What makes some succeed while others fail? Why is it that some people exceed expectations while others are never able to meet their full potential? I believe in destiny but I think that people have to work hard AND smart to ensure that their destiny is fulfilled. Some people have a false sense of entitlement. They truly believe that they deserve to succeed. While some feel they deserve to be successful, others are have convinced themselves (or allowed others to convince them) that they are destined to fail. Success is not guaranteed or prohibited based on your last name, the color of your skin, where you grew up, or who you know. On “Streets is Talking” Jay-Z shares with us the importance of writing the script to your life’s story.

“I seen niggas before me
With a chance to write their own script
Slip up and change the story
I seen young niggas go out in a blaze of glory
Before reaching puberty
Scared a nigga truthfully”

“Street is Talking”
Jay-Z

I like the fact that Jay states that others before him had the “chance” to write their own script when it came to their life story. All of us, regardless of our circumstances have the “chance to change”. The chance is the opportunity to turn things around and go in a different, more productive direction in your life. You may feel powerless in your life but YOU HAVE the power to change your situation.

Writing your own script is about empowerment. This gives you the confidence to go after the things that you need and want to make your life more fulfilling. Every new day is another opportunity to improve on your life from the day before. Some of us recognize the opportunity to write our own script, but, as Jay states, we “slip up and change the story”. Bad choices, in terms of what we do, what we say, where we go and who we associate with all contribute to destroying our chance to make our lives more gratifying and productive.

Ultimately, we have to take ownership of our individual lives. It’s your responsibility to write your life’s story. It’s my responsibility to write mine. You can’t allow your condition to predetermine your final outcome. We’re all scriptwriters. We’re all writers who author our own stories. These stories are compelling- they can be inspiring or tragic. They’re often both.

Speaking of tragic, Jay rhymes about seeing “young niggas go out in a blaze of glory”, making reference to a sad predicament that is far too common- young black and brown males being gunned down on the streets of America by other young black and brown males.

I think it’s telling that Jay reveals that seeing other young males die at the hands of violence scared him. As he stated in “Dead Presidents II”, “murder is a tough thing to digest”, it’s a very traumatic experience for the young to have to go through. It seems to me that Jay or anybody would be frightened by the experience of burying young people who are supposed to be the future.

We all should be frightened by what’s happening every night on the tough streets across the U.S.

I think these lyrics are insightful yet cautionary. We should be encouraged to take ownership of our circumstances and write the script to our lives. But it’s vital that we clearly understand that if we “slip up and change the story” we could squander the opportunities to make positive changes and instead make matters worst.

Our “slip-ups” could even be tragic.

Success can be intoxicating. The way it must feel when everything seems to be “clicking” in your life- I’m sure words can’t even explain. In the same breath, success can be sobering. The fact is, the more successful you become, the more jealousy and envy you will encounter. Often times it’s those “closest” to you who hold the greatest amount of resentment toward you when you make it. It’s not personal, per se, the cause of their resentment are their own failures opposed to your successes. On “Streets is Talking”, Jay-Z sets the record straight, letting it be known that his success has only enhanced his swagger. The streets talk, true, but I think Jay-Z is talking to us on the track. What he tells us is that when you become successful, others’ resentment toward you is not because you have changed, it’s because they haven’t.

“I paid my dues
I made the news
I came in the door for dolo, blazed the crews
And the streets say, “Jigga can’t go back home”
You know when I heard that?
When I was back home
I’m comfortable dog, Brooklyn to Rome
On any Martin Luther…”

“Streets is Talking”
The Dynasty Album
Jay-Z

When I hear people say things like, “He’s changed now that he’s successful”, I think to myself…

And?? What’s wrong with that!

Change is a necessary component of success. For example, if you were broke 5 years ago and today you’re rich, your life has changed drastically, right? People change based primarily on three factors: attainment of knowledge, living through certain experiences, and due to both the knowledge AND experience that they gain as a result of the relationships they develop with people they meet.

Change is often looked at as being negative and of course it can be in certain cases. But finding success is the most valuable discovery one can experience in life. This discovery changes your entire outlook on your future.

Success allows you to reflect on your past with greater perspective and to envision your future with greater purpose.

I paid my dues
I made the news
I came in the door for dolo, blazed the crews

Most successful people have “paid their dues” (few have inherited their fortunes and even some of them have worked hard to earn it). They have often experienced greater failures in their lives than the breadth of their successes. In other words, most people suffer before they succeed. It’s their suffering that fueled their drive to succeed.

If we apply Jay’s lyrics from “Streets is Talking” to our own lives, we can understand his perspective even if we’re not from the environment he once called home or haven’t nearly had the kind of success that he enjoys.

Are you in pursuit of success?

No, really.

Are you grinding it out, day and night, 24/7, determined to change your life?

If you are truly grinding, working hard both physically AND mentally to get what you want, than, right now, at this moment, you are paying your dues. Nothing is being given to you, you’re taking it, or shall I say, claiming it.

Now, envision that you are where you want to be in your life.

You believe (or at least you hope) that what you envision your future to be will give your life greater purpose and meaning, correct?

You are paying your dues, grinding, working hard, shedding blood, sweat, tears…and mental strain in order to experience…

Change.

See, Jay-Z “made the news” (stories in the media highlighting his success) because he “paid his dues”.

You won’t succeed and enjoy the trappings of success without paying your dues.

And the streets say, “Jigga can’t go back home”
You know when I heard that?
When I was back home
I’m comfortable dog, Brooklyn to Rome
On any Martin Luther…”

It seems as if many successful people who come from humble beginnings distance themselves from their past. This is due to one or more of these three factors:

They lose sight.

Some successful people get so caught up in the grind that it takes to stay successful that they neglect their responsibility to give back and make an impact on the lives of others.

They don’t care.

Some successful people, frankly, don’t give a damn about people, places and conditions from their past. They selfishly convince themselves that their success is the only thing that matters. In their eyes, the plight of others is not “my problem”.

They have fear.

Some successful people are genuinely afraid to “go back” because while they appreciate the love from those back home, they don’t want to face the jealousy and resentment aimed at them by the self-loathing within the neighborhoods they come from.

To be fair, the streets’- at times, delusional suspicions of outside influences don’t always make it easy for a successful person to come back home and make good even if he or she is absolutely determined to do so.

When you’re successful and you come from a certain environment you can become a target not just for jealousy and resentment, but possible physical harm. Therefore, fear (as I stated earlier) prevents some from returning to their old neighborhoods.

While word on the streets is that Jay-Z can longer go home, he claims that he hears this chatter “when he was back home!” It’s a clever line but an insightful one. Once we “pay our dues” and “make the news” we deserve to be happy and comfortable with the person we have become. It took courage to leave our past behind and it takes courage to come back and confront our past.

Jay-Z states that he’s “comfortable” whether he’s back home in Brooklyn, in Rome or any “Martin Luther” (streets in cities across the U.S. named after Dr. King tend to be located in the ‘hood). The lyrics in the context of the verse have the tone of confrontation, huh? Jay does sound like he has something to prove. But that’s how life is. Regardless of how successful we become, in fact, because of our success, at times we are “compelled” to show that our accomplishments don’t make us soft or out-of-touch.

Let’s apply it to our own lives:

Success shouldn’t make you uncomfortable. Don’t lose sight of what you went through in the past. Don’t lose your conscious in regards to what others are going through. Don’t be afraid to confront your past.

A person is comfortable anytime and anyplace when he is secure about who he is. Some people become successful and yet are uncomfortable in their own skin because even though their success has increased their bank accounts, it has failed to get rid of their insecurities.

Being comfortable in whatever circumstances you find yourself in is not confined to a physical feeling. The strength of your mental game is of great importance to your overall well being.

When you’re comfortable, you’re in both a mental and physical state that gives you the confidence to adapt. This confidence induced from comfort is how people thrive in both familiar and unfamiliar environments. Jay-Z needs to be as comfortable in the corporate office as he is on stage or in Marcy housing projects.

Being comfortable makes us confident which gives us the ability to adapt to different circumstances we experience in our never-ending pursuit of success.

Next up: An unlikely skill that you need to be successful in life…

Last week I wrote about the importance of having intuition to overcome challenges and to seize the opportunities. Intuition is an underrated yet extremely valuable weapon to have in your personal arsenal during your pursuit of success. Intuition is about instincts that are cultivated over time and through knowledge and experience. Intuition leverages intellect and practicality, not emotions and selfish pride. Jay-Z has rhymed extensively about the power of intuition in his music. On the first verse of “Streets is Talking”, Jay-Z gives us a crash course on the mind’s navigational system and how to use our mental vision to succeed.

Having intuition helps you survive and thrive in the streets but it is also vital to professional and business success. Business success is the sum of many parts. You can’t get your financial game on until you master the physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and political aspects of success. But intuition is the x-factor of success.

This week, I’m going to tackle Jay’s three verses on “Streets is Talking”. The song is truly a gem with Jay and Beanie Sigel giving great lyrical performances. On the song, Jay is basically talking to the streets, letting it be known that while his lifestyle may have changed, his mindset is still adaptable to the environment from which he came.

I’m not 100% sure, but in the first verse I think Jay rhymes about the now infamous Un Rivera stabbing incident back in 1999. When I first heard the verse I didn’t focus on specific details of what was going on in Jay’s personal life. Don’t get me wrong, I considered the context of the lyrics but it serves me better (and I think it serves you better) to apply the lyrics to my own life.

Listen to the first verse of “Streets is Talking”

Take for example these lyrics from the first verse…

Let niggas take shots at me, no response
I just – flip and, pop my collar like the Fonz

Can you relate to these lyrics?

