One thing that to this day still disappoints is the break-up of the original Roc-a-fella crew. I would argue that they had the longest run than any crew in the history of Hip-Hop. Lead by Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke (all co-founders of Roc-a-fella records), that crew was full of talented all-stars. Of course, I’m partial because everyone knows that Jay-Z is my favorite rap artist and I’m basically a Roc loyalist. The original Roc was in their prime in my era (I was about 21, 22 when they were at their peak). They rolled like a tight-knit family. I think it’s ashamed that “The Dynasty” didn’t last longer because as a unit, they were really quite impressive, at one point dominating the rap game.

In being as objective as possible, I’ve said for the record that Jay may equally share the blame with Dash and Biggs for the break-up. Who knows, maybe Jay deserves the lion’s share of the blame for the Roc breakup! I just know that as a fan I miss that clique and primarily because I would have loved to have seen how the careers of those on the roster would have grown and developed. Now, aside from the explosive career of Kanye West, the careers of the other artists from the Roc fam is either in decline or over.

Of course, some of you might be saying, “Hold up, the Roc is still alive! It’s just not called Roc-a-fella anymore, it’s Roc Nation now.” Well, technically you’re right but as much as I love Jay-Z’s music, his new outfit, Roc Nation, has yet to really grab me. You have to understand that I came up in the “crew love” era. The “crew love” era is when you grow up together in tight-knit groups; or crews, cliques, squads…you get the idea. Back in the 80’s, 90’s through at least the first five years or so of the 2000’s, Hip-Hop was about how tight, how deep and how thorough the crew as a whole rolled. There is still some of that “crew love” in Hip-Hop but it isn’t as pronounced now as it was in my era.

Roc Nation follows the new business model in the music industry. It’s a very different movement than what Roc-a-fella was in the 90’s-early 00’s. The entertainment company’s roster has artists from various music genres, not just Hip-Hop. The artists signed to Roc Nation are talented and show promise but I just don’t get that tight-knit family vibe that Roc-a-Fella had.

Let me be clear: I’m still all in when it comes to Jay’s artistry (and business moves). I’m as inspired by Jay today as I was when he released his debut album Reasonable Doubt. I think J. Cole and one of Jay’s newest signees, Jay Electronica, are very talented cats; both could make a huge splash in the music industry. But that’s all yet to be seen. The verdict is still out on whether Roc Nation will truly be a dominant force in the music industry but it’s hard to bet against Jay’s vision.

The one constant in Jay’s career (other than his lyrical prowess and hustle mentality) from Reasonable Doubt to Blueprint 3 has been his bond with Memphis Bleek. Jay-Z talked about his relationship with Bleek in his memoir, “Decoded”:

“Today he’s [Bleek] running his own label-and still touring with me. I can’t even count the times over the years niggas have tried to bait Bleek into a battle with me about his position. They don’t see the respect I have for him or the strength of character it takes for him to play a supporting role while he’s also trying to build his own thing. Bleek has turned out to be one of the most secure guys I’ve met or done business with, which is ironic, given that he started off being the youngest.”

From Decoded

I write about the mentor/protégé relationship between Jay and Bleek frequently in my upcoming book, “I Will Not Lose! The blueprint for greatness when good is not enough.” I can relate to their bond because of my own experiences. Bleek is around my age and I’ve typically hung out with guys 5, 10 years older than me like in the case with him and Jay. I’ve always found a special connection with older cats. Whether they were straight up street, highly educated people, businesspersons or spiritual leaders, I seek association with those who know more and have done more than myself. We all should embrace being mentored and then take on the responsibility of mentoring others.

After reading Jay talk about his relationship with Bleek in Decoded, I must say that it doesn’t surprise me that people have tried to get in Bleek’s ear and pit him against Jay. Others have turned on Jay (I was really surprised when Beanie Sigel did), so why not Bleek, right? Wrong. Bleek has shown the kind of maturity and character that often those older than him lack. I’m sure Bleek has had plenty of disagreements with Jay but the fact that he is still riding with his man who put him on over 15 years ago when he was just a kid, demonstrates the strength of Bleek’s loyalty.

