Jay Z says 'My presence is charity', compares self to Obama in response to Harry Belafonte's critici

[knowledgebones72]

But knowledgebones72, what about Jay Z's song "Nickels and Dimes"?

Sure:



[Hook: Gonjasufi]
Nickels and dimes
Sticks to my mind
I'll never win
You have my friends

[Verse 1]
Got a thing for nickel plated nines and pretty dimes
Mac-11 I squeeze like lemon limes
Squirt obey your thirst, fashion lines
'tween beauty and beast, I walk the line
Johnny Cash, I'm a real G
I cut myself today to see if I still bleed
Success is so sublime
Gotta do that time to time so I don't lose my mind
Something 'bout the struggle so divine
This sort of love is hard to define
When you scratching for every nickel and dime
Got me itching to do this **** for my mom
Do this **** for my town
Leave the door open hoping they kick it down
The purest form of giving is anonymous to anonymous
We gon' make it there, I promise this

[Hook]

[Verse 2]
Sometimes I feel survivor's guilt
I gave some money to this guy, he got high as hell
Now I'm part of the problem far as I could tell
Did I do it for him or do it for myself
Can't lie to myself
I love my ****** more than my own blood
I die for my ****** and I love my cub, hope that's not ****** up
I got a problem with the handouts, I took the man route
I'll give an opportunity though, that's the plan now
No guilt in giving clear a ***** conscience out
No guilt in receiving, every thing within reason
Can't see it taking food out my little monster's mouth
That'll drive me gaga
Run up in your momma's house, two nickels, one dime
Manslaughter charges, the lawyer, knocked it down
I'm just trying to find common ground
'fore Mr. Belafonte come and chop a ***** down
Mr. Day O, major fail
Respect these youngins boy, it's my time now
Hublot homie, two door homie
You don't know all the **** I do for the homies

[Hook]

[Bridge: Gonjasufi]
It all depends
How the story is
Nickels and dimes
Tickle my mind

[Verse 3]
Pardon my hubris, Stanley Kubrick
With eyes wide shut, I could cook up two bricks
Turn nickels to dime, turn dimes to quarters
Turn wives from daughters, oh, I'm clear as water
And just for clarity, my presence is charity
My flow is a gift, philanthropist
Everybody 'round me rich, or will be
Baby boy I promise you this, or kill me
And when a ***** go as the old adage go
You die rich and you die disgraced, so just let me grow
Watch me cook, throw no looks
Like Magic in his prime when Kareem sky hooked, yeah
Y'all not worthy, sometimes I feel like
Y'all don't deserve me, my flow unearthly
The greatest form of giving is anonymous to anonymous
So here y'all go, I promise this

[Hook]

 

[deuce king]

For all the dudes upset or complaining, what exactly would you like Jay to do, be specific??

 

[gllahone84]

How bout the lyrics to FUTW?



[Intro]
Just let me be great, let me be great
I feel like motha******' Cassius Clay right now, Genius!
Don't be good my *****, be great
After that government cheese, we eating steak
After the projects, now we on estates
I'm from the bottom, I know you can relate

[Hook]
**** up the world
Just **** up this world
**** up the world

[Verse 1]
Me and destiny got a date
Martin had a dream, Hov got a team
My chain already heavy, don't let me get a ring
Parades down Flatbush, Confetti on my fur
Turn right in Red Hook, ****** heavy on the curb
See most my ****** died early twenties or late teens
I'm just trying to come from under the thumb of this regime
1% of a billion more than ****** even seen
Still they wanna act like it's an everyday thing, clean

[Hook]
**** up this world
**** up the, uhh

[Verse 2]
High Yellow sky dweller and the rose gold
Legend of the summer in the Rose Bowl
Came through Pasadena in the low-low
Just to show respect to the cholos
Feelin' like a stranger in my own land
Got me feeling like Brody in Homeland
I just want a shot to show my genius
Standing on the top hold my penis
America tried to emasculate the greats
Murder Malcolm, gave Cassius the shakes
Wait, tell them rumble young man rumble
Try to dim your lights tell you be humble
You know I'm gon' shine like a trillion watts
You know a ***** trill as Michael Jackson socks
Sendin' light out to Compton and the hundred blocks
Lil bastard boy, basking on top