In both your personal and professional life, people will take shots at you. They will criticize your thoughts and ideas, your plans, your statements and your actions. Supervisors, parents, spouses, friends, colleagues, investors- will all criticize you. Criticism can be compassionate and constructive but far too often it’s unnecessarily harsh and unsubstantiated. Some of us allow criticism by others to shape and dictate who we are. Criticism, as well as praise, must be put in perspective.

Jay tells us that he allowed others criticize him without responding. Refusing to respond to criticism is not necessarily a bad thing. The truth is some criticism is not worthy of response because responding to it gives it credibility that it doesn’t deserve.

But sometimes when you don’t respond to criticism your silence is seen as weakness. Criticism is not just about exposing weaknesses, it’s often used as a way to challenge your strengths. Your show of strength is in whether or not you respond and in how you respond.

See, in dealing with criticism, we can play it cool “like the Fonz”, but often, our silence emboldens are critics.

Have you heard the idiom…

“Give someone an inch and they’ll take a yard.”

This is what Jay means when he says…

You give a nigga a foot he’ll take you one step beyond
He’ll try to play you twice
The third time is the charm

The idiom is so true when it comes to the streets which is why Jay’s translation is so insightful.

I can relate to these lyrics because I’ve been in situations both personally and professionally where people have taken shots at me unwarranted. At some point, I had to respond to criticism in defense of my ideas, actions and statements.

When you respond to criticism, however, you’re not only playing defense, you’re also playing offense because criticism can escalate to conflict and then ultimately, to confrontation. Going on the offensive can deter your critics from furthering their attacks on you.

If you haven’t already, read my 3-part piece on conflict and confrontation.

These lyrics are profound…

I know what y’all thinking, “Dick”, pause
Your future’s my past, I’ve been here before
I know when you’re scheming, I feel when you plotting
I got, mental vision, intuition
I know where you going I read your mind’s navigational system

I hope I’m not overemphasizing my listening habits, but when I listen to lyrics by Jay (or any other MC), I’m not putting myself in his shoes, I’m applying the root meaning of the lyrics to circumstances in my life.

With that said, when I listen to this line…

Your future’s my past, I’ve been here before.

…I’m struck by Jay’s statement. Jay lets us know that where his enemies are going, he’s already been. This is both in a physical and mental sense. If your future is my past, then I am more knowledgeable and experienced than you. I have a greater and deeper perspective whether we’re talking about the streets or business.

Jay tells us that he knows when his enemies are plotting against him.

How does he know?

Through intuition, cultivated by knowledge and experience.

Jay rhymes about having “mental vision” which is more powerful than the vision we have through eyesight. If our mental vision is impaired, intuition plays an important role in giving us clarity. What we “see” playing out in our minds occur BEFORE anything we actually physically see with our eyes.

The lack of mental vision can get you killed in the streets!

But the lack of mental vision can also be detrimental in your career and in business.

Jay tells his critics that he knows where they’re going because he has read their “minds’ navigational system.” I love this line because it shows how having a powerful mental vision can give you insight into the thoughts and motives of others.

A mental edge gives you a tactical advantage in the pursuit of your goals.

Have you ever had a conversation with a complete stranger and you found their statements to be predictable? It’s like you could read their mind. How does this happen?

You’re relying on your knowledge of human nature and behavior as well as your past experiences of interacting with all kinds of people that gives you insight on what someone is thinking before they actually tell you so.

On the streets, your mental vision will play as much of a role as your physical vision will in helping you elude trouble.

Being able to read the mind’s navigational system is an excellent tool to have in school, your career or in business.

Mental vision, powered by intuition, can turn interest in a particular area into a college degree that leads to a promising career.

Mental vision, powered by intuition, can take a professional from an entry-level position to C.E.O.

Mental vision, powered by intuition, can turn an idea into a million-dollar business.

Don’t rely exclusively on what you see with your eyes. You can’t physically see every potential danger or promising opportunity. Your mental vision reveals the blind spots in your life.

Next up: We’re going to dig into some of the lyrics from the second verse of “Streets is Talking”. In preparation, ask yourself this question…

“Are you TRULY comfortable in your life?”

I have a “confession” to make: I’ve always enjoyed rap love songs. Don’t get me wrong, the best rap love songs often don’t compare to true R&B/Soul ballads. Marvin Gaye is my favorite musical artist of all time largely because he’s made some of the best love songs (and songs that give insighful social commentary) that I’ve ever heard. But the rap love song is underrated. Being seen as a sexy heartthrob is not an image that most MCs embrace. MCs figure, correctly, that they can get all of the girls without being a “soft” “pretty boy”. But MCs have shown that the rap love song does not have to be corny.

Artists like Bow Wow, Ja Rule, Fabolous and of course L.L. Cool J, owe much of their success to the rap love song. The one rap love song that most fans associate with Jay-Z is “Song Cry” off the classic album, “The Blueprint”. It’s a great song. Very introspective. I will definitely write about “Song Cry” one day. But Jay has made several “love” songs and the one that may just be the most insightful is on The Dynasty album.

If it’s been awhile since you listened to The Dynasty album, I encourage you to give it a fresh listen. As I stated in my last post, some of Jay’s most insightful lyrics are on The Dynasty album. The album was a precursor to the Blueprint album and I think its strength is in showcasing the art of collaboration. I’ve talked about collaboration before and I’ll talk about it more in the future because it’s a powerful way to create- whether it’s music or any kind of pursuit in our own lives.

The typical love rap song is more about playboy swagger than genuine sentiments of love from a one-woman man. The traditional R&B/Soul love ballad tends to be about passionate, enduring love between a man and a woman. The rap love song (and many R&B/Soul love songs these days) tends to tell the tale of a womanizer’s latest exploits.

Times have changed.

What is a love song, anyway?

I think a love song is any song in which the singer, artist or musician expresses love and shows care for someone else. The characters in a love song are not limited to a man and a woman involved in a romantic relationship. “Dear Mama” by Tupac is one of Hip-Hop’s greatest love songs. The song, a love letter to Pac’s mother, strikes a chord with all of us, but particularly young black males because often our relationships with our mothers are the cornerstones in our lives.

Hip-Hop music has redefined the love song. Some would say that this redefinition has been negative and while I see the points they’re getting at, I disagree. As much as I enjoy songs being sung, I truly believe that the nature of rhyming, poetry set to music, gives the gifted MC an opportunity to express feelings such as love in a way that can’t be done as vividly through singing.

This is why R&B songs about dealing drugs on the block or being on the run from the cops typically don’t work. Nate Dogg is the King of the sing-along chorus (get well, player), being featured in some of Hip-Hop’s most popular gangsta records, but his career as a solo artist never took off because an R&B thug who sings exclusively about money, cash and hoes goes against the aesthetic of singing and does not have mass appeal.

The MC is lyrically able to do what is challenging for a singer to do in regards to a love song. The singer tends to romanticize love and relationships, singing about how love should be. The MC can tackle the subject of love the way he or she tackles any other subject, with pure authenticity. The MC’s rhymes are more vivid, “real talk”, revealing what actually happens in “loving” relationships of any kind.

With all that said, “I Just Wanna Love You” off The Dynasty album is not the subject of this post. I happen to love “I Just Wanna Love You” (what up, Pharrell- repping V-A), but that song fits the playboy swagger style that I talked about earlier.

As I’m sure you probably figured out from the title of this post, “Soon You’ll Understand” is the subject of this post, and, in my opinion, it is one of the most insightful rap love songs ever made.

Listen to the entire song…

Each verse on “Soon You’ll Understand” tells a different story but the theme is the same- the song is about the pain experienced from love. “Love is pain” is a popular theme in love songs throughout all musical genres. But it’s difficult for an artist to sing lyrics about the circumstances of love that Jay rhymes about in “Soon You’ll Understand” with as much rawness and insight.

One of Jay’s favorite collaborators back in the day, Ja Rule, released an album in 2001 (just a month after the release of Jay’s Blueprint album) titled “Pain is Love” that went on to be his most successful album. The reason why I’m mentioning this is to show that the “pain is love” theme has certainly been explored by the rap MC, in fact, Ja Rule did a decent job on the song “I Cry” (released before his “Pain is Love” album and Jay’s “The Dynasty” album) which expressed the love/pain dynamic in relationships.

Ok, let’s take a look at the stories being told in each verse and dig into the insightful lyrics.

In the first verse, Jay has a relationship with his best friend’s sister that is close to crossing the line. He’s known her since she was a kid and her family treats him as if he were family…

You’re my best friend’s sister, grown woman and all
But you see how I am around girls; I ruin ‘em all
Plus your mom called me son
Around you since I was small
Shit, I watched you mature – nah, this ain’t right

I’ve never been in this exact situation but forbidden love is something that most of us can relate to in one way or the other.

Many guys have grown up with friends who have younger sisters who are “secretly fond” of them. You may have always seen your boy’s little sister as just who she is, your boy’s little sister, but it’s likely that there’s a part of you that have at least wondered- “What if…”?

There’s a dynamic that can’t be explained when you actually watch someone grow up right before your eyes. One minute she’s a young cute but innocent girl and the next thing you know she’s a sexy “grown woman and all”, and no matter how hard you try not to, you now see her in a completely different light.

She’s no longer just your best friend’s little sister…

As the story goes, it’s clear that his boy’s little sister is fond of Jay and wants to get involved with him but Jay tells her…

“You see how I am around girls- I ruin them all.”

Jay’s a player and his boy’s little sister knows this yet she’s still interested in him.

Why?

