The Blueprint 1 is my second favorite Jay-Z album (his debut album, Reasonable Doubt is my favorite). I think The Blueprint is his most soulful album. One of my favorite songs on that album is “Never Change”. In the song, Jay goes into some detail about his experiences hustling within the drug trade and reveals that even though he’s no longer in the drug trade, he’s still a hustler.
I think “Never Change” is an insightful record because it says a lot about success and how it impacts life. Change can be good and is often necessary for growth, maturity and development. But it’s also important to stay grounded, confident, yet humbled by past experiences in your life.

Here’s the lyrics from verse 1 off “Never Change” that we’re going to take a look at:

“We all fish, better teach your folk
Give him money to eat, then next week he’s broke
Cause when you sleep, he’s reachin for your throat
Word on the skreet, you reap what you sow
Not out of fear but love, love for the game
Roc family first, we never change”

“Never Change”
The Blueprint

Always be introspective in regard to your past. You are who you are because of where you’ve been and what you’ve gone through and all of that are major factors in determining where you’re going in the future.

In this lyric Jay takes a very popular saying and gives it street cred:

“We all fish, better teach your folk
Give him money to eat, then next week he’s broke”

I like when he says that “We ALL fish” because that means unity and strength. We must strive for our own personal success and well-being but if you’ve acquire knowledge, experience, insight and a network, don’t be selfish. Share what you know with who you know.

“Cause when you sleep, he’s reachin for your throat…”

When people are “hungry” (for health, wealth and knowledge) they sometimes become desperate and desperation can lead to trouble for themselves and for others around them (YOU)…

“Word on the skreet, you reap what you sow
Not out of fear but love, love for the game
Roc family first, we never change…”

In life you do reap what you sow but it’s very interesting what Jay is saying here. He’s stating that what you reap is not just YOUR time and labor but also the time and labor of those around you who have an interest in your success…

Lastly, when you share your knowledge and time with others it shouldn’t be because of fear but for the love of “the game”, the game that is life. You are impacted in a positive way when those around you share in your exuberance for life and ambition.

*Shout out to SomeCallMeaDreamer for sharing part of this rhyme here.

I’m a big fan of Jay-Z and I have enjoyed the bulk of the music in his catalog in his 14-year career but his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt” is still hands-down my personal favorite. I can let that album play all the way through- twice! “Feelin It” is somewhere in my top 5 as far as the songs just on that album alone. In this lyric, Jay is basically talking about support and unity on the streets among his crew as they hustle within the drug trade. With all of the disloyalty on the streets in the name of greed and cowardice, I think this lyric reflects a mindset that is sorely missing in various types of lifestyles.

Here’s the lyrics from the first verse off “Feelin It” that we’re going to get into:

“Since diapers had nothin to live for like them lifers but
Makin sure every nigga stay rich within my cipher
We paid the price to circular success they turned my mic up
I bout to hit these niggas with some shit that’ll light your life up
If every nigga in your clique is rich your clique is rugged
Nobody will fall cause everyone will be each others crutches
I hope you fools choose to listen I drop jewels bust it
These are the rules I follow in my life you gotta love it
Jiggy jigga lookin gully in the joint
If y’all niggas ain’t talkin ’bout large money what’s the point?”

“Feelin’ It”
Reasonable Doubt

Let’s take a closer look at these lyrics:

“Makin sure every nigga stay rich within my cipher”…

Too many of us are concerned only with our own success. Don’t get me wrong, your personal well-being is very important but personal ambition doesn’t mean total disregard for others close to you. You may not have the power to make others rich but the like-minded are stronger together than apart.

Allow Jay to “light up your life” with this lyric:

“If every nigga in your clique is rich your clique is rugged
Nobody will fall cause everyone will be each other crutches.”

This is a line that can be applied to any “clique” not just the crews hustling on the streets. Building strong relationships is vital in building wealth, success and sustainable happiness and satisfaction. Money, power, respect and influence is built on the foundation of relationships. Friendships are important in life and business. Friendships are basically formed from networking and mutual interests. Surround yourself with people who share your interests, mindset and ambitions and support one another through good times and bad times in the journey of life.

