Jay-Z explains why rappers grab their crotches: “You feel naked”
Rappers often get pointed out for grabbing their crotches. While fans usually aren’t the type to question it, those outside of the hip-hop space have criticised the action. It’s the type of thing a conservative mind calls out to diminish something they don’t understand, but there are many reasons behind it. And Jay-Z has a profound one.
While on the surface it looks like a rapper might be projecting their dominance by grabbing their private parts, it can be much more than that. In some cases, sure, artists might be boldly expressing their sexuality, but in Jay’s point of view, the act comes out of being nervous on stage, whether it’s performing in front of 10s or thousands of people.
Speaking to NPR in 2010, Hov said, “A lot of times in hip-hop – like in rock ‘n’ roll, you’ll have bands who tour the world. They get in vans and they tour the world, and they do rinky-dink clubs. And they get bottles thrown at them and, you know, until they hone their craft, until they become, you know, rock stars.”
He continued, “In hip-hop, the music leads first. So usually, you have a hit record. And then you throw this person on stage who has never been on stage before, you know, because the music leads. So they don’t have any experience on how to perform in front of people, hold the mic, you know, all these different things that you need to know as a performer. So when you get up there, you feel naked, right?”
Jay claimed that while it might appear to be intimidating, it’s actually all a front. “When you feel naked, what’s the first thing you do? You cover yourself,” he said. “So that bravado is an act of, ‘I am so nervous right now, and I’m scared to death. I’m going to act so tough that I’m going to hide it. And I have to grab, you know, my crotch.’ That’s just what happens.”
Rappers aren’t the only musicians who have held their crotches, either. The late Michael Jackson was well-known for doing it on stage. While Jay-Z sees crotch-grabbing as an anxious thing, the showman had another reason.
When asked about why he did it, MJ said it was simply a result of feeling the music – something that happens impulsively. “I think it happens subliminally,” he began. “When I dance, if you’re a dancer, you know, you’re just interpreting the sounds and the accompaniment of the music. If there’s a driving bass, you become the bass. If there’s a cello, if there’s a string, you become that.”
He added, “So you become the motion of what that sound is. If I’m doing a movement and I go, ‘Bam,’ and I grab myself, it’s the music that compels me to do it. It’s not saying I’m dirty, grabbing down there, and it’s not in a great place; you don’t think about it, it just happens. Sometimes I look back at the footage and I’ll go, ‘Did I do that?’ So, I’m slave to rhythm.”
Another explanation for crotch-holding could be down to holding up bagging trousers, a fashion trend that started in the ’90s. No matter what the reason, it’s important not to judge it as a negative thing. Especially if, like Jay says, it’s to do with an artist being stressed and managing their emotions.