Well, some us know from experience (not me, of course) that many women are attracted to players. Some women observe guys who have a way with women and it turns them on.

They figured, “It must be something about this guy that women are so drawn to and I want to find out what it is.”

So Jay has to deal with the naiveté and curiosity of his best friend’s sister but he also has to be respectful of the relationships he has developed over the years with his best friend, the guy’s mother and other members of the family.

Check out what Jay says here…

But still when your boyfriend ditched you
Life’s a bitch, you cried
Over my right shoulder I told you to wipe your eyes

Jay shows that he genuinely cares about his boy’s little sister, in fact, he sounds like the young woman’s older brother in these lines, doesn’t he? It was him that was there to comfort her when her boyfriend dumped her. Jay then gives her what I think is excellent advice for women…

Take your time when you liking a guy
Cause if he sense that your feeling’s too intense
It’s ‘Pimp or Die’

The truth is some guys will use a woman’s feelings against her and to their advantage. It’s all a game in the eyes of a player and Jay’s words are spot-on; a woman could be setting herself up to be hurt when she reveals too much and when what she does reveal is “too intense.”

“Pimp or Die” refers to how a guy will control the relationship that he has with a woman. While she’s leading with her emotions, he’s leading with his cunning mind and physical presence. Players are not the only guys who do this. A “good guy” can carry on a “pimp or die” mentality within his monogamous relationship if “he senses that your feeling’s too intense.”

Some women live by this “code” as well.

Watch out fellas!

How about these lines…

It must be sad, though it hurts to say
We could never be an item, don’t even like him
You deserve better

Jay tells her that she deserves better and seems to really mean it! Guys will say things like that but the words are just reverse psychology. Jay comes across sincere. He tells her that no matter how much she (or he on some level) wants the relationship to become romantic, it could (and should) never happen. While he’s a player, he has boundaries. He has lines that he won’t cross.

Players and so-called one-woman guys could take heed to Jay’s convictions in these lyrics.

He ends the verse with this…

There’s better guys out there other than me
Like a lawyer or a doctor with a Ph.D
Think of how upset your mother and brother would be
If they found that you was hugging me
My conscience is fucking with me

Jay knows that regardless of how his best friend’s little sister feels about him, he knows that she can do “better”. He knows that his mindset and lifestyle would likely corrupt this young and fairly innocent woman who is not as experienced as he is. He reasons that she’s better off with a successful, educated professional and not a player/hustler such as himself caught up in the streets.

Lastly, he tells her to think about how her brother and mother would take it if they found out that she was getting “close” to him. While she is acting on what’s in her heart, he’s acting on what’s in his conscience. It’s clear that the bond Jay has with his best friend, his best friend’s mother and his best friend’s little sister means a great deal to him and he doesn’t want to violate that in any way.

Deep verse…

But he gets deeper in the second…

It ain’t like, I ain’t tell you from day one,
“I ain’t shit”
When it comes to relationships
I don’t have the patience
Now it’s too late, we got a little life together
And in my mind I really want you to be my wife forever
But in the physical, it’s like I’ma be trife forever
A different girl every night forever

In the second verse, Jay is in a relationship- reluctantly and quite honestly, he’s attempting to distance himself from responsibility to the relationship.

My last statement is not as bad as it sounds, it simply reflects the reality of how some guys think and conduct themselves in a relationship.

Jay’s been telling his girl since the day they met that he “ain’t shit”. It’s funny, I can relate to that! On the one hand, he cares about her and her feelings and is simply being honest with her about his flaws. But on the other hand, he’s trying to use his flaws as a scapegoat, as reasons why she should leave him even though they now have a “little life” together.

This is some grown man sh–! Real-life issues and circumstances that we all go through!

Jay admits his lack of patience when it comes to relationships. Of course, it’s not really a lack of patience that he struggles with, is it?

Jay can’t fight his urge to chase or to be chased by the ladies!

It’s telling how Jay states that in his mind he wants his girl to be in his life forever as his wife but based on his actions (his “physical”), he feels as if there’s no end in sight to his playboy swag.

Regardless of your opinion on what Jay-Z says here, he’s simply being honest, struggling with the truth that at this point impacts himself, his girl and their “little one”.

The rawness and authenticity of these thoughts and emotions are hard to project in a song but Jay does so effectively.

Let’s move on to the next lines…

Told you to leave
But you’re stubborn and you love him
And no matter what
Despite all the fucking and the cheating
You still won’t leave him
Now you’re grieving
And I feel bad, believe me

These lyrics represent feelings that are often thought but not actually said by men in regards to their relationships with women.

It’s interesting how Jay used the word, “stubborn” to describe his woman. From her perspective, it’s not that she’s stubborn, she’s thought about leaving him, it’s simply that she loves him and her love for him is so deep that it makes it very difficult to do so.

See, Jay speaks from his perspective in this verse so the lyrics reflects how he sees his woman’s intent on staying with him as stubbornness even though it’s more likely that she wants to stay with him out of love not stubbornness.

Of course, we could look at it like this: Maybe Jay has it right. Maybe his girl is being stubborn in thinking that she can change him even though he seems to believe that in spite of her love, he’s going to be “trife forever” (trifling).

Let’s move on…

But I’m young and I ain’t ready, and this ain’t easy
Wasn’t fair to tell you to wait, so I told you to skate
You chose not to
Now look at the shit we gotta go through

These lyrics reveal the true source of Jay’s issues with the relationship: fear.

Fear is a real emotion and its scope stretches way beyond how one might feel when he is about to get in a physical confrontation with a big intimidating dude who is almost guaranteed to beat him down! We experience fear in our relationships. Sometimes situations that we appear to be the most comfortable in actually give us the most trepidation.

Yeah, Jay has swagger, he’s a hustler, loved by the ladies and respected by guys in the streets but commitment to a relationship with one woman and the responsibility of raising a child is another whole thing entirely.

He’s scared to death!

This would explain why some guys that are smart, tough, and charismatic excel at school, career, business (legit and dirty), dating, fighting or flossing but fail miserably at marriage and fatherhood.

Jay reveals that he’s not ready for commitment because it’s not easy but he admits that it wouldn’t be fair to tell his girl to wait for him to mature.

Therefore, he tells her to “skate”, to leave.

But his girl’s “stubbornness” or love (how ever you see it depends on perspective) makes her stay with him and he essentially believes that her decision is to blame for all of the drama that they’re going through.

If you’re on the outside looking in (and we all are as listeners), it’s Jay who actually seems selfish, right?

Yet every guy (including myself) who has ever been in a relationship where the “stakes are high” can relate to Jay’s statements. In fact, women can relate to Jay’s feelings as well because those feelings are indicative of the selfishness that we tend to exemplify in our relationships- our individual feelings often take priority over the other person’s with no regard for the best possible outcome of a situation.

None of us really want to get out of our comfort zones.

Here’s how Jay ends this verse…

Doing a fight, throw in a fuss
You the mother of my baby
I don’t want you to hate me
This is about us
Rather me
I ain’t ready to be what you want me to be
Because I love you, I want you to leave
Please!

The situation has brought tension and drama to the relationship. Jay’s insistence on his girl’s exit from the relationship is not meant so that she will have hatred for him. He wants her to leave because he’s not ready to be what she wants him to be. That statement supports his belief that his girl is being stubborn.

But we can tell in his tone that it’s more than that, can’t we? The truth is Jay is not ready to be what HE knows he NEEDS to be.

If his girl walks away from the relationship, he reasons that it’ll make things easier for her, but he also believes that it’ll make things easier for HIM.

Jay never states these feelings explicitly, right? But that’s been his M.O. throughout his career. The insight is revealed when you dig deeper beyond the surface and are able to relate the story Jay tells to situations in your own life. Think about it: what we say don’t always tell the whole story or accurately reflect how we actually feel.

Very insightful verse…

But Jay gets even deeper in the last verse…

Dear Ma
I’m in the cell, lonely as hell
Writing this scribe
Thinking bout how you must feel inside

The last verse on “Soon You’ll Understand” is my favorite one. In the story, Jay-Z is caught up in the streets and find himself locked up. The lyrics are actually a love letter to his mother.

There are literally millions of young men incarcerated whose letters might resemble Jay’s lyrics in this verse. And there are literally millions of mothers (many of them- single mothers) who “must feel” a great deal of despair inside knowing that their sons are locked up “in the belly of the beast”.

We often don’t fully realize just how much pain a man’s incarceration has on his family. When a man is locked up, to a certain degree, his family is too. His parents, his girlfriend or wife, his children, his siblings, his friends, anybody who truly cares about him is impacted by his loss of freedom.

Moving on…

You tried to teach me better
But I refused to grow
God damn, I ain’t the young man that you used to know
You said the street claim lives
But I wanted things like
Bling bling ice
I was wrong in hindsight

Jay acknowledges to his mother that she raised him “right” but he was rebellious and refused to take heed to her instruction.

You are always your mother’s child regardless of how old you are or what you get yourself into. You may change physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually but there’s nothing that compares to a mother’s love for her child. Her love is unwavering in spite of how much her child may change once he “grows up” and becomes a man.

Jay tells his mother that he’s not the young man that she thought he was. He’s changed, and, on the surface it seems to be for the worst.

Who are you?

I mean, who are YOU really?

If I asked your mother who you are, what would she say?
Would it mirror your own thoughts about self?

I seriously doubt it.

Getting back to the story, Jay’s mother warned him about the dangers of the streets, but like so many, he didn’t take heed. He wanted fast money, cars, clothes, jewelry, women, but now that he’s locked up he realizes (“in hindsight”) that not only his choices, but the seeds (the ideas) planted in his mind that influenced his choices were wrong.

