Jay-Z is among the well renowned and financially successful hip-hop musicians. Jay-Z's success is derived from his own hard work, including the launch of several successful music albums such as Volume 2, and his works with other rap artists. He has helped several artists to commence and grow their career in rap music. Jay-Z uses his lyrics to express the blows he has received from life and to encourage others. Thus, it is critical to evaluate the artistic value in Jay-Z's music.
Jay-Z uses the song "Hovi Baby" to summarize his accomplishments in the rap world. The song was written in 2003. Jay-Z uses the song to outline his accomplishments in the rap world over seven straight summers. Jay-Z's claim of achieving the unattainable is a hyperbole; however, he emphasizes the hardships that a poor African American man from the inner city faces in his endeavors to succeed. He uses the lyrics to argue that even the less fortunate in the society can achieve the American dream by maintaining a strong work ethic.
Jay-Z was raised in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in poverty; drugs and illegal guns surrounded him. This was compounded by the separation of his parents, which had a detrimental effect on his life like all other Black children. He uses the song "December 4th" to explain his habit of selling cocaine as a means of boosting his self-esteem. In the song, he argues that before starting to sell drugs, he felt worthless since his T-shirts did not match his gear. However, after earning the cash from selling drugs, he was able to purchase the clothing he desired, overcome his insecurities, and attract women. Jay-Z refers to himself when he was dealing in drugs as a resourceful person who endeavors to improve himself. Drug dealing has influenced a significant number of his lyrics, and helped him bridge the gap between the inner city and the mainstream America.
In conclusion, Jay-Z's lyrics are derived from his real life personal struggles towards success. The lyrics are encouraging to a significant number of Americans from the inner cities. The songs depict the fact that we can all succeed, and we should endeavor to earn our living through legitimate methods. Thus, Jay-Z's songs are helpful in helping those who earn money illegally. They have someone to epitomize.
