Friday, October 29, 2010

Jay-Z’s Decoded Song List

These are the songs that Jay-Z chose to Decode. I guess we'll find out on November 16th when the book is in stores.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Quotable! Jay-Z



Don't get mad at me
I don't love 'em I fuck 'em
I don't chase 'em I duck 'em
I replace 'em with another one
You had to see she keep calling me BIG
(And another one!)
And my name is Jay-Z
She was all on my dick
Gradually I'm taking over your bitch
Coming over your shit
Got my feet up on you sofas, man
I mean a hostess for my open hand
You coming home to dishes and empty soda cans
I got your bitch up in my Rover man
I never kiss her, I never hold her hand
In fact I diss her I'm a bolder man
I'mma pimp her, it's over man
When I twist her in the Gold sedan
Like I'm Goldie man, you're bitch chose man
Jigga man, iceberg with the frozen hands
wedding bands don't make it rosy man

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Best-Selling Author Cosigns Jay-Z Decoded


“I had no idea what to expect when I started this manuscript, but now that I’ve finished it, my main response is gratitude to Jay-Z, not only for his honesty about his life story but for being willing to decode these lyrics, so that someone like me has access to them. Just from the few hip-hop/rap lyrics I’d heard, I knew there was something important going on — street news, social history, life stories of people who are so often invisible. But I had no idea how rich these stories were. I find myself making connections of my own — Jay-Z’s comments about both poets and hustlers “bending” language, for instance, had me recalling Emily Dickinson’s “tell the truth, but tell it slant.” The notes to the lyrics had me riffing on T.S. Eliot’s notes to “The Wasteland.” Most of all, this book has reconnected me with the Autobiography of Malcolm X, which was really the story of a life saved, and a book written so that other kids that our society considers “throwaways” might find a way out, another way to live. Well, Malcolm’s book did that for many young people, and I hope that this book will as well. I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface of this brilliant book, and will be returning to the decodings over and over. If I’m given a choice between going clubbing to hear hip-hop, and going to a monastery to chant the psalms with Benedictine monks, the monks will win out every time. But as a poet, I am just so pleased to be given a better sense of the workings of this vital art form.”
– Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk

Via Rapradar.com

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Watch The Throne now a Full Length Album




Ahhh Shit look at what Santa is getting us for Christmas! As I was reading the article this morning I overlooked the fact that Kanye stated in a separate interview that they are turning "Watch The Throne" into a full length album. Great Shit!! They should do some tracks with Nas. Below is an excerpt from the interview.

"We putting out a whole album now, We had done five [songs] so far, and then a few of ‘em, kind of, were out there, and I put them on my album. Sorry Jay. But we got some more, and we going to the south of France at the end of this month just to record new ideas.”

Via MTV

Futuristic Gs

According to MTV Kanye West wants to collaborate on a song with Nas entitled "Futuristic Gs" for G.O.O.D. Fridays. This should be really interesting we've heard them before on "We Major" so this is a definitely highly anticipated project.

Via MTV

Monday, October 25, 2010

Quotable! Nas

It ain't hard to tell, I excel, then prevail
The mic is contacted, I attract clientele
My mic check is life or death, breathin a sniper's breath
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps
Deep like The Shinin', sparkle like a diamond
Sneak a uzi on the island in my army jacket linin
Hit the Earth like a comet, invasion
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazin
Cause in my physical, I can express through song
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong
I drank Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell

Artist: Nas
Album: Illmatic
Song: It Ain't Hard to Tell

Jay-Z: #2 Hottest MC In The Game

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010

Jay-Z Teams Up With Bing


Excerpt from article "In his first book, “DECODED,” pop culture icon JAY-Z describes the hidden meanings behind some of his most provocative songs and provides a highly personal narrative of the culture that so powerfully shaped his life and art. But some stories are bigger than the printed page. Bing, the decision engine from Microsoft Corp., is launching a multiplatform search experience and interactive game to help people decode JAY-Z’s life and lyrics. JAY-Z’s words will be taken a step further, allowing fans to use Bing and decide how to find the very locations that inspired them."

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/oct10/10-17bingjay-zpr.mspx

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Nas' Destiny Keeps Up with Hip-Hop Trends


Conversation With Nas from The305.com on Vimeo.

Nas' daughter Destiny is up to date with the current hip-hop climate. That's a great thing because that's Nasir's daughter and she is hip-hop Royalty.

Via Soulculture.com

Nas' Letter To Def Jam

From: Nas
To: LA Reid, Steve Bartels, Steve Gawley, Michael Seltzer, Joseph Borrino, Chris Hicks
Subject: PUT MY SHIT OUT!

Peace to all,

With all do respect to you all, Nas is NOBODY's slave. This is not the 1800's, respect me and I will respect you.

I won't even tap dance around in an email, I will get right into it. People connect to the Artist @ the end of the day, they don't connect with the executives. Honestly, nobody even cares what label puts out a great record, they care about who recorded it. Yet time and time again its the executives who always stand in the way of a creative artist's dream and aspirations. You don't help draw the truth from my deepest and most inner soul, you don't even do a great job @ selling it. The #1 problem with DEF JAM is pretty simple and obvious, the executives think they are the stars. You aren't.... not even close. As a matter of fact, you wish you were, but it didn't work out so you took a desk job. To the consumer, I COME FIRST. Stop trying to deprive them! I have a fan base that dies for my music and a RAP label that doesn't understand RAP. Pretty fucked up situation

This isn't the 90's though. Beefing with record labels is so 15 years ago. @ this point I just need you all to be very clear where I stand and how I feel about "my label." I could go on twitter or hot 97 tomorrow and get 100,000 protesters @ your building but I choose to walk my own path my own way because since day one I have been my own man. I did business with Tommy Mottola and Donnie Einer, two of the most psycho dudes this business ever created. I worked well with them for one major reason....... they believed in me. The didn't give a fuck about what any radio station or magazine said....those dudes had me.

Lost Tapes is a movement and a very important set up piece for my career as it stands. I started this over 5 years ago @ Columbia and nobody knew what it was or what it did but the label put it out as an LP and the fans went crazy for it and I single handlely built a new brand of rap albums. It's smart and after 5 years it's still a head of the game. This feels great and you not feeling what I'm feeling is disturbing. Don't get in the way of my creativity. We are aligned with the stars here, this is a movement. There is a thing called KARMA that comes to haunt you when you tamper with the aligning stars. WE ARE GIVING THE PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT. Stop throwing dog shit on a MAGICAL moment.

You don't get another Nas recording that doesn't count against my deal....PERIOD! Keep your bullshit $200,000.00 fund. Open the REAL budget. This is a New York pioneers ALBUM, there ain't many of us. I am ready to drop in the 4th quarter. You don't even have shit coming out! Stop being your own worst enemy. Let's get money!

-N.Jones