Let’s continue…

Shit, we grew apart, try to blame it on your new spouse
I know it hurt like hell the day you kicked me out
But your house is your house, I ain’t respect the rules

Jay states that his relationship with his mother became strained and that they “grew apart”. While he made it seem that the new man in his mother’s life was to blame, he knew then what he admits now in the verse is that it was his dangerous lifestyle that caused the conflict between he and his mother and eventually led to him being kicked out of her house.

You know the saying, “I wish I knew then what I know now”?

It’s crazy how we often figure things out after we have put ourselves (and others) in heart-wrenching situations. I hope Jay’s lyrics in the last verse and my words will motivate those faced with difficult choices to choose the right one. It could save you and those who you love from going through a lot of pain.

We’re almost at the end of the song, so let’s keep going…

I brought crack past your door, beefed with rival crews
And who wants to be the mother of a son who sold drugs?
Co-workers saw me on the corner slinging “Larry Love” (cocaine)

In the story, Jay was selling crack in his neighborhood, right “past” his mother’s door and bringing his beef with rival hustlers to where he lives, which definitely could have ended in tragedy.

He then says…

“And who wants to be the mother of a son who sold drugs?”

This rhetorical question is affirmation- reflecting what many mothers in ‘hoods across the country feel but I think its meaning can also serve as an awakening for many who don’t realize (or care) that the actions of those caught up in the streets have a detrimental impact on the lives of their mothers.

In other words, that hustler in the streets who puts his own life in danger and is likely to end up dead or in jail may not be YOUR son but he’s SOMEBODY’S son who loves him as dearly and desperately as you love your child…

Believe that.

More…

Meanwhile, you working hard like, two or three jobs
Trying to feed me and my siblings
Making an honest living

While Jay’s mother worked hard on two or three jobs, her co-workers saw Jay on street corners selling drugs. That’s something that has to be disheartening and humiliating for his mother. She’s worked hard trying her best to provide for Jay and his siblings, still he ended up out on the streets hustling and eventually in jail.

He ends the verse…

Who am I kidding
I call myself easing the load
I made the load heavy
I need money for commissary
Try to understand!

Please…

Jay states that while he made it seem like his choice to sell drugs was an effort to “ease the load” for the family, he knows that he just made matters worst. His actions ended up being an incredible burden for his family to bear…

And now he “needs money for commissary”.

“Soon You’ll Understand” is about how love often brings pain. It’s not the kind of love song that you can grind to on the dance floor or make love to when you get home from the club. But it’s real. You may have never gone through any of the specific experiences Jay rhymes about in the three verses but surely you have felt the pain (or will one day) caused by a relationship with someone you loved and cared for.

In the first verse, Jay tells his best friend’s little sister that she may hurt now because they can’t be together but he tells her…

Soon you’ll understand.

In the second verse, Jay pleas with his girl to leave him because he’s not ready to commit to her in the way she deserves. She’s “stubborn” but despite her love for him he insist that she leave and even though it’s all so painful now, but he tells her…

Soon you’ll understand.

In the last verse, Jay writes a love letter to his mother from jail expressing remorse for all that he put her through. Now that he’s locked up, his mother feels pain. That pain seems hard to bear but he tells her…

Soon you’ll understand.

*I think it’s worth noting that the one who causes the pain in the relationship may be the one with the greatest need for understanding. If you listen to Jay’s lyrics (especially in verses 2 and 3), you can hear the emotion in his voice. While he pleas for understanding from those in his life, he seeks understanding of self- looking for clarity of his own thoughts and actions.

The song struck a chord with me from the first time I heard it. It’s personal.

“Soon you’ll understand” is what I say to people when they’re going through things in their lives that are painful, things that they can’t make sense of and don’t think they can overcome.

“Soon you’ll understand” is what I say to myself when I’m going through tough situations in my life as a way to stay optimistic and to give me the strength to keep moving forward.

The statement is really one of faith and comfort.

The truth is sometimes the people that we love the most will cause us the most pain but that pain we feel will one day heal. If you don’t know why things are the way they are in your life, remember…

Soon you’ll understand.

The Dynasty album is one of Jay’s most slept-on albums. Essentially, it’s a compilation album with stand out performances from Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Scarface and Snoop. The album was a solid effort but not a classic. Yet, some of Jay’s most insightful lyrics are on The Dynasty album. This next week I’m going to write about lyrical gems from this album. Of all of the songs on The Dynasty album, the 3 minutes and 10 second “Intro” may just be the most profound. The lyrics had an impact on me the first time I heard them. But with many of Jay’s lyrics, I find myself hearing and learning something different years after my first listen that just gives me newfound respect for his lyrical insight. Walk with me…

Listen to the “Intro” while reading the lyrics:

(Listen from 1:25-2:47)

Walk with me…
Talk to me…
Yo..

The theme song to The Sopranos
Plays in the key of life on my, mental piano
Got a strange way of seeing life like
I’m Stevie Wonder with, beads under the doo-rag
Intuition is there even when my vision’s impaired, yeah
Knowing I can go, just switching a spare
On the highway of life, nigga, it sharpened my sight
Oh!
Keen senses ever since I was a, teen on the benches
Every time somebody like Ennis was mentioned
I would turn green, me, being in the trenches
Him, living adventurous not worrying about expenditures
I’m braving temperatures below zero, no hero
No father figure, you gotta pardon a nigga
But I’m starving my niggas
And the weight loss in my figure starting to darken my heart
Bout to get to my liver
Watch it my niggas
I’m trying to be calm but I’m gon’ get richer
through any means
With that thing that Malcolm palmed in the picture
Never read the Qur’an or Islamic scriptures
Only psalms I read was on the arms of my niggaz
Tattooed, so I carry on like I’m non-religious
Clap whoever stand between Shawn and figures
Niggaz, say it’s the dawn but I’m superstitious
Shit is as dark as it’s been, nothing is going as you predicted
I move with biscuits
Stop the hearts of niggas acting too suspicious
This is, food for thought, you do the dishes

Jay calls out members of his crew declaring their world domination for the first minute of the “Intro”. All of that is typical “We the Best” bravado and therefore I didn’t include it in the lyrics above. So, we’re listening to this hypnotic beat, we hear Jay stunting on us about he and his crew’s intentions to destroy and conquer and we all figured that he would simply give us a “I am the very best, can’t nobody f—-k with me” verse before he “Change the Game” with Beans and Bleek, right?

Wrong.

How surprised were we (well, truthfully, I wasn’t surprised at all) when he overwhelmed us with arguably the best “Intro” ever heard on an album?

From time to time, I make these bold statements about Jay (and Hip-Hop as a whole) not necessarily because I believe it to be fact but because I want to start and contribute to the discussion.

(Let’s face it: who’s the greatest MC or the greatest ANYTHING is subjective. It would be nearly impossible to come to a 100% consensus. Making the claim an absolute truth in the minds of all is unlikely).

Speaking of discussion, just before Jay begins rhyming he says…

Walk with me…
Talk to me…

About 3 weeks ago in my post, “Take a Walk and Talk with a Source of Insight and Inspiration”, I explained why I’m publishing The Book of Hov and shared the mindset I have and the “techniques” I use when listening to MCs. One of the main points of the piece is that I see music as a conversation. Therefore, when I’m listening to a MC rhyme, it’s as if he (or her) and I are walking down the street carrying on a conversation.

On “Intro”, Jay reflects on his mental state when he was in the drug game and “invites” us to take a walk with him through a musical excursion so that he can share with us what’s going on in his world, but more importantly, what’s going on in his mind.

Ok, let’s take that walk…

The theme song to The Sopranos
Plays in the key of life on my, mental piano
Got a strange way of seeing life like
I’m Stevie Wonder with, beads under the doo-rag
Intuition is there even when my vision’s impaired, yeah

I’ve heard people say that Hip-Hop music is the soundtrack to their lives. This basically means that the music fits the “features” of their mental and physical condition. Music plays a critical role in our lives. It touches us on many levels. This dynamic explains why we embrace certain artists or types of music over others.

I don’t embrace Bob Dylan’s music (though I respect his artistry) the way most of his fans probably don’t embrace Jay-Z’s music, but a Dylan fan and myself share the triad: the relationship between the fan, the artist and the music.

The theme song of HBO’s The Soprano’s (“Woke Up This Morning”) like Jay’s lyrics can be interpreted in several ways. I read that the song tells the story of a battered wife that shoots her husband after being abused by him for over 25 years.

This story behind the lyrics wouldn’t fit the drama in The Soprano’s. The Soprano’s was a crime family drama in the Mob, the criminal underworld, so the most complimentary interpretation or adaptation of the lyrics to the drama is along the lines of a gangster, thug, hustler (or however you want to label him), out to succeed and make his mark on the streets by any means.

That interpretation would fit Jay’s mental and physical mindset when he was in the streets.

Your “theme song” that “plays” in the “key of your life” reflects your mental and physical conditions.

As always, Jay uses double entendres throughout this verse. His brilliance in the use of them should not be understated but at times it can be challenging to wrap your brain around them. But don’t let his cleverness puzzle you because you really don’t want to miss the messages being sent in this verse. They’re game-changers!

The “key of life” playing on his “mental piano” is a clever double entendre but it also gives us powerful insight into Jay’s mindset during that period of his life. The lyrics are in reference to Stevie Wonder’s 1976 album, “Songs in the Key of Life”. That album by Wonder (himself, a legendary musical genius) is considered by many to be the greatest album ever made.

