VIBE Examines Jay-Z for 15th

VIBE magazine recently unveiled a 15-year anniversary issue which features the Greatest of all-time rapper (debatable), Jay-Z on the cover. Inside the mag, an article by Elliott Wilson discusses how the richest rapper around has been part of many groundbreaking moments, and how Kingdom Come is still a great album, in Jay's mind. It also gives an in-depth look at how Jay-Z came to be in rap music at all. Here's a brief excerpt discussing Jay-Z's early start in rap: It’s hard to believe, but in the mid-’90s, it was supposed to be AZ, not Jay-Z. After Jay’s mentor The Jaz bricked with his major label debut, Word To The Jaz (EMI), in 1989, Jay-Z joined him a year later for a song called “Th e Originators” (EMI). It was a pass-the-mic, tongue-twisting lyrical exercise in the frantic, fast-paced rap style that Bone Thugs-N-Harmony would one day take to the top of the pop charts. Jay had so much to say, but, unlike Rakim, he didn’t flow slow. So no one listened. It wasn’t until Jay slowed down his words that the rap audience began to listen. And once they started, like a demented game of Hova Says, they started doing whatever he said. Drink Cristal. 4.6 not 4.0. Rock Reeboks. Stop wearing throwback jerseys with your grown ass. Put on a button-up. Stop drinking Cristal. Pop Ace of Spades. He inspires people to aspire. Dreams of fuckin’ an R&B bitch? Not good enough. Lock her down! He’s a guiding light, even when he’s not right. Still we ride. Stab Un (Google it). Fuck Nas’ baby mama. Abandon R. Kelly when the drama comes. Dump Dame. Shelve Joe Budden. Drop DMX. It's a great read which includes Jay-Z's rise to glory in the hip hop game and how he is a blueprint not only for rap success, but also business success. Read more of the Jay-Z article and interview here, or pickup the September 2008 issue of VIBE on newstands!