Oh yeah, don’t waste your time and energy hanging around people who don’t want more and who don’t want better. Underachievers, Do-nothings, Day-Dreamers and Negative Talkers and Thinkers should be avoided at all costs. You must be where the Action-Takers are; the people who are willing, ready and able to make great things happen.

Jay-Z: “These are the rules I follow in my life you gotta love it.”

*Shout-out to Lucas who shared this lyric*

“Beach Chair” is not one of my favorite Jay-Z songs, yet when I really listened to the track (off of the album, “Kingdom Come) I realized just how profound the song is. Here’s what I think you and I can get from this verse: Our greatest fear in life should be a lack of effort. We can’t succeed if we’re not trying- hard enough. There’s a reason why you’re here. You have a voice. Your life has a purpose that will only be fulfilled with hard work, determination and deep resolve.

Here’s the lyrics from “Beach Chair” that we’re going to discuss:

“I’m not afraid of dyng
I’m afraid of not trying
Everyday hit every wave
Like I’m Hawaiian
I don’t surf the net
No i never been on myspace
Too busy letting my voice vibrate
Carving out my space
In this world of fly girls
Cutthroats & diamond cut ropes I twirls
Benzs round corners
Where the sun don’t shine
I let the wheels give a glimpse
Of hope of one’s grind
Some said HOV, how you get so fly
I said from not being afraid to fall out the sky
My physical’s shell
So when i say farewell
My soul will find an even
Higher plane to dwell”

“Beach Chair”
Kingdom Come

I really like this line…

“Some said, “Hov, how you get so fly”/I said from being afraid to fall out the sky./

Don’t be afraid of success but don’t be afraid of failure either.  Meet your destiny head on with courage.  Reach for the sky in all that you do…

I think “Beach Chair” somewhat reveals Jay’s spiritual side.  I think the song shows that faith and fate are major factors to success and fulfillment of purpose.

*Shout-out to SomeCallMeaDreamer who posted part of this lyric as one of his favorite Jay-Z rhymes.

“I had to lace up my boots even harder
Father is too far away to father

Further-more all the kids either smoke reefer
 or either move white
There’s few writers in my cipher

So they made light of
My type of 
dreams seem dumb, they said wise up
How many guys-a, you see makin it from here
The world don’t like us, is that not clear? Alright but..

I’m different
I can’t base what I’m gon’ be
offa what everybody isn’t
They don’t listen

Just whisperin behind my back
No vision
Lack of ambition
So whack!”

“So Ambitious”
Blueprint 3

In this verse Jay-Z rhymes about his determination to get out of the hood to become successful in the rap game in spite of the odds and the negativity from naysayers. Jay made some very important statements in this lyric that we all absolutely must take heed  to as we live through in our own life journey: Regardless of the circumstances you have to be determined to succeed.  Don’t allow yourself to be influenced by a negative mindset, negative talk or negative actions.  I love when Jay says:

“I’m different, I can’t base what I’m gon’ be off of what everybody isn’t”

The life you live is yours and what you make of your life is on you.  What becomes of your life is not based on what becomes (or doesn’t become) of the lives of those around you.  Don’t allow someone else’s life to negatively impact your dreams, goals and ambitions.  What you have to understand is that most people lack ambition- why? Because they lack vision and therefore live their lives with a lack of direction.  When you’re intent on making a change it’s inevitable that some people around you will try to discourage or ridicule you based on their own issues.

Remember, in life you have to find your own way!

“I see I said, jealousy I said
Got the whole industry mad at me I said
Then B.I. said, “Hov’ remind yourself
nobody built like you, you designed yourself”
I agree I said, my one of a kind self
Get stoned every day like Jesus did
What he said, I said, has been said before
“Just keep doin your thing,” he said, say no more.”

“A Dream”
Blueprint 2

In this lyric, Jay-Z is having a dream and in the dream he’s having a conversation with Biggie about the music industry.