But what really grabbed my attention is when Jay states that other people don’t realize just how much respect he has for Bleek. Jay respects Bleek’s character and security in himself and though he didn’t say this, it would be fair to say that Jay has played a major role in Bleek’s development as an artist, businessperson and as a man. I think one of Jay’s best contributions to the game is the role he has played as mentor to Bleek. Some of you may be thinking, “Bleek never became a big star!” That’s true, but I would argue that Bleek is a star because he has shined brightly playing his position in a supporting role. And let’s give credit to Bleek- he has had a respectable career as an artist and is C.E.O and founder of Get Low Records. Obviously, Get Low hasn’t exactly set the music world on fire but when it comes to Bleek’s overall grind- he has nothing to be ashamed of.

The truth is the protégé doesn’t always eclipse his mentor. But through his own knowledge, experience and character, he earns the respect of his mentor and everyone else. People diss the role of the supporting player while they sit on the bench or watch the game from the cheap seats. I respect the team player as much as I respect the star. I was glad to see Jay talk a little about his relationship with Bleek in Decoded. I’m actually more intrigued by their bond and business relationship than Jay’s marriage to Beyonce. I think we should all take notice of how Jay and Bleek have hustled together through thick and thin.

The mentor/protégé relationship is a win-win and if the protégé is strong and secure in himself he one day becomes the mentor’s equal. You can learn a lot from listening and watching others who have both succeeded and failed many more times than you. I had a conversation on this very subject last night with a good friend of mine. Seek out guidance and direction from those who know more and have done more. And don’t try to reinvent the wheel, do what’s already proven, just put your swagger to it. Hustle with those who share your passion, determination, thoroughness, curiosity, intelligence, persistence, confidence and most of all-respect.

I really enjoyed reading Decoded. Jay shared a lot of great insight in the book. I thought Dream Hampton’s writing was excellent. I wrote last week that I think the memoir elevated Hip-Hop culture because the book is well written, smart and makes a compelling argument of Hip-Hop’s greatness and potential. Jay comes across as a very intelligent guy. In society, perception becomes reality but perception is “intellectually lazy” and often lacks depth. An ex-crack cocaine dealer is not perceived as being an inspirational figure. A rapper is not generally perceived as truly being an artist. Of course rappers are artists; at least the best ones are. Jay is certainly an artist and his journey from drug dealing to making music to making strong moves in the business world is, in my humble opinion, is very inspirational.

Though it may be a term that even Jay himself might shun, Jay-Z is: “a Hip-Hop intellectual”. The word “intellectual” can have a bourgeoisie connotation for some but an intellectual is simply someone who thinks frequently, sharply and deeply. Jay shows a high level of intellect in Decoded. But it’s his lyrics that have apparently made quite an impact on young professionals in the business world. I’m not surprised.

“My corporate thugs be like, ‘Yeah, Jigga talk that shit”
“Go Crazy (Remix)”
Jay-Z

“My friend Steve Stoute, who spends a lot of time in the corporate world, tells me about young execs he knows who say they discovered their own philosophies of business and life in my lyrics. It’s crazy”.
Jay-Z from “Decoded”

I don’t think it’s so crazy at all, Jay.

Since I started “Book of Hov” back in June 2010 I’ve received emails from people from all walks of life who share with me how Jay-Z’s lyrics have had an impact on their lives. I’ve gotten emails from entrepreneurs, Ivy League college students with promising futures and corporate professionals whom have all thanked me for writing the Book of Hov and shared with me how Jay’s lyrics deeply resonate with them. Malik Corbett, publisher of BU Magazine Exchange, has a background selling products and services to Wall Street firms and told me that Jay’s music connects with many professionals working in New York’s financial district. A few weeks ago I received an email from the managing director of an investment-banking firm expressing his interest and appreciation for Jay’s insightful lyrics about ambition. It really is amazing.

I think corporate professionals connect with Jay because “game recognizes game.” Entrepreneurs, businesspeople and corporate professionals are highly driven individuals. According to Jay, he was a highly driven street hustler back in the day and today he’s a highly driven artist and businessman. Jay wasn’t on the corporate world’s radar until recent years. The corporate world took notice of Jay once he made major moves in their environment. But the truth is Jay has always been a hustler and businesspeople in the legitimate world are hustlers. Many people in the corporate world “get it” because they live and hustle by the universal principles of success that Jay shares in his lyrics.