[Hook]
I **** up this world
Just **** up this world
Let's **** up the world
**** up the, uhh

[Verse 3]
Sipping D'USSE boy this ain't your daddy yak
He in a Cadillac; me? I'm in the Maybach
This ain't grey sweat suits and white tube socks
This is black leather pants and a pair of Stance
Socks is my synopsis is clear
Got stripclubs feeling like Oxford, I swear
Teacher-teacher, I'm trying to unteach ya
All the **** they taught y'all, they got you all in the bleachers
When you front row at the Knicks game, those the Spike Lees
You front row everywhere, you in the H.O.V.'s
Jordan 1's and dungarees
And that's just the half of my warpath
Make a million another million let my ****** make a million
'til we all check a billion, **** it's just the way I'm feeling
We have yet to see a ceiling, we just top what we top
Cause the bars don't struggle and the struggle don't stop

[Hook]
Just **** up this world

Why would he even say that ****?

Putting himself in the same company as some real leaders. 

 

[knowledgebones72]

....and that's what he takes away from those lyrics.

 

[gllahone84]

I never said he came into the game straight, I said drug dealing didn't make him a billionaire.

A lot of business men, rich and human beings in general are "snakes". Jay-z isn't any better or worse. He sold millions of records, and instead of taking the MC Hammer route he made a lot of great investments. He intelligent, charismatic, a great strategist....doesn't hurt that he's actually decent at making music. You could argue his whole marriage to Beyonce was a business move, everything he does seems calculated. People have made money in worse ways than jay-z.

Everything centers around business with this guy. But at the expense of what? 

The Jay Z success quip has been exhausted to death, and it doesn't help that his foray into the Sports world as an agent reinforces the stereotypes that we already have to grapple with. 

Either you're a rhymer or ball player. New avenues for success need to be explored, and Jay being this image for dudes in the hood to emulate is misleading. 

Misleading because if you follow his route you're more than likely gonna fall short. You know how many hustlers are holding on to the false hope of leaving the hood like Jay, and in the meantime they're trying to get the record deal, but completely ignoring the education process which provides a more solid foundation?

 

[gllahone84]

....and that's what he takes away from those lyrics.

More bragging man, this dude took a slight shot at King, and Spike Lee all in one song. 

This dude is slick with his subliminals. 

 

[gllahone84]

I don't understand...is there a new wave of popular rap musicians not rapping about money at least once in every song?

Dudes ignore the entire message in the song then point out one line where he says he's rich.

Eg. ignorant sh*T, everyone knows the message behind the song. Has nothing to do with bragging about how many cars you have but I'm sure there's a reference to it in the song. But somehow that takes away from the overall message. Even Nas raps about how rich he is in a lot of songs. The most excessive song/ music vid in rap history is Hate me now. I'm more of a Nas fan bdw.

imo it does take away from the message. 

 

[knowledgebones72]

 

[whatstruistru]

Everything centers around business with this guy. But at the expense of what? 

The Jay Z success quip has been exhausted to death, and it doesn't help that his foray into the Sports world as an agent reinforces the stereotypes that we already have to grapple with. 

Either you're a rhymer or ball player. New avenues for success need to be explored, and Jay being this image for dudes in the hood to emulate is misleading. 

Misleading because if you follow his route you're more than likely gonna fall short. You know how many hustlers are holding on to the false hope of leaving the hood like Jay, and in the meantime they're trying to get the record deal, but completely ignoring the education process which provides a more solid foundation?

Yea...education in the typical sense is a swindle.  JayZ is successful because he decided to take control of his own career when the powers that be were not interested in giving him any shine.  He parlayed his rap career into being part owner of the Nets and now a sports agent intent on making sure athletes keep their money instead of going broke after 3-4 years.  Our complete world views are different and it's very likely we will never agree as a result of that. We need to start having more black owned businesses like Rocafella Records...He did it himself, provided a blueprint and is actually helping others set their lives up for success with his endeavors as a sports agent. 

 In my opinion, you are never going to truly rise in today's America by educating yourself on how to be the best order follower.  You're going to have to assess your own situation, find a niche you can fill and execute your plan to achieve success and ultimately make a difference in society.  Who said it couldn't be done? If it's been done by 1, it can be done by others. The odds were already against us being born black in America.