“Mental piano” is an interesting term. We can look at in different ways but when we consider the context, I think Jay is giving us an inside look on how the inner workings of the criminal underworld and his actions within that world actually played out in his mind, formulating this thoughts, strategies and ideas.

This goes back to one of my favorite Jay-Z lines from “Reasonable Doubt”:

“Don’t be fooled, my game is mental”.

Consider this quote from an interview Jay did with Cigar Aficionado magazine:

“I believe that first album was so successful because I was really just trying to talk to a specific group of individuals,” Jay-Z says. “I’ve heard records where you know the things they’re talking about are not real. But I was out there living that life and I was trying to get every detail into my music. I had the experience of going to my shows and having big guys crying, saying…,
‘Man, you’re telling my story. You’re in my brain.’”

What Jay’s statement refers to is how music can reflect a person’s real-life experiences. The listener resonates with the art and the artist on an almost spiritual level.

Next, Jay tells us that he has “a strange way of seeing life.” It’s interesting that he used the word, “strange”. I think we can interpret “strange” as being synonymous with the word, “foreign”, meaning: unfamiliar.

This line (and in the very next one) reveals just how deeply introspective Jay-Z is. I can personally relate to that. Things I might say even to close, personal friends of mine are at times completely over their heads because I “see life” at a different (this does not mean “higher”) level mentally. It’s one thing to hang out and have fun with others, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you truly connect on a mental level. Having fun doesn’t require much thought, which is why unfortunately a good time can turn tragic quick. The way you “see” life, on a much deeper level, is unique to you and ultimately determines your outcome.

One of the reasons why Jay-Z is almost shamefully underrated when it comes to profoundness in his lyrics is because the most common theme in his music, the criminal underworld, is rarely understood (even by those who “live it”) and almost never articulated on a highly intellectual level, so when we hear genuis, we often don’t even know it!

A negative connotation is attached to a criminal with no room for perspective. He is, in the eyes of society- dangerous, reckless, unpredictable, desperate, greedy, heartless…and most of all, ignorant.

Of course, while those words might describe many criminals they could also describe many so-called law abiding citizens.

Jay’s lyrics about the criminal and his mindset challenges common perceptions.

Works on the criminal mind and the criminal lifestyle in cinema such as films by Martin Scorsese, or in literature, such as books by the author and New York State Supreme Court Judge Edwin Torres are held in high esteem.

Jay’s music (and music by a few other elite MCs like Raekwon and Nas) about the criminal underworld is NO DOUBT at the same high level and should be treated as such.

In the next line, Jay gives deeper introspection in his reference to the great Stevie Wonder “with beads under the doo-rag”. Wonder, of course, is blind and a musical genius whose career spans almost 50 years beginning when he was just 13 years old.

A person who does not have a specific sense rely more heavily on his other senses. For example, one could argue that Stevie Wonder hears music at another level than the average listener. I don’t mean in terms of volume, I mean on a metaphysical level.

This would explain his (and Ray Charles’) genius.

(I don’t have scientific or medical proof, it’s just my theory).

“Walk with me” as we dig deeper into what Jay is sharing with us…

Stevie Wonder, by nature and necessity uses intuition in all that he does including making great timeless music. His musical talents is God-given but intuition is something we all have, some just use it more frequently and more effectively than others.

From a literal sense, Wonder uses intuition to touch, to compose, to create, to connect, to elude- even though his “vision’s impaired”, in fact, he’s blind, his inability to see has not stopped him from living his life to the fullest.

Jay speaks of the use of his intuition in navigating the ins-and-outs of the drug game. Though he may not always be in a position to “see” every angle “clearly” (his vision being impaired), his intuition keeps him moving forward and out of harm’s way.

If you think this only applies to a drug dealer than I would advise you to never leave your home again because you’ll be in trouble if you ignore, neglect or don’t even realize that you have intuition.

Intuition can keeps us out of harm’s way whether in the streets or in the boardroom. But intuition does not only aid us in avoiding pitfalls, it can also serve as a powerful weapon in locating opportunities.

Intuition (or a lack thereof) can be life changing.

Let’s move on…

Knowing I can go, just switching a spare
On the highway of life, nigga, it sharpened my sight
Oh!

Jay tells us that he knows he can move forward “on the highway of life” because if he “stalls” he has a spare. When I first heard this line it blew me away. While clever, it’s incredibly insightful because Jay reveals what most of us don’t think of as a powerful weapon to avoid hurdles in our lives and overcome challenges: intuition.

In life our “vision” can become impaired. Of course, I’m speaking on a deeper level than the use of our eyes. “Vision” can be physical, mental or spiritual. Jay, I think wisely so, tells us that intuition “sharpens sight”.

Now, that’s deep.

Oh!!!

But he’s far from done…

Keen senses ever since I was a, teen on the benches
Every time somebody like Ennis was mentioned
I would turn green, me, being in the trenches
Him, living adventurous not worrying about expenditures

Jay-Z lets us know that he’s had “keen senses” since he was a teen. His keen senses are likely rooted in the environment he grew up in. But your environment by itself does not shape your mindset or your keen senses. The concept of street smarts is sometimes overblown but more often misinterpreted by those who need it most: the ones caught up in the streets!

What do I mean?

Street smarts can be acquired primarily through experience. But experience doesn’t necessarily make you more prepared mentally to handle future circumstances. The reason this is so is because you may have the knowledge (street smarts) but do you have the innate ability to effectively use those street smarts (keen senses) at critical moments in your life?

For example, are you strong enough to resist pride or emotion and rely on intuition?

Am I making it clear enough? Let me give you another example:

I was watching an interview of Jay-Z in which he talked about how he was with Biggie one night. They were supposed to do a show at a club but as they approached the club in their ride, they saw some unsavory characters standing outside. Biggie refused to go in the club. Jay-Z said that at the time he thought Biggie didn’t want to go in the club because he was just scared.

But he realized later that it wasn’t that Biggie was scared, he was just smart, he was intuitive. He knew of the time and energy he had invested in his career at that point and didn’t want to take an unnecessary risk to his future just to prove to some random thugs how hard he was. Jay took a lot away from that incident. That particular night, Biggie was allowing his intuition to steer him (and Jay) away from potential trouble.

The use of intuition is empowering and humbling at the same time. When you’re being intuitive, you’re acknowledging that the deep feeling inside your gut is greater than your self image or how others perceive you.

Now, I have to admit that I didn’t know whom Jay was referring to in the next line. Well, I knew who he was, I just didn’t know that he was whom Jay was referring to in the line.

I did a little research on Google and when I found out what Jay meant by the reference it made me respect his lyricism even more.

Who is Ennis?

When Jay rhymes “every time somebody like Ennis was mentioned”, he’s referring to Ennis Cosby, son of legendary comedian/entertainer Bill Cosby. Ennis was killed in Los Angeles in 1997 by a gunman tying to rob him. Ennis’s car had a flat tire on the side of the road when he was approached by the gunman who shot and killed him. He was 27 years old. I remembered when it happened. It was tragic.

This reference, while sobering, perfectly fits Jay’s revelation about having and using intuition to “switch a spare” on the “highway of life”.

I think it’s worth noting that Jay-Z and Ennis were the same age when Ennis was murdered. They’re from the same generation yet they lived very different lifestyles. Jay didn’t have a father figure. Ennis real-life father was “America’s Dad”, one of the most successful and respected black men in the country. Still, Jay shows a connection with Ennis and shares how his experiences in the crack 80’s (“me, being in the trenches”) was in sharp contrast to Ennis’s (“him, not worrying about expenditures”).

There’s was a great discussion going on at Project Covo about Jay-Z’s Ennis Cosby reference.

Let’s continue…

I’m braving temperatures below zero, no hero
No father figure, you gotta pardon a nigga
But I’m starving my niggas
And the weight loss in my figure starting to darken my heart
Bout to get to my liver
Watch it my niggas
I’m trying to be calm but I’m gon’ get richer
through any means
With that thing that Malcolm palmed in the picture

Jay describes the conditions he was living and hustling in when he was in the streets. This may be no surprise to you and me but it’s just a reminder of how tough and dangerous it is when you’re caught up in the streets and yet so many are out there on the streets because they’re “starving” figuratively and literally.

The hustlers in the streets today are just like cats back in Jay’s era: they’re determined to get ahead by any means necessary.

If you don’t understand, “you gotta pardon a nigga” because that’s just the way it is.

Moving on…

Never read the Qur’an or Islamic scriptures
Only psalms I read was on the arms of my niggas
Tattooed, so I carry on like I’m non-religious
Clap whoever stand between Shawn and figures

Some people who are sensitive to religious references (or just agitators) will cry foul due to Jay’s assertion that he “never read “Islamic scriptures” or “Psalms”. I don’t see this as an anti-religious line at all (by the way, don’t quote me on this, but I once read that Jay-Z was raised a Catholic).

It seems as if Jay is simply stating that when he was in the streets the environment wasn’t conducive to adopting a religious doctrine. Jay tells us that he would “carry on” as if he was non-religious resorting to violence if he had to in order to survive and thrive.

At the end of the verse…

Niggas, say it’s the dawn but I’m superstitious
Shit is as dark as it’s been, nothing is going as you predicted

Jay rhymes that while others are possibly overly optimistic he’s “superstitious”. But he simply comes across as realistic and relentless. Sometimes being optimistic can lose your intensity. This is not to say that we shouldn’t have faith we just have to make sure that we’re prepared and intent on continuing the grind until we clearly reach out zenith.

“Intro” is a powerful verse that kicks out a pretty good album.