What disappoints me is how people who claim to be true Hip-Hop heads and are often the ones who need inspiration the most, fail to “get it”. This was part of my motivation to write my book, “I Will Not Lose! The blueprint for greatness when good is not enough.”- I want my book to have broad appeal but I really hope it will cause Jay’s most loyal and most disadvantaged fans (and even the haters) to listen differently and more deeply to his lyrics. But I want my book to do much more than that. I want the book to promote inspiration, whether it’s found in the lyrics of Jay-Z, your favorite MC or anywhere else.

I haven’t purchased Jay-Z’s memoir, “Decoded” yet (the book has been released today) but I plan to later on this evening. Like most Jay-Z fans, I’m very interested in what he has to say in the book. I really don’t know what to expect from Decoded but I don’t think Jay will disappoint. When you’ve followed an artist/entrepreneur’s career as long as I have Jay’s, I can say that I definitely have some excitement due to the release of Decoded. I’ve always been fascinated by the lives of successful people, particularly those who have excelled in business and the arts. I’ve read several autobiographies and memoirs by successful artists and businesspeople. The struggles and successes of others serve as great inspiration for me. I anticipate Decoded being added to the many sources of my inspiration.

I believe that a person’s life’s story can inspire and encourage others to  keep living and fighting to make it through their own struggles. In the case of Jay-Z’s Decoded, you might have a lot in common with Jay or maybe you don’t have much in common with him at all- still, his story can have an impact on your life. You don’t have to be an ex-crack dealer from Brooklyn to relate to Jay’s life story. You don’t have to be young, black, male or even a fan of Hip-Hop to get something from Decoded. I have read books by and about people who I had little in common with except for one thing; ambition. Jay’s life and music is really driven by ambition and that is something that we all should be able to relate to.

People have asked me how is my book, “I Will Not Lose: The blueprint for greatness when good is not enough.” different from Jay-Z’s Decoded. Well, from my understanding, Decoded is a memoir where he shares his life’s story and reveals literal interpretations of his song lyrics. The book, written by the talented writer, Dream Hampton, is Jay’s story. “I Will Not Lose” is a self-help book; Hip-Hop style. Using the song lyrics of Jay-Z as a “blueprint”, I share with readers how and why the mental game must be won in order to be successful in life. While Jay reveals the literal meanings behind his lyrics, I attempt to show philosophically what Jay’s lyrics mean in the universal pursuit of success.

I look forward to reading Decoded over the next few days (it doesn’t take me long to read as long as a book is compelling) and I’ll write a review once I finish. If you’re currently reading Decoded or plan to soon, seek inspiration. The purpose of inspiration is to motivate. Let the details of Jay’s life story and the words in his most insightful song lyrics motivate you to dream big and hustle even bigger until you reach the pinnacle of your success.

I’ve stated before that the fall out between Beanie Sigel and Jay-Z disappoints me. Bleek is Jay’s protégé, the once 15-year old kid that is now a grown man still riding with Jay. If you’re going to see Jay-Z live you’re likely to see Bleek right there on stage with him. While Bleek is Jay’s loyal protégé who has always had great potential, Beanie Siegel is (or was) Jay’s enforcer. I’ve always said that Beanie has the rawest talent of any MC in the history of Hip-Hop. As far as lyrical ability Beans is right there with the best (including Jay). He has all of the tools of a great MC but it seems like he lacks certain important qualities that hinders his development as an artist.

Jay has expressed his concerns in regards to Bean’s artistry and overall success in his lyrics:

Beans, I ain’t trying to change you
Just give you some game
To make the transition
From the street to the fame

“Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)”
Blueprint
Jay-Z

I stated earlier that Beans has the rawest talent I have ever heard in Hip-Hop. There are several meanings of the word “raw” but here’s the meaning that best fits my opinion of Bean’s talent:

Raw: untempered and unrefined

My “10 Greatest MCs of all Time” list has been the same for several years. I’ll share it with you one of these days but I can tell you right now that Beanie Sigel can hold his own lyrically with ANY of the MCs on my list. Period.

Beans gave two of the most vivid lyrical performances I’ve ever heard on these classics:

This record is quite insightful about, ironically, betrayal, and really shows Beans’s lyrical brilliance.

Beans paints the picture of prison so vividly in this song. This record is like cinema. Hey, it pretty much made up mind to never get locked up!