And he's never glorified the lifestyle he lead.  He always put the full spectrum of emotions and reality into his music. Pain/pleasure sweet/sour etc. If you ignored it or it doesn't relate to you that's cool but me and others relate to and recognize Obama and Jay-Z as symbols of hope despite their flaws because we are flawed and hope to better our lives.

 

[lordofcastamere]

Everything centers around business with this guy. But at the expense of what? 

The Jay Z success quip has been exhausted to death, and it doesn't help that his foray into the Sports world as an agent reinforces the stereotypes that we already have to grapple with. 

Either you're a rhymer or ball player. New avenues for success need to be explored, and Jay being this image for dudes in the hood to emulate is misleading. 

Misleading because if you follow his route you're more than likely gonna fall short. You know how many hustlers are holding on to the false hope of leaving the hood like Jay, and in the meantime they're trying to get the record deal, but completely ignoring the education process which provides a more solid foundation?

I'm not ignoring anything, you are overemphasizing jay-z being a "hustler". No matter which route you take medicine, law, engineering, business, etc this guy's approach to business should inspire. I love basketball players and retired athletes who become great in other aspects of life, that is inspiring. I'm not saying everyone should become a damb athlete or rapper. I'm inspired by people who have absolutely NOTHING to do with my chosen profession.

You seem stuck in this mentality that the only way someone can get rich is by selling drugs or being an athlete.

His route was rap, but I'm not focusing on his route I'm focusing on the process and the end point. I dunno why this concept is so difficult to digest.

 

[gllahone84]

Bill Maher was on some slick **** too in that interview 

 

[x Buddha Bless x]

And if the whole Drug dealing thing means he cant be a role model

Then I better not hear a Malcolm X quote come from you.

You better not say **** about the racist *** Ghandi either.

MLK cheated on his wife so his presence cant be a charity either right?

Not even surreal at this point. I expect these comparisons and more These delusional reaches to try and prove a point.

Man, I don't even think yall dudes grasp the statement of saying your presence is a charity

 

[antidope]

I never said he came into the game straight, I said drug dealing didn't make him a billionaire.

A lot of business men, rich and human beings in general are "snakes". Jay-z isn't any better or worse. He sold millions of records, and instead of taking the MC Hammer route he made a lot of great investments. He intelligent, charismatic, a great strategist....doesn't hurt that he's actually decent at making music. You could argue his whole marriage to Beyonce was a business move, everything he does seems calculated. People have made money in worse ways than jay-z.

Everything centers around business with this guy. But at the expense of what? 

The Jay Z success quip has been exhausted to death, and it doesn't help that his foray into the Sports world as an agent reinforces the stereotypes that we already have to grapple with. 

Either you're a rhymer or ball player. New avenues for success need to be explored, and Jay being this image for dudes in the hood to emulate is misleading. 

Misleading because if you follow his route you're more than likely gonna fall short. You know how many hustlers are holding on to the false hope of leaving the hood like Jay, and in the meantime they're trying to get the record deal, but completely ignoring the education process which provides a more solid foundation?

Like I told you sell drugs; No Hov did that

So hopefully you wouldnt have to go through that

Its not Jay Zs fault that people are choosing the means that they are to obtain success. Jay Z has inspired me to be great throughout my entire life, but I've never moved weight. I went to school, read my books, got a degree, and now I'm working trying to get to the top that way. The guy motivated people to be successful, he never said sell drugs to do it, matter of fact he pushes going the corporate route as a way to true success more than the drug dealing. He just wants people to do better for themselves

 

Yeah man hes just pushing drug dealing on the masses with this one, telling people to believe in themselves, ignore the naysayers dont let them diminish their accomplishments, and that they have the potential to change the word. What a vile human being Jay Z is.

 

[lordofcastamere]

Like I told you sell drugs; No Hov did that

So hopefully you wouldnt have to go through that

Its not Jay Zs fault that people are choosing the means that they are to obtain success. Jay Z has inspired me to be great throughout my entire life, but I've never moved weight. I went to school, read my books, got a degree, and now I'm working trying to get to the top that way. The guy motivated people to be successful, he never said sell drugs to do it, matter of fact he pushes going the corporate route as a way to true success more than the drug dealing. He just wants people to do better for themselves

 

Yeah man hes just pushing drug dealing on the masses with this one

I was debating posting that line, but I didn't want to be cliche.

