Jay-Z's Secrets for Personal Success

[Jonathan Browne]

Jayz's Secrets for Personal Success

Read this amazing article about rapper Jayz, and check out his "six point best life diagnostic"



I also really enjoyed the part where he talks about how hip hop is responsible for our current environment in regards to racism.
"
Hip-hop has done so much for racial relations, and I don't think it's given the proper credit," he says. "It has changed America immensely. I'm going to make a very bold statement: Hip-hop has done more than any leader, politician, or anyone to improve race relations.

"I'll explain why I say that," he continues. "Racism is taught in the home. We agree on that? Well, it's very hard to teach racism to a teenager who's listening to rap music and who idolizes, say, Snoop Dogg. It's hard to say, 'That guy is less than you.' The kid is like, 'I like that guy, he's cool. How is he less than me?' That's why this generation is the least racist generation ever. "

discuss

[supertom]

I like it

[Talkofthatown919]

wow jay z has always impressed me from what he has became

[leaderspd]

Wow ! Great Stuff !! Thanks for posting !

[cylon]

Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first
And my thirst like the first song I sang

[ns123]

I don't agree with his views that hip hop music has helped race relations. There are many hip hop lyrics that are full of racism themselves and hate of other racial groups. I suppose if you pick and choose some lyrics, that case can be made. But on the whole, I don't find most hip hop music lyrics to be very effective at improving relationships.

This is some one who does enjoy hip hop music, before it became what it is today. This is back in the day when Ice T & Will Smith were rappers and not actors - when Dr. Dre still made music instead of producing it.

That said, I like the advice he gives. It resonates with me and I find his advice empowering.

[sirkinm]

Originally Posted by ns123

I don't agree with his views that hip hop music has helped race relations. There are many hip hop lyrics that are full of racism themselves and hate of other racial groups. I suppose if you pick and choose some lyrics, that case can be made. But on the whole, I don't find most hip hop music lyrics to be very effective at improving relationships.

The point isn't that the lyrics themselves have a message of racial harmony. It's that hip-hop has integrated itself into popular culture, and people of all ethnicities are resonating with the music and the artists.

[brendannz]

I never really got into hip hop, but I'm impressed with what Jay-Z has to say!

[Kirst88]

wow... can't believe it's from him. Impressive.

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Nice, maybe he reads Pavlina too

[Holistic Star]

Originally Posted by sirkinm

The point isn't that the lyrics themselves have a message of racial harmony. It's that hip-hop has integrated itself into popular culture, and people of all ethnicities are resonating with the music and the artists.

shame about the misogeny and homophobia in rap though isn't it.

still I like the quote from him.

[Jonathan Browne]

There's not as much misogeny and homophobia in rap as you might think. I take it most of you don't spend a lot of time listening to rap.

I think Snoop Dogg put it best in his latest album, "They so lost, man they just dont know/that a ♥♥♥♥♥ is a ♥♥♥♥♥, and a ho is a ho". Rappers are just frank. A woman can be "a ♥♥♥♥♥" but that doesn't mean all woman are bitches. The term is used against other men too.

As for homophobia I think eminem did enough to vindicate the artform by doing a song with Elton John. I'm not going to deny that a lot of rappers do glorify negative things though.

I think the difference with rap and other genres of music though is it's more clear what they are actually saying and they have a lot more room to actually be explicit about what they are talking about. If they grew up in the ghetto, which many successful rappers did, they are prob. going to have a lot of negative stories to tell, or negative emotions to release. Isn't it actually productive for them to release that negativity onto a recording rather than into the real world?

It is true that Jayz started out as a drug dealer, but he was able to channel his energy and desire for money into creative expression instead.
Here's one of his raps.
"
checkin in daily under aliases

we rebelious, we back home screamin leave iraq alone

but all my soldiers in the field I will wish you safe return

but only love kills war when will they learn?

its international Hov

been having a flow,

before Bin Laden got Manhattan to blow

before Ronald Reagon got Manhattan the blow

before i was carrying it there back and forth"


See, the popularity of rap has made the new generation of white kids aware that black people are just like them through the stories told in the lyrics. Even if connects on a negative level it still can promote empathy which destroys the power of racism, which is a learned behavior.