It seems like Beans’s career has suffered and stalled because of bad judgement and a lack of discipline in his artistry and in his business. The talented brother has had some success the “issues” he’s had in his personal life are long and well-documented. I’m pulling for him to get things right but it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that some of his personal issues have had an adverse impact on his artistry and business interests.

Unless you don’t follow Hip-Hop that closely you’re aware of the “beef” Sigel has with Jay-Z. Beans has made what seems like an album’s worth of diss songs directed toward Jay. Beans’s main problems with Jay seem to be business-related and not personal.

If I could ask him a couple of questions in regards to his beef with Jay, they would be:

Why do you think making diss songs every other day directed toward Jay will increase the likelihood of resolving your business disputes with him?

and

How does dissing Jay over and over and over again advance or revitalize your career?

Some may say that Nas’s beef with Jay-Z revitalized the great Queensbridge MC’s career. I agree. But there’s a major difference between Nas’s beef with Jay back in the day and Bean’s beef with Jay: Jay shot first and Nas responded, strongly, I might add.

And also, the timing for the Jay-Z/Nas showdown was right. Hip-Hop was clamoring for it. Not too many people seem to care all that much about Beans vs. Jay. No one segment of Hip-Hop’s audience has that much emotionally invested in the beef.

The streets have some interest but it’s far from being at a fervor pitch and the conflict is barely on the mainstream audience’s radar.

(Speaking of the Jay vs. Nas, I might go in-depth about the legendary battle one of these days. You might be surprised by my opinion. But of course, when and if I write about it, I’m going to come hard with insight NOT emotion.)

If Beans looked at the flawed strategy that other MCs have unsuccessfully used: taking shots at Jay, calling him out over and over again with no or very little response from him, he would had realized that his all out assault is very unlikely to re-ignite his career.

Beans’s many diss songs at Jay may generate so-called “buzz” on YouTube, Twitter and on Hip-Hop sites on the Internet but that doesn’t mean that people who watch, read or listen online are even remotely interested in his actual career.

In the long list of Jay’s foes, Nas stands alone.

(Of course Jay and Nas are cool with each other nowadays. I want to hear more Jay-Z/Nas collabos!)

Unfortunately, Beans comes across as “just another MC” who has dissed Jay-Z.

If we go down the long list Jay-Z attackers and compare each one of them to Hov…

Who is relevant?

Who is not?

Beanie Siegel is a good MC with great talent who is undisciplined, consistently makes poor judgment and has a flawed artistic and business strategy.

Sigel could be completely justified for having beef with Jay (I don’t know one way or the other) but his constant, redundant verbal attacks on Jay-Z essentially makes him look like a bitter, disgruntled employee which is really too bad because Beans’s talent is too great to be confined to the way too common “pro wrestling” beef strategy that MCs with much less talent than him use to get attention.

I won’t go into detail, but I think a much better strategy for Beans would be to try to do as many features and collaborations as possible giving passionate, insightful and skillful lyrical performances and then try to capitalize off that buzz.

In now way am I indicting Beans (no pun intended). I love his talent. I missed the Roc the way it was and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Jay is truly the one who deserves the most blame for the crew’s dismantle. I absolutely loved the collaborations between Jay and Beans. Those two cats had great chemistry. I miss that- a lot. Beans is definitely the kind of MC and man that you want with you in battle- for real. Jay-Z has given Beans “game” (guidance) throughout his career but as Jay stated in “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)”, Beans have had a difficult time fully making “the transition”.

(Watch from the beginning up to 1:50)

“If my life is a movie then Sigel be the sequel”

“It’s On”
Jay-Z

The transition from the streets to any kind of legitimate success is a challenge but MUST be done.

You won’t sustain your success, or even succeed at all with raw talent alone.

Is there someone, such as a mentor, giving you “game” on how to make the transition in your life?

How will you receive that “game” and how will you respond?

I remember reading Cedric Muhammad’s 2-part column on how-to market Beans and let’s just say that I thought it was a rather ambitious plan (meaning: unrealistic. Lol). Me and Cedric had a laugh about that in a conversation we had a couple of months ago. Though I think it’s unlikely that anyone currently around Beans or Beans himself have the kind of vision Muhammad laid out in the 2-part column, I agree with Muhammad’s general premise:

Beanie Sigel is a MC with great talent and potential whose career could be revitalized and even be greater than his days with the Roc if he (and the people around him) fully commit to artistic, business and even community activist excellence.