 

[gllahone84]

I'm not ignoring anything, you are overemphasizing jay-z being a "hustler". No matter which route you take medicine, law, engineering, business, etc this guy's approach to business should inspire. I love basketball players and retired athletes who become great in other aspects of life, that is inspiring. I'm not saying everyone should become a damb athlete or rapper. I'm inspired by people who have absolutely NOTHING to do with my chosen profession.

You seem stuck in this mentality that the only way someone can get rich is by selling drugs or being an athlete.

Wrong. I'm actually trying to steer away from that, but this is about Jay Z comparing himself to the President as being an agent for change, or hope. 

This dude tells me in every song almost that he's a hustler, and the people that buy his music are simply customers. I didn't make this up. 

Jay provides the ammunition in almost every track. Come on, how many times do I have to hear this dude tell me about what he did to the coke? 

 

[lordofcastamere]

I will say, people's reaction to Jay-z definitely perpetuates the idea that black people hate to see their own people rise.

"The Jewish stick together, friends in high places"-Nas

The problem with this thread is that jay-z is ACTUALLY a billionaire. If he were one of those rappers who have 2 chains and pretend to have real wealth dudes would be defending him.

 

[gllahone84]

Like I told you sell drugs; No Hov did that

So hopefully you wouldnt have to go through that

Its not Jay Zs fault that people are choosing the means that they are to obtain success. Jay Z has inspired me to be great throughout my entire life, but I've never moved weight. I went to school, read my books, got a degree, and now I'm working trying to get to the top that way. The guy motivated people to be successful, he never said sell drugs to do it, matter of fact he pushes going the corporate route as a way to true success more than the drug dealing. He just wants people to do better for themselves

 

Yeah man hes just pushing drug dealing on the masses with this one, telling people to believe in themselves, ignore the naysayers dont let them diminish their accomplishments, and that they have the potential to change the word. What a vile human being Jay Z is.

He pushes that image of a hustler down our throats...pause. But he does it almost every album. 

The dude was finished, but he finds a lane in American Gangster where he makes it autobiographical so to speak, and does an album that is has a fictional narrative, but we're suppose to treat it like it's not really fictional...

We need to bring this back to the thread topic and I find it hard to believe that ya'll dudes were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful. 

Ya'll are given Jay too much credit for your own drive in life, because a fear of failure is something we're all aware of whether Jay tells you to be great or not. 

Like sleazzy said earlier...you have fans calling him Hova so what do you expect?

 

[lordofcastamere]

Wrong. I'm actually trying to steer away from that, but this is about Jay Z comparing himself to the President as being an agent for change, or hope. 

This dude tells me in every song almost that he's a hustler, and the people that buy his music are simply customers. I didn't make this up. 

Jay provides the ammunition in almost every track. Come on, how many times do I have to hear this dude tell me about what he did to the coke? 

Um, he IS a hustler and people who buy his music are customers. What's your point? How is this a bad thing? That he has a product to sell and he's being honest about it?

I can see where Jay-z gets the comparison to Obama, people are too stuck in 1996 jay-z to see it. He's a successful, very wealthy and very influential black man. He may not have had the immediate, historic impact that Obama had but Jay-z is going to go down as a black legend for several reasons. He's just getting started imo.

 

[knowledgebones72]

gllahone84 you know I feel you on most subjects.

But you're taking a very unrealistic stance.

What have rappers been rapping about since the beginning of rap?

You really need to take a second and ask yourself why the average high school and college kid or even the average poor black person does not listen to Immortal Technique. Is it because they're dumb sheep who are enslaved? Well, I for one am no sheep, me and you agree on most things and can speak on the science of today's math, but I have no interest in Immortal Technique. I watch Ted talks when I want to be talked at by someone who does tons of research in fields that I'm reasonably interested in.

Jay Z is spitting some real stuff right there, stuff that in 2001 would make you **** your pants if you found out that these were all songs on one jay z album and that the one he dropped before this was just as topical.

