In my last 2-part post, I wrote about how Jay made a profound statement regarding his mindset and ambitions on “U Don’t Know”, off the classic Blueprint album. Well, he did the same thing on “Public Service Announcement (Interlude)” off The Black Album. I decided not to do an analysis on the first verse, not because it isn’t insightful (it is to some degree), but because I thought it was important to highlight the last verse in the interlude (by the way, only Jay is capable of making an interlude that’s more profound than most MCs’s entire albums!).

Here’s the lyrics to the second verse that we’re going to discuss:

Ving ain’t lie
I done came through the block in everything that’s fly
I’m like, Che Guevara with bling on
I’m complex. I never claimed to have wings on
Nigga I get mine – by any means on, whenever there’s a drought
Get your umbrellas out because that’s when I brainstorm
You can blame Shawn, but I ain’t invent the game
I just rolled the dice, trying to get some change
And I’ll do it twice, ain’t no sense in me
Lying as if, I am a different man
And I could blame my environment but
There ain’t no reason why I be buying expensive chains
Hope you don’t think users are the only abusers
Niggas, getting high within the game
If you do then, how would you explain?
I’m ten years removed; still the vibe is in my veins
I got a hustler spirit, nigga period
Check out my hat yo, peep the way I wear it
Check out my swag’ yo, I walk like a ballplayer
No matter where you go, you are what you are player
And you can try to change but that’s just the top layer
Man, you was who you was ‘fore you got here
Only God can judge me, so I’m gone
Either love me, or leave me alone

“Public Service Announcement (Interlude)”
The Black Album
Jay-Z

In the first verse, Jay’s “got his swagger back” (stay tune for an analysis on “All I Need” from Blueprint) showing other MCs how to stunt on the mic. There’s some insight in the lyrics but it’s mostly Jay bringing flavor; style.

Listen to the first verse right now…

But just when you think Jay is simply going to stunt hard on this interlude, before he continues with the “regular scheduled program”, he gives us some real gems of introspection in the last verse…

Jay often “dumbs down” AND gets profound on the same song. Sometimes he does this “lyrical juggling” from one line to the next (in fact, he does this right in the beginning of this verse). If you listen to Jay’s music as frequently and as deeply as I do you’ll notice that Jay uses this “technique” in songs throughout his entire discography.

Why do I call it a “technique”?

Jay has the unique ability to make entertaining songs that move bodies AND stimulate minds at the same time. It’s a skill that he’s perfected over the years.

Ok, let’s get into it…

Ving ain’t lie
I done came through the block in everything that’s fly

Here, Jay is still telling us that no one on the block has swagger like him! He’s stunting hard in this line, right? But here’s what he says next…

I’m like, Che Guevara with bling on
I’m complex. I never claimed to have wings on

Jay stunts on us in the first line and then hits us up with something deep on the next! Che Guevara is considered by many to be a revolutionary in world history. Surely, Jay isn’t comparing himself to Guevara, is he?

Jay is simply stating that even though he’s living a life of opulence, he’s someone with vision that has serious convictions with a purpose in life greater than him.

He’s complex.

Human beings are complex. It’s our complexity that makes us interesting and different from each other. Don’t limit your own potential. Grow as a person in terms of your mindset and personality.

This line by Jay is really about being well balanced as an individual. Sometimes we struggle with who we really are because we’re so caught up in who we want others to think we are. And at other times we allow ourselves to be labeled by people even if those labels are completely erroneous or don’t tell the full story of who we are.

There are nuances between contradiction and complexity in regard’s to an individual mental make-up.

Nigga I get my – by any means on, whenever there’s a drought
Get your umbrellas out because that’s when I brainstorm

This is an extremely clever line where Jay rhymes about his past life in the drug game. The “drought” that he’s referring to is when there is little to no supply of dope on the streets. If there’s a drought of any “product” in a certain area that means sellers don’t have a product to sell and buyers don’t have a product to buy.

The supply doesn’t meet the demand.

Jay is telling us that when there was a “drought” in his past life in the drug game, he would “brainstorm”, conceive, strategize and come up with a calculating plan to gain access to product so that he can keep hustling.

In fact, the act of brainstorming is a form of hustling because you’re putting your mind to work.

(Remember when I wrote in a previous post that hustling is a continuous grind)

The line is remarkable because of his use of metaphor. The literal meaning of the word, “drought” is a shortage of rainfall which most affects farmers because they need rainfall for their crops. Whenever there’s a drought a rainstorm is a must.

But instead of a rainstorm, Jay tells us that he “brainstorms” whenever there’s a “drought”.

Wow.

I’m sure Jay has applied this mindset in regards to his ambitions after the drug game. I guarantee he has applied this mindset beyond the dope game. You don’t have the level of success Jay-Z has experienced without this mindset.

We can think of a “drought” as being a lengthy period of struggle, a shortage of ideas, opportunities, money, etc. Jay is sharing with us his experience but “droughts” happen in our own lives.

When we go through our own personal “droughts” we should do like Jay and take on a “by any means necessary” mindset in order to “brainstorm” ways to overcome the struggles and have success.

Get your umbrellas out!

Let’s keep moving…

You can blame Shawn, but I ain’t invent the game
I just rolled the dice, trying to get some change

Jay rhymes that he’s not to blame for the nature of the illicit drug trade. He says that the illicit drug trade has existed and thrived long before he got into the game. When he rhymes about “rolling the dice” he means that he took a chance, a risk in an effort to succeed.

