The musician Jay-Z called the “modern-day Shakespeare”
Jay-Z has collaborated with enough artists over the past three decades to know which ones stand out. His respect for one British musician in particular goes so deep that he compared him to one of the greatest writers in the English language, describing him as the “modern-day Shakespeare.”
Chris Martin has remained one of the most popular figures in music culture since the release of Coldplay’s debut album Parachutes in 2000, which was home to their iconic hit single ‘Yellow’. From there, the band went from strength to strength with 2002’s A Rush of Blood to the Head and singles such as ‘Clocks’ and ‘Speed of Sound’, certifying themselves as one of the biggest bands in the world.
During an interview with the Metro, Jay-Z called Martin a “genius” regardless of their close relationship. He praised his presence on stage and claimed he would be seen as a “modern-day Shakespeare” in years to come. “We are good friends — but what I got to say has nothing to do with our friendship,” he said. “I have been in the industry long enough to know when I’m in the presence of a genius, and Chris Martin is just that.
“In years to come, Britain will look back at him as a modern-day Shakespeare. He is an incredible recording artist, an incredible songwriter, but where he really comes alive is performing live. If you get the chance to see Coldplay live, do it — you ain’t gonna regret it.”
Jay-Z collaborated with Martin on the song ‘Beach Chair’ in 2006, which appeared on his ninth studio album, Kingdom Come. Hov later returned the favour on ‘Lost+’ from Coldplay’s Prospekt’s’ March EP in 2008.
This isn’t the only time Jay has called Martin a “genius.” Speaking to Rolling Stone, he explained what the word means to him, putting him on a high pedestal alongside Kanye West, Dr Dre, Outkast’s Andre 3000, U2’s Bono and legendary producer Rick Rubin.
“For me, it’s coming up with something so different and so full of emotion and truth,” he said. “Kanye – I think I was the first to brand him a genius. André 3000 does genius work. Bono, absolutely. Chris Martin’s a genius. Dr Dre, genius. Rick Rubin, super genius.”
He continued, “[Martin and I] met at a Robin Hood Foundation dinner three years ago. We hit it off right away. The guy’s humble, and he has a lovely family. It’s rare to meet such a genuinely good person. I’m drawn to his energy. I don’t go to people’s houses and hang out, but I go to his house and hang out.”
Martin was actually the person who persuaded Jay-Z to headline Glastonbury Festival in 2008. “At one point, I was like, ‘Why am I going there? If they don’t want me there, I don’t want to go,'” he told Gayle King on CBS Mornings. “And Chris from Coldplay was instrumental in [convincing me to play].
“He was like, ‘Jay, they love you. It’s just the old guard, they don’t know. It’s always been a rock festival.’ They didn’t have anything against me personally, it was just like, ‘This is a rock festival, this is what it is.’ The world was changing.”