Introduction
Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, is a prominent figure in the American and world music industry. He is among the artists who made rap and hip-hop so popular, proving that his songs are more than just a few rhymes with a cool music sample. Although Jay-Z is often criticized for his seemingly simple or even primitive lyrics, it is impossible to deny their real meaningfulness and impact on listeners worldwide.
Main body
Jay-Z’s memoir, called Decoded, has uncovered social, political, and personal experiences that influenced the rapper and his art. Music is among these significant influences, as Jay-Z reveals that his family was always fond of it (Carter, 2011). Their house was always full of music, and it accompanied all family activities (Carter, 2011). Their musical collection comprised everything that was popular in the 70-s (Carter, 2011). Jay-Z admits that his whole generation was raised on the emotional music of that period, which has impacted them a lot (Carter, 2011). According to Jay-Z, those artists were sometimes perceived as father figures for his peers (Carter, 2011). Their soul and jazz music were used as a base for fresh, innovative works of hip-hop and rap artists that taught many people about politics, humor, language, and even respect toward women (Carter, 2011). Thus, hip-hop and rap impacted and changed Jay-Z’s life and are still important channels of his self-expression.
Apart from general musical influences, Jay-Z mentions a lot of specific artists that had the greatest impact on him and whose music inspired his works. This list includes the Blackbyrds, the Love Unlimited Orchestra, the Jackson 5, Rufus, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, MFSB, the Average White Band, and the Commodores (Carter, 2011). Some of the classic seventies soul also became the foundation for several of Jay-Z’s compositions. The Ohio Players, the Stylistics, Isaac Hayes, and the Four Tops were sampled on Reasonable and Marvin Gaye’s song “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” – on the American Gangster album (Carter, 2011). These artists and bands are only a few whom Jay-Z considers his favorite and most inspirational, but he notes that the special place among them belongs to Michael Jackson (Carter, 2011). Therefore, one can trace Jay-Z’s musical taste, preferences, and experiences in his compositions.
One of the most important elements of Jay-Z’s songs is their lyrics, where he expresses his thoughts on many relevant issues. They might not be evident at first, as Jay-Z often mentions stereotypical rappers’ bragging about money, power, or girls as bait to mock lazy and ignorant critics (Carter, 2011). He finds it funny how they judge his lyrics based on a few words or lines without trying to listen to the whole song and grasp the metaphors and the actual message (Carter, 2011). Thus, his lyrics are not meaningless rhymes but coherent stories.
The major topics of Jay-Z’s songs are social injustice and racism. For instance, in Decoded, he reveals how young black people have to learn laws and legal procedures very quickly to protect themselves from injustice (Carter, 2011). This issue is also reflected in Jay-Z’s famous song 99 problems. In its second verse, one hears how the narrator is stopped by police who try to find fault with him and conduct an illegal search of his car (Carter, 2011). The policemen shamelessly refer to stereotypes to justify their suspicions: “Are you carrying a weapon on you, I know a lot of you are” (Carter, 2011, p. 46). Presumption of innocence is a basic right any person must have, but Jay-Z shows how black people often suffer from baseless unproven accusations.
One should admit that the crime rate among black people in some poor areas is really quite high, and that is another problem Jay-Z covers in his music. While “decoding” the lyrics of his song D’Evils, he confesses he was once convinced a poor black guy could not achieve anything significant unless he resorted to violence and crime (Carter, 2011). However, he emphasizes that he changed his mind: tough conditions many black people live in are a relevant problem, but they are not a justification for unleashing one’s inner demons (Carter, 2011). It is one of the wise lessons Jay-Z teaches his listeners.
Another issue that Jay-Z often addresses in his works is drug addiction. His main point is that it is a disease that should be cured, but not a crime that must be punished (Carter, 2011). He used to sell crack and be an addict himself and witnessed many friends and relatives suffer and die from it (Carter, 2011). This experience and his talent that gave him a purpose in life have probably helped him avoid “Sonny’s” fate of being imprisoned for selling drugs. He found the strength not to pity himself and drown in the lethal addiction but to tell his story and fight injustice via his art.
With these social issues frequently covered in them, Jay-Z’s songs also have political importance. The musician is certain that hip-hop is extremely influential in making black Americans “visible” and showing their life from their perspective (Carter, 2011). The songs mentioned above prove it, as they touch upon real issues of black people. They can be viewed as a call to society and the government to make changes in legal and social systems to improve the situation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jay-Z is an extraordinary figure in the modern music industry and has already become an important contributor to its history. At first glance (or rather hearing), his lyrics might sound primitive and superficial, constantly mentioning money and girls. However, if one cares to listen to it more carefully, one would discover a new layer of hidden meaning where the rapper addresses relevant social issues of racism, abuse of power, poverty, and violence.
Reference
Carter, S. (“Jay-Z”). (2011). Decoded. Spiegel & Grau.