COVER STORY
JAY-Z IS A STRANGE ENTITY IN THE HIP-HOP GAME. IN A MUSICAL GENRE THAT, HISTORICALLY, FAVORS THE FLAVOR OF THE MOMENT, HE’S MANAGED TO MAINTAIN HIS RELEVANCE FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, MAKING MUSIC AND BUSINESS DECISIONS THAT KEEP HIM IN THE GRACES OF HAR
So, as Jay-Z prepares for his Wednesday evening date at Toyota Center, I’m wondering what’s the secret to his special sauce. Fortunately, we have a couple of music experts on staff, Joey Guerra and Andrew Dansby, who can help answer that question, including the idea that he has more in common with George Strait than some rappers.
Jay-Z’s debut record, “Reasonable Doubt,” is old enough to get served in a bar, and the rapper, himself, is closin’ in on 50. Yet, in a genre that often trades youth for wisdom, he’s been consistently in the top tier of hip-hop. How has he been able to maintain his relevance as styles and delivery methods have changed and mutated?
ANDREW: One of the things I find interesting with him is that he doesn’t get away with some of his most contrived career moves. I think “The Black Album” is a masterpiece, irrespective of the retirement that nobody believed was real. But then a big fuss came about with the release — The Return! — of “Kingdom Come,” which needed a little more time in the oven. And people didn’t go for it, listeners and critics alike. Similarly, “Magna Carta Holy Grail” … the title alone is an attempt to convey an almost comical degree of gravity. And it kind of went kerplunk.
His more subtle markers often reflect his more thoughtful music: “Reasonable Doubt,” “The Black Album,” “4:44.”
He’s well within his right to boast, having stuck it out, in a fickle business that emphasizes youth, for more than 20 years. And I think that’s attributable to the more subtle shadings in his music. The moments of doubt and vulnerability that creep into some of the songs. The appetite for new sounds, but without cutting ties with the past. He doesn’t have a “Twisted Dark Fantasy” or a “Yeezus” like Kanye West. He has a beautiful, understated musicality to his delivery. How he dresses up the words is interesting. It’s always different, but rarely radical.
JOEY: Jay’s longevity has to do with diversifying. I don’t think there’s anyone today who only sees him as a rapper. He’s a business man. He’s a mogul. He’s a brand and a mentor and a streaming service. He’s a dad. And he’s husband to the most famous woman in the world. All of that has played into his persona and helped him extend far beyond the expected shelf life.
The Beyoncé angle might seem played out. But never underestimate the, um, power of a power couple. They’ve recorded and toured together. They’ve written songs about each other, about their relationships. And the back and forth has played out in the public. It’s kept people interested, to be sure. But it’s also helped us see both of them as more than what we thought they were. It’s humanized them, to an extent, but also kept them on a pedestal at the same time, if that makes sense.
That’s not to discount the weight of Jay’s work. “Reasonable Doubt” and “The Black Album” are terrific. And even his lesser albums all have strong moments. I also think “Watch the Throne” with Kayne West helped introduce him to a new pocket of fans, much in the same way his relationship with Bey has earned them both legions of new followers from their respective sides.
Jay never seems like he’s playing catch up. He’s still leading the game in many ways.
BY ROBERT MORAST