Some of you may want to know:

Why won’t Jay-Z respond to Beans’s attacks?

He did, for like 2 minutes…

Many believe that part of Jay’s verse on Drake’s “Light It Up” is directed at Beans. I agree. Of course, there have been several MCs no longer down with the Roc that have dissed Jay, so his lyrics could be directed toward all of them collectively:

Drake, here’s how they gon’ come at you
With silly rap feuds trying to distract you
In disguise in the form of a favor
The Barzini me, watch for the traitors
Uh, I done seen it all, done it all
That’s why none of these dum-dums could done him off

One of my first pieces published on “The Book of Hov” was about Jay’s lyrics on “Light It Up”.

“Silly rap feuds” not only distract those they target, they distract those who do the “shooting”. Beans’s tireless verbal attacks toward Jay are done in hopes of rattling him. Beans continuously baits Jay in hopes that he will respond. Jay, I think wisely sees a response as a distraction from his ambitious grind. What I don’t think Beans realize is that his verbal attacks toward Jay serve as distractions from his own ambitions.

I think Jay’s indirect responses at his attackers are actually insightful and show how strategically sound he is as an artist and businessman.

Jay has so many attackers that it doesn’t make sense to create specific diss songs for each MC who attacks him. He would waste a whole year just responding to any and everyone who takes a shot at him. Responding to everyone who disses him is a waste of his artistic talent. It also doesn’t make much business sense because diss songs may generate millions of plays on YouTube but don’t sell.

Jay is at the point in his career where he simply does not need a “pro wrestling” beef strategy to generate interests in his projects.

The summer’s ours, the winter too
Top down in the winter, that’s what winners do
And to these niggaz I’m like, Windows 7
You let ‘em tell it they swear, that they invented you
And since no good deed go unpunished
I’m not as cool with niggaz as I once was
I once was, cool as the Fonz was
But these bright lights turned me to a monster

I didn’t talk about this in my previous post about these lyrics but I think it’s interesting that Jay states that “no good deed go unpunished”. It seems like he’s basically saying:

People are often unappreciative of the guidance and support you give them and will even attack you (verbally and/or physically), particularly when they’re going through a tough time.

This unfortunate dynamic in relationships (such as the mentor/protégé relationship) is why Jay states:

I’m not as cool with niggaz as I once was
I once was, cool as the Fonz was
But these bright lights turned me to a monster

Jay seems to have greater perspective on the motivation and meaning behind Bean’s verbal attacks toward him than Beans does himself.

This kind of fall-out may happen in your mentor/protégé relationships and in other relationships that you have with those in your life.

Jay’s lyrics can give us some insight on how and why things go wrong in both our personal and professional relationships and what to learn from conflicts in order to become even more determined and focused as we move on and move forward.

What to look out for next week: We’ll dig further into the mentor/protégé relationship taking a look at Jay-Z and Memphis Bleek’s lyrics on “Coming of Age (Da Sequel)”. Also, I’ll share the song that I believe is the best rap collaboration ever made, reveal the similarities between that song and the great tradition of jazz music and how the song can serve as inspiration for YOU and ME as it relates to the “collaborations” in our day-to-day lives.

Instead of digging into Jay’s lyrics this evening, allow me a few minutes to share why I’m writing “The Book of Hov”. It’ll give you a chance to learn more about me. But also, once I go into detail of how I approach a Jay-Z rhyme, maybe it’ll help you get more out of Jay’s lyrics and the lyrics of other MCs, and get more out of art in general. I’m in my early thirties and I’ve been listening to Hip-Hop since I was a kid in the mid 80’s. I loved everybody from Run-DMC to N.W.A. but when I was a kid my favorite MC was Big Daddy Kane. Kane was known for his lyricism and to me he’s one of the top 10 greatest MCs of all time (it’s a claim that I think is hard to dispute if you listen to his classic record, “Raw”).

From the moment Jay-Z came into the rap game there have been comparisons between him and Kane. Both represent Brooklyn and both have strong lyrical prowess. The major difference is that Kane didn’t rhyme in-depth about the criminal game. As a kid, I loved Kane’s swagger. I loved his style right down to his dance routines with Scoob & Scrap… Man, when I was 10, 11 years old, I thought Kane was the coolest cat on earth!

