I had to put this entire verse of Jay-Z’s freestyle from DJ Clue’s “Professional Pt. 2” album because I think this is one of those deep verses that get’s overlooked, yet really gets into his mindset. On the surface, it’s just another freestyle by Jay but when we dig deeper, this freestyle says more about life if we would only listen. This freestyle was conceived and recorded by Jay-Z I believe during the time when he was going through some legal issues with New York’s finest (the infamous Lance “Un” Rivera stabbing). I won’t go into all of the details (because, frankly, I wasn’t actually there and don’t know exactly what happened), but the point is, Jay was being charged with a crime and faced possible jail time.

Here’s the lyrics to Jay-Z’s freestyle off DJ Clue’s Professional Pt. 2 album:

“D.A. act like a nigga starvin’ for Jay
If they lock me in a cage, fuck it, party away
I’m still hot, I’m still S dot ya’ll
Still got millions buried in the sock drawer
Still holdin’ my own on the corner nigga
What don’t kill me can only make me stronger nigga
And when I get back home
Get your ass up out the throne
It’s just goin’ back to the way shit was
I’ma stay hot no matter what my shit does
I could drop a straight dud, I’ma stay up
Niggas tryin’ to break my will
You know that ain’t my steel
I’m Destiny’s Child, my fate’s been sealed
You’re dealin’ with a higher power
…like Dwight Eisenhower
My life can move a thousand miles and hour
Reflect me folks
As my world turns like the wheels on a bicycle spoke
It’s much deeper than a soap, it’s a constant drama series
All they see is money, they want me to blind the jury
All this bullshit can make the mind weary
But.., my theory is the sun shines clearly”

Freestyle (From DJ Clue’s “Professional Pt. 2” album)

Jay shows defiance toward the entire situation. He shows what I referred to in an interview I did with Cedric Muhammad for an AllHipHop.com column as stubborn confidence. He’s basically saying, “Look, D.A., the movement won’t stop if you lock me up.” Jay tells the culture to keep doing what we’ve always done (“party away”) and warns those gunning for his spot that when he comes home, he’ll be back on top.

I like how Jay rhymes about “staying up” even if he drops a “straight dud”. I also think it’s deep when he rhymes about being “Destiny’s Child”…

No matter what the circumstances, we must “stay up”. Don’t give others the pleasure in celebrating your setbacks. You will succeed and you will fail but your destiny is in your hands. You will make some good choices in life and some bad choices. But through it all, shoot for that same kind of stubborn confidence that Jay revealed in the freestyle in your own life. Be defiant; against people or things that want to see you fail. Adversity can break you or it can make you. Become stronger through your struggle.

Lastly, Jay rhymes about how he lives in the fast lane and that his life is like a “constant drama series” and how all of the ‘bullshit can make the mind weary”…

Neither you or I may live our lives as hectic as Jay’s, nevertheless, our lives can be drama filled at times or all of the time. Drama not only wears on your physical condition, it also wears on your mind. The experiences that you go through impact your mind. But here’s what Jay says…

“My theory is the sun shines clearly.”

What I think Jay-Z is saying with that line is that when you’re enlightened, you’re able have “moments of clarity” (another great Jay-Z record) in your life. The “sun” he refers to in the rhyme is the insight one needs in order to see issues, events and circumstances that occur in life for what they really are.

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

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

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

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

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