NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Hip hop fans, or should I say rap fans, are back on the fence when it comes to Jay Z. During the Roots Picnic this past weekend, Jay Z officially let the world know that he’s back outside. For his fans, it was a welcome sight, but for those he took shots at, it was a harsh reminder.
For the past few years, the media, MCs, former partners, and anyone else with a pulse have taken indirect and direct shots at one of the greatest ever to do it. And the reason was that Jay has been quiet. But you know how the old saying goes, never wake a sleeping giant. And during The Roots Picnic, that’s exactly what happened.
But now, people are coming at Jay by implying he’s using Drake and Nicki for clout. What clout? Let’s be clear here, there is no one in Hip Hop now, or ever, that has more Hip Hop clout than Jay Z. If anything, his name is being used as clout for other people. As the fierce competitor he is, he got tired of taking the jabs and decided to throw a few back.
And I say a few, because those who have listened to Jay for the majority of his career, they know those were light chin taps he spit. None of the people he went for while on stage could really stand the type of onslaught he could bring. What baffles me most about all this is that a cat like Drake should be quiet. Kendrick damn near ran him out of Hip Hop just two years ago. He doesn’t want it with a vet like Jay.
There is no way Drake can afford to lose back-to-back battles to anyone and still believe that he will remain relevant in the Hip Hop world. But Drake has opened Pandora’s Box. Whether he did it intentionally or not, that’s now something he has to deal with. The same for Nicki, Dame Dash, and whoever else. You can’t keep someone’s name in your mouth when it’s clear that they are ignoring you.
Just recently, he went on an interview and said Hip Hop should move away from battle rap. In a sense, he’s right, as times are showing that what was once friendly competition is turning deadly and way more personal than it used to be. It’s one thing to say how whack someone’s skills are, to now where we’re calling someone a pedophile at the Super Bowl.
People have been taking shots at this man left and right, and now that he’s responding, he’s being dragged through the mud. These are the same people who wanted Drake to respond to Kendrick so badly. But with Jay, he’s supposed to be above all this, right? He’s a product of Hip Hop, isn’t he?
Dame knows better. But at the sme time, Jay is sitting where Dame thought HE would be. Imagine watching an ex-partner become a Billionaire, while the government is after you. In some eyes, he’s the GOAT. In other circles, he’s not well-liked. But he is respected. It’s only for so long that an MC like him is going to sit back and let you be on the attack.
It’s not about anyone attacking his skills. These people are attacking him as a person and a businessman, as well as his family. You see, that’s what we don’t do. They went there wanting a reaction, but at the same time hoping that they would get one. He was in a slumber, so they kept attacking. But with one freestyle, he let them know that he’s back outside and he’s ready for whatever drama should come his way.