I think my love for Kane’s swagger and music back in the day was a major factor for my embrace of Jay’s swagger, music and hustle some 8 years later. I was a year out of high school, age 19, when Jay debut, “Reasonable Doubt” came out.

“Keen senses/Ever since I was a kid on the benches…”
Intro
Dynasty Roc La Familia
Jay-Z

Even when I was kid, 10,11,12 years old, I keenly listened to Hip-Hop. I have love, respect and appreciation for all the elements of Hip-Hop, but MC’ing is my favorite. The beat is a very important element of a record, but the MC has to know how to rhyme and the more skill he or she has- the better.

(By the way, although Kane was my favorite MC back in the late 80’s, I also loved Rakim [listen to him and Eric B’s “Follow the Leader”] and I actually think he was the greater MC of the two).

When it comes to a MC, I look for flow, voice, lyrical skill and style (by the way the best voices in the game: Biggie, Raekwon and Scarface).

Out of those four elements, lyrical skill stands out for me. Those who rhyme with a high level of skill and intellect catch my attention. Every great MC is great because his or her lyrics have the “rewind factor”. The MC delivers rhymes that make you want to hear them again and again… and again.

But here’s the thing: I don’t just listen for swagger and wit, I listen for insight. I enjoy lyrics that get the mind thinking and cause to me to seek out greater insight on my own.

Don’t assume that I’m just talking about in-your-face political/social lyrics. While I enjoy MCs like Chuck D and KRS-ONE (the “Teacher” is in my top 5 and Chuck is in my top 20), insight and deep perspective is not only found in songs like “Fight the Power” or “My Philosophy” (the latter is in my opinion one of the top 10 Hip-Hop songs ever made).

It takes a great artistic mind to come up with deeply insightful lyrics and it takes a great business & marketing mind to create music featuring deeply insightful lyrics that have mass appeal beyond its core audience.

This gifted mindset (one half artistic and one half business) is Jay-Z’s genius.

If you’ve heard me talk about the “untrained ear” in my previous writings, the “untrained ear” hears the lyrics but doesn’t listen. The untrained ear seeks only “low brow” entertainment, not enlightenment, therefore it won’t recognize insightfulness if it hears it. The untrained ear only hears what it wants to hear; profanity, sexism, violence, materialism… IGNORANCE.

Jay-Z and Beans actually rhymes about this on “Ignorant Shit” (from “The American Gangster” album)

The “trained ear” appreciates entertainment but it seeks enlightenment and refinement in accordance with entertainment. The trained ear seeks entertainment that inspires. Once the trained ear hears lyrics with swagger, style AND insight the lyrics stimulate the inquisitive mind that is always in search of greater knowledge.

Changes first take place in the mind and then things (actions) happen but the birth or idea of change is created or formed from our five senses; particularly our sense of sight and hearing.

What we see and hear goes hand-and-hand when it comes to music, so I guess you can see that having a “trained eye” is just as important as having a “trained ear”.

Even as a kid, I had a trained ear (well, it was in-training) so by the time I was 19 years old and Jay’s “Reasonable Doubt” came out, I was skilled at listening to lyrics and not just hearing them. There’s a difference. A BIG difference.

Regardless of who the MC is, when I listen to lyrics, I’m actively listening for insight and inspiration. If I don’t hear it, I allow my ears to shift purely to entertainment mode or I turned the music off if it’s purely wack!

I DON’T hear ANYTHING insightful or inspirational most of the time regardless of whom I am listening to. In fact, I can name several songs from Jay’s catalog that while very entertaining (think: “I Just Wanna Love You”) lack insight or inspiration (unless you’re inspired to sleep with “girls who dance with girls”…even though the first part of the chorus is a little insightful), but when we listen to his music with trained ears (and process what we hear with inquisitive minds) then there’s NO DOUBT in my mind that he’s the most insightful MC that the rap game has ever heard.

I’ve heard Jay say that he took 26 years to complete his debut album “Reasonable Doubt” (the album came out when he was 26 years old). Well, it took me 14 years (the length of his music career) to write “The Book of Hov” which is still a work in progress.