I used to have this friend who HATED Oprah. Why? Because she didn't do enough for Black people. But what about the schools she opened up in Africa that provide education and opportunities to thousands of young Black girls who would have otherwise never had them? He said it wasn't good enough, cause they're in Africa and not here in the US. At the end of the day dude sounded ridiculous because the reality is that he couldn't be her, or make her do act act or be EXACTLY what he wanted her to be. He refused to deal with this, and decided that no good thing could be good enough unless it was in the manner that he saw fit.

 

[216301baller]

lmao @ he never glorified the lifestyle he led HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[antidope]

Why is that hard to believe? You can be influenced by all sorts of people. Your parents can influence you to be successful, MJ can influence someone to go pick up a basketball and try to make the league, but people cant be influenced by Jay Z? Hes not my sole influence but he sure is one of them and for good reason. 

 

[lordofcastamere]

He pushes that image of a hustler down our throats...pause. But he does it almost every album. 

The dude was finished, but he finds a lane in American Gangster where he makes it autobiographical so to speak, and does an album that is has a fictional narrative, but we're suppose to treat it like it's not really fictional...

We need to bring this back to the thread topic and I find it hard to believe that ya'll dudes were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful. 

Ya'll are given Jay too much credit for your own drive in life, because a fear of failure is something we're all aware of whether Jay tells you to be great or not. 

Like sleazzy said earlier...you have fans calling him Hova so what do you expect?

Jay-z doesn't inspire you but I'm sure someone does. Is it fair for us to condemn you for giving too much credit to that someone or something?

Some people don't understand metaphors and allegories I see...

Many musicians have made concept albums that are loosely based on their lives, somehow jayz is different.

 

[knowledgebones72]

Like I told you sell drugs; No Hov did that
So hopefully you wouldnt have to go through that

Its not Jay Zs fault that people are choosing the means that they are to obtain success. Jay Z has inspired me to be great throughout my entire life, but I've never moved weight. I went to school, read my books, got a degree, and now I'm working trying to get to the top that way. The guy motivated people to be successful, he never said sell drugs to do it, matter of fact he pushes going the corporate route as a way to true success more than the drug dealing. He just wants people to do better for themselves
 

Yeah man hes just pushing drug dealing on the masses with this one, telling people to believe in themselves, ignore the naysayers dont let them diminish their accomplishments, and that they have the potential to change the word. What a vile human being Jay Z is.

He pushes that image of a hustler down our throats...pause. But he does it almost every album. 

The dude was finished, but he finds a lane in American Gangster where he makes it autobiographical so to speak, and does an album that is has a fictional narrative, but we're suppose to treat it like it's not really fictional...

We need to bring this back to the thread topic and I find it hard to believe that ya'll dudes were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful. 

Ya'll are given Jay too much credit for your own drive in life, because a fear of failure is something we're all aware of whether Jay tells you to be great or not. 

Like sleazzy said earlier...you have fans calling him Hova so what do you expect?

I'm sorry you feel that way, but whether or not you believe it, that's the truth for me personally and a lot of the young men I grew up with who eventually made something of themselves. I was reading Revolutionary Suicide, listening to The Blueprint straight up understanding. There were dudes who idolized Tupac, dudes who idolized Camron, dudes who idolized Project Pat and the hypnotize minds dudes, and dudes who idolized Hov. And there were subtle differences among each of these phenotypes.

 

[keko jones]

I will say, people's reaction to Jay-z definitely perpetuates the idea that black people hate to see their own people rise.

"The Jewish stick together, friends in high places"-Nas

The problem with this thread is that jay-z is ACTUALLY a billionaire. If he were one of those rappers who have 2 chains and pretend to have real wealth dudes would be defending him.

I can understand your debate and argument my friend, but are you going to feel any kind of way when he graces you with his presences?

Like are you seriously going to be grateful?

This is what many people are taking issue with.

In addition, to answer someone else questions. Nobody can overlook what he is doing now, but does the means justify the end? Can we overlook what he did, because what he did is what gave him a start to where he is at?

I can understand why people take issue, they probably have been affected by drugs in their household, so I'm sure those people will look down on Jay Z no matter how much money he has or what he is doing now.

For some yes, for others no. 

 

[gllahone84]

I'm in the minority on this issue, but I honestly don't see it like that. 

A great artist speaks to you and inspires in a myriad of ways where it's not a reflection of their own narcissism. 

When I listen to Jay I get a heavy dose of that, and I'm just not with his overall message.