![]() ![]() And he did it in one take, live on the radio. Everything this motherfucker said came true. This freestyle has aged like some expensive wine that I don't have the lifestyle to accurately reference. To serve as testimony that I saw it all before it Operation: Takeover, corporate makeover offices-es-es, then takeover all of it On the final verse he avoids lamenting about the ills of his success instead he delivers a verse that has aged into prophecy, all while telling us that it was a prophecy. Jay opens up to his listeners about what life is like at the top of the pyramid, something he has pursued since the release of "Dead Presidents" back in '96. See Jesus, see Judas see Caesar, see Brutus You see Biggie, see Pac, see success and its outcome That ain't even the half what they might do Same sword they knight you they gon good night you with It was his larger than life stature that became the subject of his live poetry. He was at the top, far beyond the need to deliver a radio freestyle. Jay-Z was already retracting from the public eye and there wasn't anyone in rap holding a candle to his accomplishments, artistically or commercially. ![]() Hearing this in real-time on Hot 97 during the station's glory days, when Hov and Flex were on friendlier terms, was mind-blowing. Third, this is the greatest freestyle in rap history. Frazier Tharpeįirst thing, this should be higher on the list. If Shawn can rise to become "America's worst nightmare," you can too. Threaded throughout the verse, Jay overtly outlines the distinctions between the world hip-hop comes from and the contrast of the outsiders who consume it almost each line of every bar ends with here or there with references to either a "you" or a "we." "You lose your job, your pop rich, y'all don't care/So I don't care, y'all acting like y'all don't hear/The screams from the ghetto or the teens ducking metal here/So they steam like a kettle here." Live reporting from the block, a dressing down of the vultures and fans-as-tourists who don't pay due respect, what could be grim is flipped into inspiration thanks to his OG's glorious instrumental. That person is an opp, an ill-equipped listener whose favorite Hov LP is Black Album and loves "Young Forever." Jigga's been about empowerment, and with all due respect to Roc Boys, "Young, Gifted and Black" is truly black superhero music. Steer clear of anyone who alleges Jay-Z's recent music of late marks a radical shift in cultural awareness and commentary. A Jay-Z who can talk that talk like Old Jay-Z on new sounds? Fear the GOAT. But he basked in sonic comfort and familiarity. 4:44 was proof that when he focuses, Jigga is never far from his bag, no matter how long the hiatus or how far he strays. This verse is exciting, primarily because Boi-1da, Nav, and Sevn Thomas made the beat. In 2017, Jay-Z killed Jay Z, and whoever that is walking around with the Basquiat fro these days caught the "Hovi Baby" holy spirit, because Jesus! I love post-retirement Jigga, but how many of his verses this decade are as tightly wound, nimbly worded, and seamlessly delivered as this shit right here? He even improves one of his best recent bars when WTT's "fuck you squares the circle got smaller" becomes "tight circles, no squares, geometrically opposed to you-y'all like to try angles." The Kanye-bars get the most shine naturally but I'm haunted by the casual disdain in his voice when he says "y'all like to troll, do you? y'all talk around hoes, do yo?" Nothing cuts deeper than a disappointed dad. Producer: Boi-1da, Sevn Thomas, NAV, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Jahaan Sweet Just the best of the best, hands down, after months of whittling. But what we have here is undeniable, with zero pandering to widespread public opinion. We settled on 80, and believe me we'll be losing sleep over the other classics we could've added for weeks to come. Overt lyrical dazzlers versus mainstream-ready "dumbed down for double dollars." Multiple, equally excellent "Dead Presidents." New fare that was classic-on-arrival, like his show-stopping Meek Mill feature. If it were up to us, this list would be in the hundreds, and that'd still only account for the undeniable grade-As. Then there are the iconic radio freestyles, remixes, and features. Even the so-called "bad albums" still contain head-spinning bars that brim with new layers on listen 17. Ranking songs almost seems easy by comparison of what Angel Diaz and I set out to do. ![]() There are so many gems to sift through, the very idea of sitting down to definitively rank his material is daunting and anxiety-inducing-especially for a superfan. The detractors love to mention Jay-Z's missteps, but the math will always be on his side: the prolific material outweighs, heavily, any perceived duds. The Only Rapper To Rewrite History Without a Pen has given us enough scripture off the dome to fill ten phone books.
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