I have love for several great MCs but I think I connect with Jay’s lyrics because I have a similar mindset (one half artistic, one half economic). Unfortunately, I don’t have a similar bank account! Lol! But as a writer, I’m trying to develop and cultivate a business/marketing mindset and take actions that will take my writings to the next level.

I believe that the greatest business minds are artistic. See Jay-Z’s career as an example. Hell, Jay even hustled in the drug game artistically. He rhymes about the criminal underworld artistically and with a high level of intellect in the same way that Martin Scorsese does with cinema.

It’s a gift that has to be cultivated over time. This is what I hope to accomplish with my writings and what better place to start then with the lyrics of Jay-Z since it’s his lyrics that serve as a source of inspiration in regards to my writing and business/marketing career.

It’s been a long struggle for me to find my way and I’m still in search of the truth, my truth. I’m a writer studying and hustling in the Internet marketing game and that fits my mindset.

I think your actions have to be aligned with your mindset, how you think.

With “The Book of Hov”, I’m not trying to get readers to think like Jay or accept and adopt my interpretation of his lyrics (“Decoded”, his book to be released in November, will hopefully give us some greater insight coming from Jay himself). I’m simply trying to motivate listeners of Hip-Hop (and music in general) to develop a trained ear and listen to lyrics with a greater intent on finding insight and inspiration.

I’m sure you can gleam from my writings that I’m going to try to make a very persuasive argument of the great insight and inspiration in Jay’s lyrics. But if you read my writings and listen to Jay’s music and still don’t hear the insightfulness and inspiration, then use your new or refined “trained ears” to hear insight and inspiration in the music of your favorite MCs.

I’m a writer and Internet entrepreneur who is a fan of Jay-Z (and other great MCs). “The Book of Hov” is about discovering insight and becoming inspired by Jay’s lyrics. The writings in this blog focus on Jay’s lyrics but YOU can use the concept of how music heard by a trained ear can stimulate the mind and give inspiration in whatever it is you listen to.

that Don’t reject inspiration. I think too many of us from my generation reject anything or anyone that could serve as inspiration. Inspiration is important, and to be quite candid, NECESSARY to overcome struggle. I’ve never rejected inspiration. I find it in books, movies, music, from talking to everyday people and from what I observe and experience in every day life.

My greatest source of inspiration is in conversation.

And this is the foundation that “The Book of Hov” is built upon.

Now, let me explain what I mean by finding inspiration in conversation.

When I listen to Jay (or other MCs) it’s like I’m having a conversation with him. True, it’s a one-way conversation, but I look at it as if his lyrics are the point in the conversation when he’s talking and I’m listening.

People enjoy talking about themselves, don’t they? Think of the conversations you have had with a friend, a relative, a colleague, a neighbor, etc. When your friend is talking to you, he’s telling you about himself; his thoughts, ideas, plans, actions.

While he goes on and on and on about himself you need to put your mind to work.

Do you take mental notes while you’re listening to someone talking to you?

What are mental notes?

Mental notes: Special attention with intent to remember

Taking mental notes (what up, Lebron!) means you give deliberate thought to what is being said and often times it causes you to think about your own set of circumstances. Someone else words about their thoughts and actions can have an impact on how you think and what you do in your own life.

I take mental notes in my conversations with people. They may be talking about themselves but my trained ear is listening for something in their conversation that I can use for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I allow them to “have the floor” and get what they have to say off their chest, but there’s a selfish motive: I want to find insights in what they say that can give me inspiration to overcome flaws in my mindset and a lack of judgment in my actions.

Because I treat Jay’s lyrics like a conversation, I listen with my trained ear and I take mental notes seeking insight and inspiration for myself.

In the midst of praising his lyrical prowess I’m “selfishly” empowering myself.

I do this when I listen to Jay or any other great MC like Nas.

By the way, critics and haters say that all Jay does is rap about himself. And…, the point is? Why would he rap about YOU or ME. Every artists injects his vision in his art. Art is personal. Marvin Gaye (who is my favorite artist of all time) was deeply (sometimes painfully so) personal in his music.

The nature of rap music is to rhyme about yourself. Think back to its roots. Jay rhymes about HIS life just like you talk to others, going on and on, about YOUR life. I can learn as much about MYSELF and life in general from listening to you talk about YOU.

