Why doesn't this new generation seem to understand or grasp why Jay-Z was considered a top draw?

SunZoo

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The music Jay made is way too different from what you hear now.

Not the only reason but it's a big, big part of it.

Jay is one of the few dope live performers that never had to have too much going on to control a crowd, people hang on to his words and this is an era where the words, the actual RAP, you know the main thing...is de-prioritized.

So that along with other factors like "Beyonce's husband", "eat the rich", hoity toity tastemaker fakkits, streaming numbers for music that is out of alignment with "vibes" and requires some mental processing from a generation of brain fried dullards makes for this perception.
 

MicIsGod

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Not the only reason but it's a big, big part of it.

Jay is one of the few dope live performers that never had to have too much going on to control a crowd, people hang on to his words and this is an era where the words, the actual RAP, you know the main thing...is de-prioritized.

So that along with other factors like "Beyonce's husband", "eat the rich", hoity toity tastemaker fakkits, streaming numbers for music that is out of alignment with "vibes" and requires some mental processing from a generation of brain fried dullards makes for this perception.
Yep. Most of those guys with lyrics from the time aren’t valued by the mass younger people today and why would they? Music today is nothing like that on the mainstream scale. Makes what Kendrick is able to do even more impressive.
 

Novembruh

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Because Jay did nothing overwhelmingly well. He was just a very complete rapper with few weaknesses. And true of anything - the no-weakness players are praised much less by the next generation than the guys great at a single thing.

More people know Blake Griffin than Robert Horry.
 

Westbama Heartthrob

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Because Jay did nothing overwhelmingly well. He was just a very complete rapper with few weaknesses. And true of anything - the no-weakness players are praised much less by the next generation than the guys great at a single thing.

More people know Blake Griffin than Robert Horry.
His biggest weaknesses were his voice and subject matter :manny:

Breh was about as run of the mill as you could be but made it work by being consistent. Consistent in biting whatever was popular at the time :ld:

Never spoke on anything groundbreaking or new, but he knew how to stay relevant. Even i got to give him that. Old nikka been peers with Kane, nas, kanye, and kendrick

For better or worse, Hip Hop likely will never see dikkriding as prolific again :wow:
 
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Westbama Heartthrob

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They don't have the attention span, knowledge or willingness to learn to appreciate what Jay was doing at his highest level.

Jay at his best always had a conversational flow with layered bars. It's the complete opposite of what modern day rappers are doing with harmony and style over substance.
When that nikka said, "38 revolve like the sun around the earth" :wow:

Or "Give my ladies dikk, my young hoes pee-pee Hits in a row like MJ (”Hee-hee!”)"

I lament that my young nikka brain just don't have the capability to take in the full level of his genius :ohlawd:
 

Mac Ten

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This generation grew up on Chief Keef, Migos, Future, and Drake…. U would think that their parents made it a mandatory thing to bump Jay.


Jay released his best albums back when cats parents were still kids.

Anyone born after 03 missed prime, in your face, stunt in your face Jay. They’re used to the old man Jigga that collects art and stays inside the boardroom.

Luckily, my Dad brought every Jay-Z album to date until Black Album and played them.
 

JustCKing

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I've seen people do this with Michael Jordan too. A lot of them are simply too young to understand it because they didn't experience it. Same way my dad speaks highly of Bill Russell, but I'm not old enough to understand it. I get why he's held in high regard, but I don't connect with him the same as I do a Michael Jordan. Same way my 17 year old neice thinks highly of Lebron and Curry.

All this, "his music didn't age well" is idiocy. Its a poor excuse used to discredit someone simply because you never liked them to begin with.
 

KillKenny

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You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

I think the thing is Jay was still around when they grew up but he was way over his peak. So they got the wrong impression on him. Casuals aren't build to overcome their perception of a artist they already "familiar" with just cause they suddenly went back and heard his earlier material.
 

Mac Ten

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His biggest weaknesses were his voice and subject matter :manny:

Breh was about as run of the mill as you could be but made it work by being consistent. Consitent in biting whatever was popular at the time :ld:

Never spoke on anything groundbreaking or new, but he knew how to stay relevant. Even i got to give him that. Old nikka been peers with Kane, nas, kanye, and kendrick

For better or worse, Hip Hop likely will never see dikkriding as prolific again :wow:

1. Jay may not have grew a beard but folks are acting like spoke with baby nuts like Boosie & Steve Urkel.

2. Subject matter wasn’t the issue. I didn’t expect Jay to rap about being a killa.


I’ve never heard of a rapper actually putting their hands and going to check Jay. He is the real life Frank Lopez.
 
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