60 Jay-Z Quotes for You to Enjoy

Jay-Z

American Musician

Born: Dec 4, 1969

Good Me Music People Think You

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Around 20. I'd been trying to transition from the streets to the music business, but I would make demos and then quit for six months. And I started to realize that I couldn't be successful until I let the street life go. Jay-Z

I try to make music with emotion and integrity. And authenticity. You can feel when something's authentic, and you can feel when it's not: you know when someone's trying to make the club record, or trying to make the girl record, or trying to make the thug record. It's none of that. It's just my emotions. Jay-Z

I've talked to Bill Clinton - he's the ultimate rock star; no one's more charming than him. People clap in a restaurant when he finishes dinner! I don't get that treatment. I get it when I walk onstage, but not when I have dinner. Jay-Z

I grew up in Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, and my mom and pop had an extensive record collection, so Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder and all of those sounds and souls of Motown filled the house. Jay-Z

Mom Projects Those Collection Brooklyn Record Record Collection Had House Stevie Stevie Wonder Souls Sounds Motown Up Wonder Michael Michael Jackson Jackson Grew Pop Filled Extensive

Growing up where I grew up, we looked to athletes. They were our first heroes. They came from the same places we came from. I mean, you can't watch TV and see someone who is successful that you can really relate to. That person isn't real; he doesn't exist. But athletes traveled the world, had these big houses and gave their families a better life. Jay-Z

Life You World Better Heroes First Big Relate Gave Our TV Athletes See Someone Better Life Had He Looked Houses Real Came Were Exist Up Families Person Same Where Grew Places Mean Really Successful Who Traveled Growing Growing Up Watch

If I go into a studio and find my truth of the moment, there are a number of people in the world who can relate to what I'm saying and are going to buy into what I'm doing. Not because it's the new thing of the moment, but because it's genuine emotion. Its how I feel. This is how I articulate the world. Jay-Z

Truth Buy Saying People World Relate Find My Truth Emotion Studio Feel New Because Genuine How Doing Go Articulate New Thing Going Moment Who Thing Number

I think in London - and I don't wanna offend anybody in America, but this is a real statement - they still have the right approach to making music. In the U.S., people see it as a way to make money; they see it as a means to get out. It's a hustle, which is great - any way you can provide for your family that's legal is fantastic. Jay-Z

Music Great Family You Legal People Money Think Approach Statement Way Out See London Hustle Make Making Real Still Provide Offend America Get Any Anybody Wanna Which Fantastic Means Your Right

By the time I got to record my first album, I was 26, I didn't need pen or paper - my memory had been trained just to listen to a song, think of the words, and lay them to tape. Jay-Z

My brands are an extension of me. They're close to me. It's not like running GM, where there's no emotional attachment. Jay-Z

Me Running Attachment Emotional Like Close Brands Where Extension

Hip-hop is more about attaining wealth. People respect success. They respect big. They don't even have to like your music. If you're big enough, people are drawn to you. Jay-Z

Success Music You Respect People Wealth Big Enough Enough People Drawn About More Attaining Like Hip-Hop Big Enough Your Even

You make your first album, you make some money, and you feel like you still have to show face, like 'I still go to the projects.' I'm like, why? Your job is to inspire people from your neighborhood to get out. You grew up there. What makes you think it's so cool? Jay-Z

You People Money Inspire Job Face First Think Projects Neighborhood Out Some Feel Like Make Makes Still Go Up Get Grew Your Show Cool Why Album

The experiences that I've had growing up with music, you know, I couldn't trade them for any money in the world. Dancing in the living room to enjoy myself. 'Enjoy Yourself,' Michael Jackson. Jay-Z

Music Myself You Yourself World Money Enjoy Living Dancing Had Know Trade Up Michael Michael Jackson Jackson Any Experiences Room Them Growing Growing Up Living Room

Hip-hop has done more for race relations than most cultural icons; and I say save Martin Luther King, because his 'I Have A Dream' speech was realized when Obama was elected into office. Jay-Z

King Relations Say Dream Obama Martin Martin Luther Martin Luther King More Most Because Hip-Hop His Cultural Than Office Done Race Race Relations Icons Elected Realized Speech Luther Save

'Blueprint 3' is made up of songs, but it's also a commentary on the idea that in order for rap to survive, we have to stretch out the drama. We have to stretch out the audience. It can't be this narrow - we have to stretch out the point of view. Jay-Z

Made Drama Rap Out Point Point Of View Songs Idea Also Audience Narrow Up Commentary Survive Blueprint Order To Survive View Stretch

The day Obama got into office, rap was less important because Obama gave kids an alternative. But will rap ever go away? No. There will always be a need for poets. Jay-Z

Day Will Important Go Away Gave Kids Rap Obama Poets Alternative Because Always Got Go Office Less Away Ever Need

Some people are attracted to vulnerability. From my very first album, I've been vulnerable. I've always given parts of me, parts of my life - good, bad, ugly. I've never put up this image as a super-thug. Also, some people just like the music. Jay-Z

Life Music Good Me People Ugly Some People My Life First Bad Some Given Never Put Like Attracted Also Parts Vulnerability Vulnerable Always Been Up Very Just Image Album

I'm just going to make the music I love to make, and I'm going to mature with my music. Jay-Z

Love Music Make Mature Going Just

When Basquiat was hanging out with Madonna and Fab Five Freddy, and all those worlds were colliding, people have to realize hip-hop and the arts were like this 'cause we both were outcasts: we wasn't allowed inside the galleries or inside Yankee Stadium. We were writing in the street and making music. Jay-Z

Music People Writing Cause Worlds Those Out Madonna Inside Freddy Both Allowed Like Yankee Yankee Stadium Making Hip-Hop Were Five Hanging Stadium Arts Galleries Realize Street

I never wanted to just glamorize the playa lifestyle and not touch on the down side. I wanted everyone who's in a desperate situation to know that, if they wanna choose that kinda lifestyle, they gotta be aware of everything that comes with it! It's not just about the cars, the ladies and the money. Jay-Z

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