I can learn what to say (and how to say it), what not to say, what to do and what not to do (and why), and how to think and how not to think just from having a conversation with YOU.

The same dynamic is happening when you listen to music whether you realize it or not.

Jay will never rhyme about ME or YOU. Yet his “conversation” with us in the form of lyrics primarily about himself can give us insight to “selfishly” use in our own lives.

Music is conversation but most of us treat it as a “mind-numbing spectacle” that we hear instead of see.

Listening to music with an untrained ear and treating it as a “mind-numbing spectacle” decreases or completely eliminates the discovery of insight.

Of course there are other factors that you can’t control or help that hinder music’s purpose to enlighten as well as entertain such as marketing/promotion by record companies, provocative imagery in music videos, payola and radio, the corporate interests of MTV/BET, money-hungry promoters, the lack of vision by the artists themselves and of course let’s not forget YOUR hormones…

But at least awareness can give you the determination to get your mind, ears and eyes right.

I haven’t written much about the illuminati rumors and allegations surrounding Jay. Much of the rumors and allegations come from so-called “analysis” of Jay’s lyrics. This controversy is an example of untrained ears by critics and haters.

Conspiracy theories are typically formed from ignorance and a laziness intellectually to seek greater insight and truth.

Though it’s simply a coincidence in terms of timing, “The Book of Hov” could be seen as a direct response to the illuminati rumors and allegations. I find it incredulous that people would investment so much time and energy forming and supporting conspiracy theories in regard to Jay’s lyrics instead of getting insight from those lyrics to “selfishly” use for growth and advancement in their own lives.

In some of Jay’s most insightful lyrics he’s having a “conversation” with another MC, with Jay in the role as the wiser and more experienced artist, hustler or business man. The mentor/protégé dynamic in some of Jay’s songs and collaborations are clear examples of profound insight and powerful inspiration in his lyrics.

When we listen to these features and collaborations, we’re “ease dropping” on his “conversations” with his protégés or up-and-coming artists that he vouches for and who respect him.

I don’t know how these kids get down today, but when I was 10, 11, 12, right through my teenage years, I loved rap collaborations. I absolutely could not get enough of them. It was fascinating for me to sit back and “ease drop” on these “conversations” between MCs that were incredibly artistic and creative.

Sure, there was a competitive nature in the collaborations. Hip-Hop’s a competitive sport. But even as a young, lil’ shortie (I’m still short! Lol!), I recognized that the purpose of the collaboration is to raise the level of artistry and creativity. This process is relevant to us because we can have success in school, the community, our career, in business, etc. when we we’re creative and artistic.

(Next week, I’m going to write about the art of the collaboration and its power to inspire. My case study will be what I think is the greatest rap collabo ever heard. No other collabo in Hip-Hop comes close in terms of chemistry. Of course, Jay is one half of the callabo. Can you guess who is the other MC and the song?)

A collaboration is a musical conversation. Now I realize that people do sometimes try to outtalk each other in conversation and this happens in the musical form of conversation as well. But the collaboration is not simply about “who murdered who”, “who ripped it the most” or “who said what about who”.

It’s cool to have that debate but that shouldn’t be the focus. We’re missing the greater purpose of the collaboration. “Ease drop” on the “conversation” listening with a “trained ear” in search of insight and inspiration opposed to beef and drama.

Here’s three great examples of Jay-Z’s conversations with other MCs, all of which I’ve written about in “The Book of Hov”:

“Power” (Remix) by Kanye West

“Go Crazy” (Remix) by Young Jeezy

“Light it Up” by Drake

Jay’s “conversations” with Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel really stand out for me in terms of insight and inspiration. Bleek is still riding with Hov. Beans disses Jay in freestyles every other day. I think it’s really cool to see Jay and Bleek’s bond still strong and really sad to see Jay and Beans’s bond broken.

But this contrast in the current state of Jay’s relationships with his two protégés can actually give us insight on how and why relationships grow or contract in our lives.

This week I’m going to dig into Jay’s “conversations”, his lyrics on collaborations he’s done with Memphis Bleek. I may also write about what Jay shares with us lyrically that gives us some insight on the root causes (think: how mindset impacts actions) of the fall out between himself and Beans.

When you check out my writings this week (and past writings as well as the ones I write in the future) think of Jay’s lyrics as a conversation and get your “mental notes” game on.