Here’s how we can apply the lyric to our lives:

Whether you’re successful or striving for success there will be those close to you and those standing from a distance that will be critical and jealous of your ambitions.  That comes with the territory.  Ambition breeds envy unfortunately.  Still, ‘remind yourself” that you “designed yourself”; meaning, you hold the ‘blueprints” to the life you want to build.  We all are one of a kind in our own sight. Be prepared for jealousy and evny but regardless of it all just keep doing what’s best for you…

“Say no more.”

‘American Gangster” is not one of Jay-Z’s most celebrated albums.  It’s not a classic, still some of Jay-Z’s best lyrical performances is on ‘American Gangster’.  One of my favorite songs off the album is “American Dreamin’” in which Jay-Z rhymes about how the pursuit of the “American Dream” in the face of heavy odds fuels those involved in the drug trade.  This song (like many songs by Jay) gives listeners an inside look into the mindset of a hustler….

“You’re now in a game where only time can tell
Survive the droughts, I wish you well – hold up
Survive the droughts? I wish you well?
How sick am I? I wish you health
I wish you wheels, I wish you wealth
I wish you insight so you could see for yourself
You could see the signs when the jackers is schemin
And the cops is comin, you could read they mind
You could see from behind, you could redefine
the game as we know it, one dream at a time
I’m American dreamin”

“American Dreamin”
American Gangster

Here’s how this rhyme can be applied to the every man’s everyday life:

In this ‘game’ called life, time is both your enemy and friend.  The act of living at the most basic level is about survival.  In life you will have to be well equipped to survive through tough times….

“I wish you health….

I wish you insight so you can see for yourself”

The more experiences we have in our lives the greater our insight should be.  We can’t rely on others to spoon-feed us and show us how we should live our own lives.  Life is an personal, intimate experience not a demonstration.

In this lyric Jay-Z talks about how hustlers must have instincts and intuition to protect themselves from ‘jackers’ and cops in pursuit.  Street-smart instincts can be applied to any lifestyle.

Regardless of our circumstances, we all have the ability to redefine our lives.  People get caught up in where they’re from, who they know (or don’t know), etc.  We can’t allow our circumstances or others to define who we are.  You hold the key to the door of opportunity.  Don’t settle just to get by!   Seize the moment and ‘flip the script’; don’t allow yourself to get typecast.  You decide who you are and who you want to become.

“Light it Up”, one of the songs off Drake’s debut album, “Thank Me Later” features your boy Jay-Z.    In the song, Jay basically warns Drake about the ills of the rap game and gives him advice and how to handle it and still shine…

“Drake, here’s how they gon’ come at you
With silly rap feuds tryin to distract you
In disguise in the form of a favor
The Barzini me, watch for the traitors
I done seen it all, done it all
That’s why none of these dumb-dums could done him off
The summer’s ours, the winter too
Top down in the winter, that’s what winners do
And to these niggaz I’m like, Windows 7
You let ‘em tell it they swear they invented you
And since no good deed go unpunished
I’m not as cool with niggaz as I once was…”

In this verse Jay-Z is giving Drake game on how to play the game.  A lot of youngins want to talk but don’t want to listen; want to do but don’t want to think.  Don’t be afraid, ashamed or too arrogant enough to seek out guidance and advice from those with greater experience and a more mature perspective.  No matter what you’re going through there are others who have been there and done that. Knowledge and understanding is often shared and passed on from one person to the next. You can learn from both the right moves and the wrong moves made by others.

Here’s how you can be inspired and motivated from Jay’s verse in “Light it Up”:

When you’re on the grind don’t allow yourself to be distracted.  People who you think are your friends are the ones who are likely to betray you. Understand the science of human nature and ulterior motives.  Stay focus on striving for excellence in whatever you do.  There are those in and around your life who truly believe that you’re forever indebted to them.  On your road to success people may help you in different ways but ultimately, you’re the one responsible for your own life.  Don’t let anyone “author your story”.  Lastly, whatever is dear to you is all you’ll ever need…

Join me as I discuss the brilliance and flaws in the lyrics of one of Hip-Hop greatest hustlers and MCs- Jay-Z. What is your favorite Jay-Z rhyme? Let me know and I may give an indepth critique for a future post.