The rapper Jay-Z labelled as a “genius”
Jay-Z is widely considered untouchable as an artist. With unparalleled lyricism and extraordinary wordplay, it would take a lot to impress the Brooklyn native. However, there are some MCs that the Black Album creator very much appreciates.
The NYC icon has previously explained his love for Biggie Smalls and revealed that he has admired the late artist’s flow since he was a teenager on the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant. In 1998, when interviewed by MTV News, Jay admitted that the Ready To Die musician was the only person he felt was on his level lyrically.
Commencing with the late Biggie Smalls, when asked if there was anyone else with whom he felt he personally competed in rap, Biggie was the only person he thought of. Elaborating on this sentiment, Jay told the journalist, “There was one person: Big. If I heard ‘Who Shot Ya?’ in a club, I would leave and go make some music. That’s not to take anything away from Eminem or Nas. I just don’t look at them as that.”
However, in 2003 Jay-Z spoke with Playboy. During the interview, he admitted that Detroit lyricist Eminem had him on his toes and labelled him “extraordinary”. He praised Eminem and even labelled him as a “genius”, claiming that, aside from the Life After Death lyricist, Em is one of the best rappers of all time.
Opening up about his love for Eminem, Jay explained, “He’s an extraordinary talent. He’s a genius, bottom line. But race has something to do with it! If you listen to his record ‘White America,’ he addresses that topic.”
Hov has delved into why Eminem’s flow is so excellent before. During an appearance on the David Letterman show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the Brooklyn icon detailed, “You can be someone like Eminem and just have amazing cadence.” After imitating Em’s intricate flow for the audience, he explained, “It’s percussion inside the music”.
Jay-Z and Eminem have also collaborated, most famously in 2001, on Jay’s Blueprint song ‘Renegade’. The track was at the centre of much debate, and, depending on who you ask, they will tell you who they believe had the better verse.
The single was even referred to in Nas’ 2001 Jay-Z diss song ‘Ether’ where he told the ‘Marcy Me’ musician, “You ass, went from Jaz to hanging with Caine, to Herb, to Big / And, Eminem murdered you on your own shit!”
Although he does love Eminem, as he said in his 1998 interview with MTV News, he still doesn’t believe they are better than Biggie Smalls. Undoubtedly, there is a bit of bias as the two were friends before fame, and both went to the same high school.