We can make judgments if we want, but, obviously, getting involved in the drug game is one of the biggest risks that one can make. Involvement can (and often does) end in lengthy incarceration or death. I’m not saying that to condone or justify the choices he made, I’m simply trying to bring some perspective.

Those caught up in the streets can certainly relate to this.

And I’ll do it twice, ain’t no sense in me
Lying as if, I am a different man

Jay states that if he could do it all over again, (get involved in the drug game) he would. He tells us that there’s no point in him lying about being a “different man”.

Now, this statement may seem incredulous to you but it makes perfect sense to me. I’m sure you’ve heard people make statements before like the one Jay made. The things that you’ve gone through in your life make you who you are.

The absolute truth is that we all would rather not have gone through certain things but the fact is we can’t change it. Jay is taking ownership of his past. Don’t run from your past. What you have gone through in life in the past prepared you for what you’re going through now and what you will go through in the future.

Just as long as you actually learn from the choices you made in the past.

And I could blame my environment but
There ain’t no reason why I be buying expensive chains

Jay tells us that the environment he grew up in is not to blame for the choices he had made in his life. I think this is a very important point. Jay is taking responsibility for his actions, holding himself accountable.

The fact is there’s people from Marcy Projects that didn’t get involved in the drug game and are very productive and successful in life.

Some people use the conditions they’re in as a scapegoat for what they do. I know you’ve heard people say that they are “a product of their environment”. That’s true but being a product of your environment doesn’t excuse your behavior. You have to man-up (or woman-up) to the choices you make in life regardless of your circumstances.

Hope you don’t think users are the only abusers
Niggas, getting high within the game
If you do then, how would you explain?
I’m ten years removed; still the vibe is in my veins

These lines are my favorite part of this verse. What Jay does here is make a profound revelation that I don’t think many people realize. He’s telling us that the users aren’t the only ones addicted to drugs. The dealers- the hustlers, are also addicted to the drug game. Hustlers are just as caught up in the game as the users they’re selling to.

I’ve been “associated” with hustlers in the streets and I’ve witnessed the “high” gotten from dealing dope. Of course, the “high” or the motivation is different for a hustler than it is for drug user. The drug user is motivated by how the product makes him or her feel while the hustler is primarily driven by ROI from the sale of the product makes- the money.

Jay uses the word “abusers” to describe drug users and hustlers, which I find very telling. The fact is the drug game is treacherous for all those involved. Here’s the definition of abuse:

Abuse: use wrongly or improperly or excessively

I think most people don’t look at drug dealing as being a high. We don’t tend to think of a drug dealer as getting high, but the game itself, the act of hustling, is a high. Essentially, the drug dealer is victim to the same excessiveness that ails the drug user.

Jay reveals that even though he’s been out of the game for well over 10 years (it’s been closer to 20 years now) the “vibe” is still “in his veins.” That is a very telling statement Jay is making because he’s letting us in on the mindset of hustler.

Basically, he’s saying, “the game don’t stop”. Many of the principles and practices that he had and used in the drug game he continues to use today in his new hustles. I think this line can give us some clarity on the forms of abuse in our own lives- for better and for worst. I also believe that this line can help us realize that we can (and probably should) keep the “vibe” in our veins- that hunger for more in regards to growth, development and success.

Ok, we’re entering the final stretch…

I got a hustler spirit, nigga period
Check out my hat yo, peep the way I wear it
Check out my swag’ yo, I walk like a ballplayer

These lines are pure swagger, however, Jay is exemplifying supreme confidence, which is vital in the pursuit of success. He rhymes of having a “hustler’s spirit”. He’s referring to the spirit of a drug dealer but hustlers come in all shapes and forms. If you have the spirit of the hustler and the walk “like a ballplayer” then you’re confident and highly motivated to get things done… and you look good doing it!

No matter where you go, you are what you are player
And you can try to change but that’s just the top layer
Man, you was who you was ‘fore you got here

I stated earlier that the line about “abusers” is my favorite part of the verse but I like this part a whole lot as well.

Those not caught up in the streets, that live, work and play in the “square” world should pay close attention to these lines. Change is good but don’t think you can erase whom you are deep down as an individual. You are who you are.

When some people become successful they make every attempt to disown their past as if it didn’t exist. You can grow as a person and your circumstance can (and should) change but don’t forget who you were and don’t deny who you are as a whole.

I like how Jay says that the person you are is the person you’ve always been even “’fore you got here”. He’s telling us that regardless of how much we try to change our identity, the reality is, our destiny has been predetermined. The façade we present to others is just the “top layer” and can’t conceal who we truly are.

Only God can judge me, so I’m gone
Either love me, or leave me alone

You don’t owe anyone an explanation justifying the person you are. Ultimately, only God is your judge. People can either accept you for who you are or not.

Keep doing you.

(But don’t hinder your own growth)

How can we apply these lyrics to our lives?

Be who you are and embrace who you are in all of your complexity. Seek balance and well roundedness in your life. When you’re going through tough times in your life, don’t be defeated, instead, “brainstorm” on how to get out of your circumstances and overcome your struggle.

Take responsibility for your actions and don’t disown whom you were and what you’ve been through because your past has shaped who you are today. Keep the “vibe” of determination and resolve as you travel on life’s journey. Hustle hard and with style.

Always remember that no matter where you go in life, you can change the “top layer” but you can’t change who you truly are and you can’t prevent destiny.

Finally, while constructive criticism from others is often necessary for your personal growth and development, the ultimate consequences of your actions will come on judgment day.