“This is, food for thought, you do the dishes”

There are several striking similarities between jazz music and Hip-Hop music. I know many jazz writers and hardcore fans of jazz will strongly disagree- and that’s probably an understatement. I don’t think we can completely discount or ignore the parallels between jazz and Hip-Hop, musically and culturally. I’m not going to go in-depth in regards to the Hip-Hop and jazz debate because that discussion is worthy of a book that I am unprepared and frankly, unqualified (at least at this time) to write. But, in my opinion, jazz aficionados, brace yourselves: the rap collaboration mirrors a jazz jam session.

I have respect and appreciation for jazz music but I wouldn’t call myself a fan because I didn’t grow up listening to it and I don’t listen to it all that much today. I didn’t hear it in my house growing up. My uncles were more R&B/Soul fans (such as the Jacksons) when I was a kid and my mother and grandparents loved gospel music (such as Shirley Cesar and the Clark Sisters). Still, I’m familiar with some of the jazz greats: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Byrd, Lionel Hampton, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach and Wynton Marsalis to name a few.

I enjoy studying cultural history and jazz is a staple of African-American culture and American culture as a whole. As a writer, one of the things that always struck me about jazz music is the passion of the genre’s writers. If you walk into a bookstore and go to the music/arts section, you’ll see many books on jazz. Jazz criticism is an art form, an industry, a cultural phenomenon in itself and it fascinates me. For years I’ve read and studied jazz writers and writings- reviews, columns, features, profiles, interviews and biographies.

Hip-Hop can be as great as jazz music because both genres have played a significant role in shaping American culture. Someone like the noted jazz writer and columnist, Stanley Crouch, who has been a vocal critic of Hip-Hop music, would probably start trembling in total disbelief if he read that statement! But I truly believe it.

There are many differences between jazz and Hip-Hop but I think the biggest difference between jazz and Hip-Hop are not the artists but the writers.

Jazz writers write about the genre with a high level of intellect, passion and dedication. These writers uplift jazz as fine art and can thoroughly articulate its greatness. You have to understand the difficulty in writing about jazz. While there have certainly been great jazz singers such as Billie Holiday, Etta James and Bessie Smith, the core of jazz is instrumentation. It seems incredibly challenging to analyze and review instrumentation. It would be like me taking an entire Kanye West album and giving an in-depth analysis only on the album’s production; the samples, drum beats, interpolation, etc. It’s not easy.

Yet, jazz writers become masters at putting the instrumentation of the music into words that have an everlasting impact on its listeners.

I don’t want to get too much into my “what’s wrong with Hip-Hop journalism and criticism” rant because I realize that you want to know what song I think is the best rap collabo of all time, but let me say this: I think we as Hip-Hop writers need to step our game up.

At one time, back in the mid-late 90’s, I wanted to be in the Hip-Hop writing game, maybe getting a gig with The Source, The Vibe or XXL. But I never seriously pursued a career in Hip-Hop journalism because, number one, I became distracted by other endeavors (meaning: get rich quick schemes! I gotta keep it real Lol), and, two, I didn’t think Hip-Hop media took the culture and its music genre, or themselves very seriously. I still don’t.

Don’t get me wrong, I grew up religiously reading mags like The Source, The Vibe and XXL. There are some great writers covering Hip-Hop in in print and online. I just think we all need to keep pushing our culture, its music and ourselves to be great.

Jazz music has been elevated as an artform and it is widely and highly regarded as a great element of American culture because of the great talents of its artists, the sophistication and passion of its audience and the devotion and intellect of its writers.

Jazz came from the same place (the streets) that Hip-Hop came from. Its core fan base in its formative years was the youth. Some of jazz’s most prominent writers happen to be white males but if we check the mastheads and bylines within the Hip-Hop writing game, we’ll discover that many non-Black and non-Latino writers are covering Hip-Hop in prominent positions and roles.

The diversity of the coverage of Hip-Hop is great. The responsibility is on all of us to challenge and ultimately elevate the game.

The artists are doing their thing and the fans are supporting them but we as writers must understand that we play a very pivotal role in the elevation of Hip-Hop music and culture and instead of participating in silly things such as fanning the flames, instigating or even playing a role in the manufacturing of the latest beef of the week between rap artists. We’ll do the culture greater justice if we elevate the greatness of its artists, icons and the generation of leaders and followers who live it.

Now, we off that.

There’s a book I read a few years ago:

Trading Twelves: The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray

The late great Ralph Ellison (author of the classic, “Invisible Man”) and renowned literary/jazz critic, Albert Murray (co-founder with Wynton Marsalis of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York) were very good friends who shared a passion for jazz (as well as other artistic expressions such as painting, photography and literature).

Trading Twelves is a collection of their written correspondence to each other over the course of 11 years between 1949-1960. The title of the book refers to a jam session in jazz when two musicians use their respective instruments to exchange 12 bars of music. Both musicians go back-and-forth improvising. It’s a musical conversation.

Ellison and Murray’s written correspondences mirrors this improvised musical exchange in jazz.

And the greatest rap collaboration ever recorded clearly mirrors trading twelve’s in jazz music:

“Brooklyn’s Finest”
Jay-Z featuring the Notorious B.I.G.
Reasonable Doubt

I know most have heard this song before, so it’s not like I’m introducing it to you for the first time (even though, maybe some of yal haven’t heard it) but consider what I’ve been writing in this post about jazz music (specifically “trading twelves”) and listen to this record.

The purpose of The Book of Hov is to shed light on how profound Jay-Z’s lyrics are. Jay and Biggie’s lyrics are both profound on Brooklyn’s Finest not because we can apply the lyrics to our lives- the lyrical performance itself is what’s inspiring. The chemistry on the record is incredible. It’s the closet thing I think we as Hip-Hop fans have heard to the trading twelve’s dynamic in jazz music.

The meaning of trading twelve’s in jazz music sounds a lot like a rap freestyle session, doesn’t it? Of course, we’ve heard those before, many, many times. One could argue that any rap collabo is similar to this improvised session in jazz but with MCs trading sixteen bars instead of twelve.

This trade-off of rhymes is a tradition in Hip-Hop music and was used more often back in the day than it is now or even when Big and Jay recorded “Brooklyn’s Finest in the mid 90’s.

I have written about music being like a conversation. Jazz music brilliantly demonstrates this through instrumentation and rap music brilliantly demonstrates this through spoken rhyme.

Consider this excerpt from the book “Shining Trumpets” by jazz writer Rudi Blesh:

“Listen to blues and real jazz not for the familiar harmonized music but for a conversation of people, all talking about the same thing, with statements and answers, questions, comments, exclamations, interjections, even asides, humorous or tragic, but all pertinent and to the point.”

This statement could very well be used to describe the rap collaboration epitomized by Jay and Biggie’s “Brooklyn Finest”. Jay and Biggie’s performance on “Brooklyn’s Finest” is jazz-like.

Jay and Biggie trade 4’s on each verse. They keep each verse flowing, trading bars seamlessly like sprinters in a relay race. “Brooklyn’s Finest” is the quintessence of pure poetry in motion.

Man, I tell you, I would have loved to seen these two great MCs perform this song live!

Next up: The most insightful “Intro” I’ve ever heard.

What makes Coming of Age (Da Sequel) such a great song is the chemistry between Jay-Z and Bleek. Chemistry is something that I’m going to focus on this week because having it creates classic collaborations and long lasting relationships. Coming of Age (Da Sequel) is a song that anyone can relate to if they’re able to apply the lyrics to their own relationships and circumstances. In the first and second verses, Jay and Bleek share with us their thoughts as they anticipate a confrontation. What actually takes place in the last verse is more of an epiphany by the two than a heated confrontation.

Check out the lyrics while you listen to the last verse:

(Listen from 2:35-3:25)

[Jay-Z]
Yo, we wild out in Vegas, styled on haters
Mouthed off at the cops, out of cranberry drops
Copped whips the same color, we tighter than brothers
With different fathers but same mothers
This life don’t love us
So ‘til death do us
I’m never breaking my bond
Nigga, we Lex movers, V-12 pushers

[Memphis Bleek]
As I stand
One leg of my pants up, in a stance like
“And what?”
I know these niggas are feeding my mind cancer
But in time’s the answer
Seems mind-blowing
This weed and Hennessey
Got my mind going
Trust me nigga, I’m knowing
Chicks used to ignore me
And my aunt saying I need fifty
Not sixty-forty

[Jay-Z]
Oh God, don’t let ‘em control y’all
Your gun is my gun, your clip is my clip baby

[Memphis Bleek]
Your fun is my fun (uh-huh) your bitch is my bitch
Any nigga trying to harm Jay, I’m feeling for you
I ain’t only touching you
I’m killing your crew

[Jay-Z]
Give it a year, you’ll be sitting on a million or two
records sold nigga, perfect your roll

Like many of Jay’s songs, the “inspirational insight” contained in Coming of Age (Da Sequel) is implicit. This is what I actually like about Jay’s music because the lyrics can stimulate your mind while your head bops to the beat.

Congressman William Clay, Sr., co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus once claimed:

“Black people have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interests.”

I actually like that statement because I think it can be applied to us as individuals, regardless of race, color or creed obviously.

This permanent interests philosophy is essentially what resolves Jay and Bleek’s conflict and prevents what could’ve been a deadly confrontation.

We’re about to dig into the lyrics, but I just want to make the point that both Jay and Bleek realized that resolving their conflict was in their best interests. Now this doesn’t mean that their relationship is not deeper than just a business partnership. But ultimately, their motivation to resolve their conflict was heavily driven by their own self-interests.

This is not such a bad thing.

