, Jay-Z partnered up with two up-incoming magnates, Kareem “Biggs” Burkes and Damon Dash, in which they formed their own independent label after being rejected by a series of major labels. Due to tough economic times, Jay-Z was forced to sell his very first single from the trunk of his car just to land a deal with Priority Records. Jay-Z’s initial success catapulted the MC into the mainstream waters and eventually solidified a distribution deal with Def Jam Recordings. From 1996 to 2013, Jay-Z released twelve studio albums including five collaborative releases with high-profiled musicians such as R. Kelly, Linkin Park, The Roots, and label mate, Kanye West. The MC even surpassed Elvis Presley’s record of number one albums charted on the Top 100 Billboard after the release of “The Blueprint 3.” In between his music career, Jay-Z underwent numerous business ventures. Jay-Z founded two independent labels, Roc-A-Fella Records and Roc Nation, he signed and nurtured a handful of acts such as Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, J. Cole, and Freeway, he created his own clothing brand, he developed a sports bar chain called the 40/40 Club, he published several books including a memoir entitled “Decoded”, he was primarily responsible for relocating the New Jersey Nets to Brooklyn, and recently establish a sports management group with umbrella company, Creative Artists Agency. Yesterday Jay-Z officially released his twelfth studio album entitled “Magna Carta… Holy Grail” and to no surprise it reached the number one slot on the Top 100 Billboard. Several weeks ago, Jay-Z inked a deal with multinational conglomerate company, Samsung, in which he was able to promote the album through vast advertising and marketing of its mobile devices. Customers were able to receive the album for free upon purchase of a Samsung cellular phone such as the Galaxy S4. According to Nielsen Soundscan, the album was certified platinum before its accredited release date as Jay-Z earned a percentage of the profit made through the sale of Samsung’s mobile devices. This is quite an impressive feat, especially since Jay-Z didn’t release any promotional singles to produce hype nor he didn’t announce the project four to six months in advance. This was by far a brilliant marketing scheme and the use intelligent business tactics at its finest. Business moves such as these are exactly what separates the boys from the men and in this particular situation, Jay-Z from other tycoons. Samsung wasn’t just selling an album; they were essentially selling Jay-Z. While “Magna Carta… Holy Grail” isn’t Jay-Z’s crowning achievement; it is certainly his most complete and most ripen effort to date. Does it compare to “Reasonable Doubt” or “The Blueprint”? - Absolutely not but in retrospect, “Magna Carta… Holy Grail” is a refreshing yet new look on Jay-Z. While he brags and boasts from time to time, Hov covers his experiences becoming a father, burning his bridges with former friends, his marriage to Beyonce Knowles and his daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. The album’s ability to tell a vivid story is arguably magnificent as if the renowned MC lived a thousand lives. The fact of the matter is Jay-Z is a strong example of a paragon – someone who should not only be celebrated but someone to mirror in terms of work ethics and proficiency. I am not ashamed to say that Jay-Z has inspired me to pursue my wildest dreams whether it’s embarking a career in journalism or meandering my way to a recording deal with a major label. If anything, Jay-Z has influenced me to work more efficiently and diligently when opportunity knocks at my door. Many people look up to icons like Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, and Terrell Owens who claim they have accomplished so much but in my humble opinion Jay-Z defines a connoisseur, a proletarian, a musician, a businessman, a role model. I find his life goals and his utter transformation from a working stiff to a tremendous musician to a multimillionaire absolutely dumbfounding and with that being said I hope to one day meet the legendary Sean Carter.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 01:01:23 +0000
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