In your opinion, why is Jay Z so popular and successful?

[Pinyapplesuckas]

couple being a great lyricist with being a diickriding fagggot that loves the attention and you usually will have a superstar...worked for Michael Jackson....worked for Jay...looks like it could potentially work for Ye as well...

 

[The Bilingual Gringo]

Basically been said 10x over, he's talented and aligned himself brilliantly in the industry. Timing doesn't hurt either.

His earlier work is what sold me on him before, and it's some if my favorite hip-hop to this day, I don't like his stuff from the last 5-10 years but I can't knock his longevity

 

[Shammago]

LOL how can he be a male organ loving homosexual that loves the attention (to paraphrase) when he is married to Beyoncé?

 

[Urbanmiracle]

Filled the void on the east left by Big and ignored by Nas (sadly). Made the right moves to place himself with the right people then cut off the dead weight and now sells his image of a mastermind business man when he's not. His PR and image team do great work.

 

[Jayson_bourn]

They were descent albums that got hyped up by great business moves.

Yeah I guess you could say TBA has an aura around it due to his retirement

and maybe AG because it was loosely associated with the film?

But Blueprint dropped the same week 911 happened. Help me out here...

 

[OnlyInCalifornia]

On top of what has been said...

He is the epitome of a New York rapper. When you think of Hip Hop in New York, where it was that flashy hustler braggadocious style that birthed the genre, that I am just so much better than you swagger....Jay-z does it perfect. It also helps that everything he says, he did or has.

I can see why people might not like his music but you can't deny the greatest in Hip Hop.

 

[Blackout]

Yeah I guess you could say TBA has an aura around it due to his retirement

and maybe AG because it was loosely associated with the film?

But Blueprint dropped the same week 911 happened. Help me out here...

Look at the guy man. His whole career was him doing things to stay relevant.

He was all over the music industry making business moves that helped promote his music plus he used biggies name and hopped on recent trends to stay on top.

Even now he did that shyt with Samsung to get numbers.

We really gonna act like his business moves didn't put him where he is today?

 

[Shammago]

Musically, Jay has some good joints. It actually took me awhile to really get into Jay. At first I was a pure Nas fan and hated Jay because he stood for everything Nas was against.

But years later, I slowly checked for Jay was surprised and how good some of albums really are. I guess when you compare them to the wack rap that is out today.

Albums like AG, Black Album, Kingdom Come (yes, I'm one of the few that likes the album), Blueprint, cannot be ignored.

By the way, Magna Carter is wack.

 

[MysteryT]

I'm not saying they all do. I was using what they don't do as a contrast to what Hov does.

Giving a negative example after a positive one is always a good way to accentuate a point one is trying to make.

I hear ya.

His network defined his net worth.

Having a sharp business mindful is very helpful. Establishing key relationships, partnerships, etc. That's any great business man & a leader.

Your average rapper is too close minded, too ignorant or simply do not have the same business sense as Jay.

Not necessarily true.

 

[Marciano]

I hear ya.



Not necessarily true.

Name some then. Because I surely cannot see a Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka, Soulja Boy, etc making the kinda moves Jay makes.

 

[OG Talk]

He knows what white people want and delivers.

 

[MysteryT]

Musically, Jay has some good joints. It actually took me awhile to really get into Jay. At first I was a pure Nas fan and hated Jay because he stood for everything Nas was against.

But years later, I slowly checked for Jay was surprised and how good some of albums really are. I guess when you compare them to the wack rap that is out today.

Albums like AG, Black Album, Kingdom Come (yes, I'm one of the few that likes the album), Blueprint, cannot be ignored.

By the way, Magna Carter is wack.

That's because Nas and Jay are two completely different people and artist. So you can't compare them at all. It's apples and oranges. Anyway, all I'm saying is, Jay is where he's at today because of the business moves. Not his rapping. Even at the start of his career, what was his backdrop? No label would sign him so Dame and he started Roc A Fella and partnered with Def Jam. So it was about business from jump. He just so happened to rap a little.

 

[MysteryT]

Name some then. Because I surely cannot see a Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka, Soulja Boy, etc making the kinda moves Jay makes.

Actually, a lot of them do make big power moves. They just don't get the type of media coverage Jay gets for it.

 

[Shammago]

That's because Nas and Jay are two completely different people and artist. So you can't compare them at all. It's apples and oranges. Anyway, all I'm saying is, Jay is where he's at today because of the business moves. Not his rapping. Even at the start of his career, what was his backdrop? No label would sign him so Dame and he started Roc A Fella and partnered with Def Jam. So it was about business from jump. He just so happened to rap a little.

I agree that Nas is better than Jay from a lyrical standpoint but to say Jay only "rapped a little" is
You are right in that no label wanted to sign Jay and it was business but Jay has proven himself to be a lyricist in every sene of the word. Now, the subject matter of a lot of his material may be often time less than desired but Jay does have great skillz.
I'd rather listen to KRS, NAS, and Common over Jay but you can't diminish Jay's lyrical skillz.

 

[blackslash]

None of Jay's albums sound the same

Jay talks big and in the art of MCin where for a long time..ur to sell urself as "GREAT" to the audience..Hov excels at this moreso than anybody else

He's also business savvy

His image and story and also his longevity gives him a core fanbase that continues to grow with him and essentially makes it harder for him to fall off.