Many conflicts can be resolved and confrontation can be avoided when people actually realize what’s in their best interests.

Now, that last statement seems to contradict what appears to be the root cause of conflict- personal ambition and self-interests, doesn’t it?

But here’s the thing: While conflict is inevitable in some cases, it’s avoidable and other cases. And when we strongly and seriously consider what’s in our best overall interest, we’ll easily come to the conclusion that conflict should almost always be resolved amicably and confrontation should almost always be prevented.

Let’s take Jay and Bleek’s conflict in Coming of Age (Da Sequel) for example:

Bleek might be an up-and-coming hustler with lots of confidence and ambition but how does a confrontation with Jay, the guy who put him on, really advances his cause. The truth is he could lose which could very well mean his death.

But even if he wins (or more like survives), he’ll have to be prepared for war and it’s not like he can really trust his boys because it’s highly likely that they will attempt to instigate or start beef with him just like they successfully instigated his beef with Jay!

Even though Jay is in the stronger position, being the wiser and more experienced hustler, he has to know that “anybody can get touched”. Remember, the gangster flick, “Carlito’s Way”? One of the things that led to Carlito’s murder was his dismissive attitude of Benny Blanco who was an up-and-coming hustler.

Of course, Carlito probably should have killed Blanco in an earlier incident…

But he also could have understood Blanco’s ambition, embraced it and even took on the role of mentor, ally or even partner.

In reference to Blanco’s brash behavior, Carlito is told (paraphrasing), “This guy is you 20 years ago”.

Jay could not afford to be dismissive of Bleek. He realized that he had been in the position that Bleek was now in and that Bleek was more valuable to him ALIVE, being a strong and lucrative part of his enterprise.

Consider this quote from an interview Jay-Z did with Cigar Aficionado Magazine:

“You know, when they say there’s no honor among thieves—that’s not really true. When I was on the street, you had to carry yourself a certain way. You had to treat people fairly because that’s how you survived. Then everyone would want to deal with you. That’s how you develop a reputation as a good guy to deal with.”

(By the way, you can pick up some real gems from Jay when he’s interviewed by mainstream or “other” media sources. Unfortunately, often times non Hip-Hop media conduct more substantive interviews with Jay-Z and other Hip-Hop personalities than the Hip-Hop media does.)

We get a sense from the quote that the lyrics in the last verse of Coming of Age (Da Sequel) reflect the Jay’s actual philosophy when he was in the streets.

Think you can apply this philosophy to the relationships in your life?

I know I can.

Ok, let’s take a look at the lyrics with Jay starting off…

Yo, we wild out in Vegas, styled on haters
Mouthed off at the cops, out of cranberry drops
Copped whips the same color, we tighter than brothers
With different fathers but same mothers

What we can gleam from this verse is that Jay and Bleek were close and enjoyed success and good times together. It’s the aspects of the lifestyle (wilding out in Vegas) that may grab the attention of most listeners. But I zero in on Jay’s assertion that he and Bleek are “tighter than brothers with different fathers but same mothers”.

Jay’s relationship with Bleek is close and means something to him. If you’ve ever been a mentor to someone then you understand how special that bond can be. Their success is a reflection of you. Their success validates the value of your experience and knowledge. When your guidance plays an important role in someone’s growth and development it gives you tremendous gratification.

In spite of Jay’s conflict with Bleek, the young kid’s hustle (Bleek) is testament to his hustle (Jay).

So why would Jay want a confrontation?

Let’s move on…

This life don’t love us
So til death do us
I’m never breaking my bond
Nigga, we Lex movers, V-12 pushers

In these lines, Jay reveals that his interest is the same as Bleek’s. When your self-interest mirrors that of another that should become the basis for a resolution of conflict.

They’re both driven by ambition.

When Jay states that “this life don’t love us”, he’s proclaiming a sentiment shared by not just him and Bleek, but by millions of the disadvantaged. It may sound disheartening but it’s a real, genuine feeling that is often the driving force for tight bonds between individuals and groups.

Bleek comes in strong…

As I stand
One leg of my pants up, in a stance like
“And what?”
I know these niggas are feeding my mind cancer
But in time’s the answer

Bleek is in a popular young hustler’s stance of that era (the late 90’s). He acknowledges that dudes in the streets are poisoning his mind, which is having an impact on his judgment.

Many of you are allowing your minds to be poisoned by others who are ill informed at best and at worst, conniving. Many of us are being led in the wrong direction based on our adherence to the words of those who lack insight and perspective.

I think it’s interesting that Bleek makes the statement that “time’s the answer”.

It seems as if he’s saying that he became a prisoner of the moment, caught up in what others were saying and in time he could come to realization of the truth.

Let’s continue…

Seems mind-blowing
This weed and Hennessey
Got my mind going
Trust me nigga, I’m knowing

These lyrics I think accurately reflect how youth and heavy use of drugs and booze can cause one to think and act recklessly.

Let’s skip down to the exchange between Jay and Bleek…

[Jay-Z]
Oh God, don’t let him control y’all
Your gun is my gun, your clip is my clip baby

[Memphis Bleek]
Your fun is my fun (uh-huh) your bitch is my bitch
Any nigga trying to harm Jay, I’m feeling for you
I ain’t only touching you
I’m killing your crew

In these lyrics Jay and Bleek are simply pledging their allegiance to each other. They’re proclaiming that they’re down for each- riding together in crime and violence (gun/clip), through good times (fun is my fun) and even when it comes to the ladies.

Bleek’s threatens anyone who tries to harm Jay and while the language may seem only appropriate to drug wars on the streets, it’s really all about loyalty and part of being loyal is being not afraid to defend those you have a bond with. When you’re loyal to someone you’re protective of his or her overall well being.

Jay ends the verse…

Give it a year, you’ll be sitting on a million or two
records sold nigga, perfect your roll

Jay is still in mentor mode, encouraging Bleek to be patient reassuring him that his ambitions will be fulfilled.

Great ambition is a strong plus but when its combined with recklessness, bad influences and a lack of patience it all equals a recipe for failure.

Patience may just be the most powerful weapon to have in your pursuit of success.

It’s kind of ironic: I wrote about Jay-Z’s fall out with Beanie Sigel not long ago and I can’t help but see some similarities between their real-life conflict and the one Jay and Bleek play out on Coming of Age (Da Sequel). I think their conflict could’ve been resolved based on the sentiments and principles proclaimed in this song.

Maybe it still could be.

Probably just wishful thinking, though.

A lot can be learned from Coming of Age (Da Sequel) but what really strikes me about the lyrics and vibe in the last verse is that conflict can strengthen a bond. Pride and personal ambition don’t have to be a hindrance to a healthy relationship.

Through reflection, we can consider:

How did we cross paths in the first place?

What made us clicked? What’s our connection?

What is the root cause of the conflict?

Does the conflict and confrontation serve or hurt our self-interests?

How can the conflict actually strengthen our bond?

Let me conclude with this: I’m a realist. I fully understand that conflict in life is unavoidable and so is confrontation for that matter. We shouldn’t seek conflict but we shouldn’t run from it either. Conflict can definitely turn into a confrontation and the final outcome can be bad. But I think this song with its final outcome gives us insight on how conflict can make us as individuals, as well as the bonds we develop in our relationships stronger.

The build up to the confrontation between Jay-Z and Bleek grows in intensity in the second verse of “Coming of Age (Da Sequel)”. There’s a lot we can learn about our own relationships when we listen to the lyrics in this verse. It may seem like the story takes place another world, conflicts in the drug game is no joke, that’s for sure! But I think the tension between Jay and Bleek in this crime story has striking similarities with relationships that become strained in our lives. I believe that conflict can strengthen relationships. Don’t get me wrong, conflict can (and often does) destroy relationships, but conflict often brings out an element that is vital to the state of any kind of relationship- the revelation of truth.

More on this later…

Let’s check out the lyrics in the second verse…

(Listen from 1:30-2:12)

[Jay-Z]
Look at that fake smile he just gave me
It’s breaking my heart
Should I school him or pull the tools out and just break him apart
I felt his hatred it was harsh
‘Fore this faking shit start
I should take him in back of the building and blaze him

[Memphis Bleek]
Uh-oh, this nigga Jay he ain’t slow, he must’ve picked up on the vibe
And had I, not been so high
I would’ve been able to hide
Tried to cover up myself, as I gave him a five
Hugged him, as if I loved him

[Jay-Z]
To the naked eye
It would’ve seemed we was the closest
But to those that know us
Could see that something was about to go down

[Memphis Bleek]
Stay focused
I’m trying to concentrate
But it’s like he’s reading my mind
As if he can see through this fog and all this weed in my mind
Could he see I had plans on, being the man
Ever since we first spoke and he put that G in my hand
And I gave it back to show him, I was down for the cause
As he approached
[Jay-Z: "What up Bleek?"]
And I paused..

Ok, now let’s break these lyrics down line by line, starting with Jay’s part…

Look at that fake smile he just gave me
It’s breaking my heart
Should I school him or pull the tools out and just break him apart

Have you ever had tension with someone you were once close to?

Could you feel the tension when you and this person were in the same room?

Could you see the strife in that person’s face from the moment he or she looked at you?

We all recognize the “fake smile”, don’t we?

It’s really a shame when relationships that were once tight become strained or worst. I have gone through this before. I’ll spare you the details, but I know from experience that there’s often combined feelings of bitterness and sadness when someone who you once respected, had love for and cared about now seems like a stranger or an enemy.

Jay can feel the tension and see the strife on Bleek’s face. He has enough insight to know that Bleek’s smile is disingenuous. Jay isn’t misled by appearances.

