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

Playaz Eyez

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It’s cause it’s simply been a long time since Jay has musically been on the radar, and the main music that that demographic knows from Jay is mostly bad music. They don’t know Takeover, Can I Live, Oh It’s On, and probably just know Big Pimpin in passing. This demographic knows Jay from Beyoncé song, Kanye, and Magna Carta Holy Grail.
 

u mad son?

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The new generation are right... Jayz bamboozled us with music for bytches and wannabe hustling dudes who thought they was gna be millionaires.
 

itiswhatitis

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It’s a different generation where a lot of the things that is representative of Jay is not hot anymore.

1. NY rappers are not hot right now in the culture.
2. The culture upholds the fiend/junkie image more than the hustler image.
3. High level lyricism is dead in the mainstream.
4. Rappers stay in front of the cameras or their phones now, Jay comes from the era where the stars were “elusive”.
 
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Iverson_64

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It's largely because of how corny Jay became after his prime. Same is true of Common.
It's not that. Jay was WAY cornier in the 2009-2013 era.

It's more so that Jay has been semi-retired since 2018 and his singles don't do him much justice when it comes to understanding his talent.

Jay is a rapper you need to listen to his records front to back to understand where the hype comes from.

Singles like Nikkas in Paris, Empire State Of Mind, Tom Ford, Show Me What You Got, Aint No Nikka, Hey Papi, Change Clothes, 03 Bonnie, Sunshine, and I Know What Girls Like don't do Jay must justice when it comes to understanding his talent.

Also, some of Jay's iconic features like Monster, Pound Cake, Swagga Like Us, Umbrella, and Suit & Tie are dogwater too which affects perception as well.

Jay's B sides and deep cuts are the best version of Jay-Z out there but casual rap fans who skim through his music don't understand that.
 

Lurking Class Hero

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It's not that. Jay was WAY cornier in the 2009-2013 era.

It's more so that Jay has been semi-retired since 2018 and his singles don't do him much justice when it comes to understanding his talent.

Jay is a rapper you need to listen to his records front to back to understand where the hype comes from.

Singles like Nikkas in Paris, Empire State Of Mind, Tom Ford, Show Me What You Got, Aint No Nikka, Hey Papi, Change Clothes, 03 Bonnie, Sunshine, and I Know What Girls Like don't do Jay must justice when it comes to understanding his talent.

Also, some of Jay's iconic features like Monster, Pound Cake, Swagga Like Us, Umbrella, and Suit & Tie are dogwater too which affects perception as well.

Jay's B sides and deep cuts are the best version of Jay-Z out there but casual rap fans who skim through his music don't understand that.

Lol that's the era I mean when I say after his prime. I agree with your post, it's more that I tie Jay's post prime corniness together with the lame singles.
 

Robbie3000

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Meanwhile, Kendrick is making robot noises and literal Dr. Suess sounding raps and selling like gangbusters.

Point being, if you want mass appeal you need to know how to make music that can connect with a populace that can barely read above a 3rd grade level, which is why as dope as Kendrick is, and as delusional as his fans are, people KEEP saying he ain't snapping like that, he ain't snapping like Jay, Nas or a good amount of nikkas people try to sit him next to.

Dot purposely eschews that brand of lyricism to resonate with more people....I mean same shyt Jay did, except Jay, like the a$$hole he is, told you up front and even used it as braggin point. Like I COULD be everything you nikkas jock as far as underground/lyricists, but I'm a hustler, who raps, not a rapper who hustles.
:dahell:

This is an absurd comparison when one guy has TPAB and Mr Morale in his catalog.
 

No1

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:dahell:

This is an absurd comparison when one guy has TPAB and Mr Morale in his catalog.
Not that I fully disagree - but just like Jay with 4:44 - those projects sold the least out of his discography. K. Dot seems to go every other album with that.
 

Solo_87

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It's not that. Jay was WAY cornier in the 2009-2013 era.

It's more so that Jay has been semi-retired since 2018 and his singles don't do him much justice when it comes to understanding his talent.

Jay is a rapper you need to listen to his records front to back to understand where the hype comes from.

Singles like Nikkas in Paris, Empire State Of Mind, Tom Ford, Show Me What You Got, Aint No Nikka, Hey Papi, Change Clothes, 03 Bonnie, Sunshine, and I Know What Girls Like don't do Jay must justice when it comes to understanding his talent.

Also, some of Jay's iconic features like Monster, Pound Cake, Swagga Like Us, Umbrella, and Suit & Tie are dogwater too which affects perception as well.

Jay's B sides and deep cuts are the best version of Jay-Z out there but casual rap fans who skim through his music don't understand that.

Maybe but for majority of artist singles and features are usually geared for the radio, clubs, females ... To create buzz for a project or whatever...to cross over

Even the likes of a Kdot (Bad Blood, Mask Off) and Nas partake....



What was this?

Luther and Bonnie 03 were released with the same purpose in mind

What makes Jay great is he was able to give you introspective and or lyrical joints that hit ie Song Cry

As well as club , more commercial records that became hits

And he has had features (ie What's Free) that went viral

There were some misses but not many rappers are able to do that consistently

Thinking more about it what hurt Jay too was keeping his albums off of YouTube, Spotify as long as he did
 
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BK The Great

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Tell these young ass fans to answer who produced on Reasonable Doubt or who Jaz-O is they’re look at you like you’re an alien. They will not answer questions like that. They don’t know shyt besides shyt they grew up with which might’ve been early 2000’s or the 2010’s.
 
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