Shawn Corey Carter, better known as the rapper and businessman Jay-Z, might just be the most influential rap artist in the modern day. After his release of his highly rated album 4:44, fans of the genre of music are turning to him as a guide for the modern day of rap to return to the anticipated music of the golden days of rap. Jay-Z's album is one of the few albums in today's day to be backed by an actual meaningful message unlike most rappers in today's age, excluding a handful of rappers of the likes of J Cole, Chance The Rapper, and more.
A 47-year-old Jay-Z has shown his maturity throughout the years, but this album has truly proved to the world that Jay-Z's words are messages to not only the rap community but also the African American community. Jay-Z spreads a message of success, and how hard work and dedication will empower people to their aspirations.
His goal throughout the album is to say that the wrong message is being spread throughout music. In his song "The Story of O.J.", Jay-Z says, "you wanna know what's more important throwing away money in a strip club?/Credit." Jay-Z here is criticizing the biggest mistake that most rappers are doing; he's beginning to understand the importance of financial freedom and how many of the artists in the industry disregard it completely from their agendas. Throughout his whole album, Jay-Z proves his maturity and how his 30 years as a world star rapper has given him a understanding of the value of money and he's trying to teach society young.
His song "Legacy" continues off of that same logic: "Take those moneys and spread 'cross families/.../for whatever she wants to do/She might start a institute/She might put poor kids in school." He mentions how beneficial money can actually be to a society, rather than following the common hypocritical nature of spending money on big brand names and cars, advising that money should be going towards family and towards people who need it. Money can put kids in school and money can lead them and the world to a better social position if given the opportunity. Jay Z's lyrics are directly focusing on the issues of today; people would rather see themselves succeed while everyone else trails them, but Jay-Z would rather see his family in a better position which in the long run will help society as a whole.
Jay Z undoubtedly is one of the most successful artists in the music industry; his maturity throughout the years have helped him focus on his career both as a artist and as a businessman. He's appreciated what money can offer but now he realizes the good that money can do to urban broken down communities. What's most important however is now he has discovered the financial freedom that comes when money is well-invested. Most of the big artists in the hip hop genre have came from broken down communities, and when they get a glimpse of what it means to have money, they don't know how to act. In most cases, it leads their careers to a downward spiral. But someone as revolutionary to the industry as Jay-Z has become a father figure to not only most young and naive rappers but towards society as a whole.
Jay-Z represents success, and anyone who wants to make it big in life should truly look at him not just as a ordinary rapper but as a mentor for success.