Jay states that Bleek’s animosity toward him breaks his heart. This statement reveals that Jay has love for Bleek, cares about him and is hurt by the state of their relationship.

What we see on the surface does not tell the whole story. Relationships have complexity. I know you’ve heard the saying, “there’s a thin line between love and hate.” Well, often that’s true. Jay has a beef with Bleek yet that still doesn’t completely erase the fact that he has love for him, so he’s in a really tough situation emotionally… and physically.

As Jay is about to approach Bleek he’s torn whether to give him guidance, encouragement and support or resolve the conflict with violence.

Why would Jay resort to violence against his protégé, someone he has love for?

We have to understand that the “rules” of the drug game are different from how we (should) live our lives. Violence is a part of the drug game. It’s inevitable. Anyone who gets involved in the drug game has to be prepared for violence. It’s as simple as that and Jay knows this.

Jay considers the option of “pulling out the tools” (guns) and “breaking Bleek apart” (shooting him) not necessarily because he wants to but because he knows that he may HAVE TO in order to make it out of the situation alive.

Kill or be killed.

(It’s clever how Jay takes a slang term for a gun, “tool” and creates a double entendre, which connects a literal use of the word with the literal use of a gun, which in many cases is to commit violence. You don’t hear other MCs or even Jay himself use a double entendre in that way.)

We hope that violence is not an option to resolve conflicts in our relationships but unfortunately it’s a real possibility whether the beef is between drug dealers or next-door neighbors in the ‘burbs.

The point is there are at least two ways (often more) to resolve conflict. One way can possibly strengthen a bond and the other way can possibly break a bond permanently.

Let’s move on…

I felt his hatred it was harsh
‘fore this faking shit start
I should take him in back of the building and blaze him

In the first line, Jay SEES Bleek’s fake smile but now he FEELS Bleek’s hatred, which he describes as harsh.

It’s now apparent to Jay of Bleek’s hostility toward him, which, increases his, let’s say, “determination” to resolve the conflict decisively.

The relationship between these line and the previous ones are worth pointing out because they reveal Jay’s progression in assessing the state of the situation. He had to first rely on observation (seeing Bleek’s “fake smile”) but then he quickly used his “keen senses” to realize Bleek’s true bitterness toward him.

In other words, Jay had more trust in how he felt opposed to what he could observe with his eyes. He could “see” Bleek’s animosity but he “felt” his hatred, which is a lot more troubling. And as we hear, now the option of resolving the conflict with violence is something Jay is strongly considering even more.

Remember what Bleek said at the end of the first verse?:

“Swear to God, they had me practically hating his guts…”

Keep in mind that Jay had to accurately assess Bleek’s feelings toward him in just seconds AS he approached him, BEFORE either one of them said a word.

Ok, let’s check out what Bleek has to say…

Uh-oh, this nigga Jay he ain’t slow, he must’ve picked up on the vibe
And had I, not been so high
I would’ve been able to hide

Bleek acknowledges (in his mind) that “Jay ain’t slow”. Bleek’s words support the point I just made that Jay had to think through the situation clearly and quickly. And it doesn’t take Bleek long himself to realize that Jay has “picked up on the vibe” that he hadn’t done a good job of concealing.

Instincts, observation skills, intuition, are all important in dealing with conflict and preparing for confrontation.

Choices are conceived, thought out and planned in the mind before actions are executed. The problem that many of us have is that our choices are often ill-conceived, not well thought out and poorly planned before we take what ends up being reckless actions.

If you’re going through conflict with someone in your life, DO NOT take this mental game lightly. People often end up in conflict or worsening the drama in their lives because they act on choices derived from a weak mental game.

Bleek’s next line is kind of funny and still insightful because it’s authentic and reflects how some of us carry ourselves even in the midst of drama.

Bleek admits that his heavy drug use has had an impact on his focus. Instead of masking his emotions, being under the influence of drugs has revealed them.

The admission is somewhat comical because, contrary to what some actually believe, drugs don’t make you sharper or increase your focus. The heavy use of drugs might be an asset when partying but it’s a liability when it comes to the managing conflict.

Bleek’s lyrics also give us insight because it reveals how a person can unintentionally, yet foolishly, self-sabotage themselves, compromising what’s in his best interest. Aside from the wisdom and experience discrepancies, Bleek put himself at an even greater disadvantage in the impending confrontation with Jay by being high on drugs!

Don’t allow anybody or anything to get you off your focus. Having focus is important as you go through life’s journey but especially when you’re dealing with conflict and drama.

Moving on…

Tried to cover up myself, as I gave him a five
Hugged him, as if I loved him

Bleek knows that his hostility toward Jay has been exposed but he attempts to “blur” Jay’s vision of the situation by putting on a good face, greeting Jay by “giving him five” and a hug.

By all appearances, everything is fine…

Has someone “shown” you love even though you felt hate?

Well, let’s see what Jay thinks about Bleek’s gesture?…

To the naked eye
It would’ve seemed we was the closest
But to those that know us
Could see that something was about to go down

Jay tells us that on the surface everything seems fine between him and Bleek but that those who know them both can sense trouble.

I wrote about this “skill of observation” in my piece on the original “Coming of Age” record off the Reasonable Doubt album.

You might find yourself right smack in the midst of a conflict between others. While you may not have direct involvement, their conflict could certainly impact you in some way, shape or form. Use the skill of keen observation to steer clear of drama that could change the course of your life.

Let’s continue as Bleek jumps back into the verse…

Stay focused
I’m trying to concentrate
But it’s like he’s reading my mind
As if he can see through this fog and all this weed in my mind

Bleek attempts to motivate himself to “stay focused” but it’s a challenge “to concentrate” and manage the situation because he’s high!

You know, Bleek’s position in this situation would be funny as hell if it weren’t so serious! Many cats in the streets get caught up in this situation, and, quite frankly, end up dead or in jail because of a lack of good judgment, which causes a lack of focus.

At this point in the situation, Bleek feels as if Jay is “reading his mind”. He figures that Jay is able to see through the “clouds of weed smoke” gaining clarity on his true’s feeling.

Have you ever gone to a nightspot somber and simply observed others who were already intoxicated once you got there?

Because Jay was focused and sharp he was able to observe with clarity and make an accurate judgment on Bleek’s mental and physical state.

In other words, Jay had an upper hand on the situation because while he was sharp and somber, Bleek was reckless and high.

You are at your sharpest when you first arrive to a nightclub, but the soundness of your thoughts, judgment and inhibitions settle at the bottom of a “20-ounce shot glass” once you start drinking.

The effect that drugs or alcohol has on the mind and body is what actually creates a scenario that breeds conflict and confrontation. But if you approach an existing conflict HIGH then you’re increasing the likelihood of a confrontation where YOU LOSE.

Here’s how Bleek ends the verse…

Could he see I had plans on being the man
Ever since we first spoke and he put that G in my hand
And I gave it back to show him I was down for the cause
As he approached
[Jay-Z:"What up Bleek?”]
And I paused..

Bleek reveals that from the day Jay put him on (see: “Coming of Age” from Reasonable Doubt) he’s had plans for a takeover and he speculates whether Jay has known his ambitions all along.

I think this statement by Bleek reveals what is often the root cause of conflict: personal ambition.

People are driven by their own self-interests. It’s human nature, frankly. People have their own self-agenda and this almost always has an adverse impact on their relationships with others.

I like this entire song but this verse stands out for me because Jay and Bleek brings incredible insight on how the mental game is played out in the wake of a confrontation. The drama in the first and second verses takes place in the minds and thoughts of both Jay and Bleek and it’s as intriguing as the confrontation itself.

Most rap solo records or collaborations that tell a crime story, do so with raw, unadulterated emotion and rely too heavily on sensationalism. The grittiness on these songs is fine because it’s authentic, but what separates Coming of Age (Da Sequel)” (and many other songs by Jay) from other rap songs that focus on criminality is that Jay and Bleek bring meaningful insight and intellect in telling the story of how drama plays out on the streets.

In the beginning of this piece, I stated that conflict can strengthen a relationship because it brings out the revelation of truth. What do I mean? Though Bleek tried to mask his hostility toward Jay, Hov had enough insight into the cause and effect of human motivation to realize Bleek’s true feelings toward him.

See, how the truth is revealed or who reveals the truth is not as important as the revelation itself.

Follow me?

Bleek never expressed his hostility to Jay. But through knowledge, experience and keen senses (see: “Intro” from the Dynasty album) Jay realized Bleek’s underlying feelings and his true intent. In fact, Bleek seems to strongly suspect that Jay was aware of his ambitions from the very beginning when Hov “put that G” in his hand.

Use knowledge, experience and your keen senses when navigating through conflict in your relationships. Your discovery of truth is empowerment. The resolution of the conflict is then largely determined by your will and leverage.

I think the second verse shows us the importance of being sharp and focused when dealing with conflict. The sharpness of the mind is key because it’s a powerful weapon in our search for the truth- and it’s our knowledge and understanding of the truth that gives us an advantage.

Conflict can escalate swiftly and if you’re not prepared (“Don’t be fooled my game is mental”- Can I Live) and don’t have “truth on your side” you can’t handle it thoroughly and decisively.

Of course, I’m not advocating specific actions (such as violence) on how to deal with conflict in your life. I just believe that “Coming of Age (Da Sequel)” gives us insight on what causes conflict and how our approach and handling of drama are strong factors in determining the outcome regardless of the circumstances.

The verse ends with a face-to-face greeting between Jay and Bleek that sets up a dramatic confrontation.

Stay tuned…