Nasty ain't even strong enough a word for That Flow, more like Nefarious.
Majestic Mischief.
That Flow had a mind of its own.
Jigga just happened to be the vessel from which that coolly-delivered-word-vomit-cadence opted to speak thru at that time.
And I bet NOT ONE of y'all (including myself & even Hov himself) thought the dude murking that track on a Sauce Money album would a decade later be at the White House hanging with the country's first Black President on some mutual-admiration society steez.
Nah, even Jigga in '99 wasn't *that* cocky to see either one of those things having any remote chance of happening at any time for the rest of our lives.
But The Flow knew.
That flow was concealing a shiteating grin & laughing inside just thinking 'wait til you motherfuckas see where this is gonna go'.
Whenever you're feeling pessimistic about personal or external shit, just remember that actually happened in between today & the first day you got here to start bullshitting on OKP.
3. "RE: I'll nominate "It's Murda"" In response to Reply # 1
"it's murda" was my shit, but it ain't fucking with "pre-game" IMO.
that opening with the sample from "hoodlum" with bumpy trying to strongarm dutch schultz in the club, that sick ass beat with the piano that the dude from east flatbush project (i forget his name, spencer something) laced and sauce and jay killing it. especially jay with the "code name hova all praise me, y'all don't paint pictures y'all all trace me" line...man shit still gets me to this day. add in the shooting guard like kobe line. it's over. plus like my man above said, his flow was so effortless and it wasn't on that "i'm gonna rap this way to prove that i'm so dope that i don't even really gotta try" shit that jay tries to do nowdays, he really wasn't trying back then. he was that ill.
i remember the first time i heard that on a dj clue mixtape before the belly soundtrack dropped, i was rewinding constantly...
--------------------------------------- Some words of wisdom to the idiotic okayplayers...
It Is Better To Be Thought Of As A Fool, Than To Open Your Mouth And Remove All Doubt.
8. "It's easy to forget how impressive he was in that period" In response to Reply # 0
I've never quite understood the hate for Vol 1 and 2. Theres some duds but overall they have a few duds but, overall, Jay was destroying shit back then.
18. "I totally forgot about this joint..." In response to Reply # 9
Even though it's definitely one of my favorite Jay joints. I hate the rapper he's become, but I respect the emcee he used to be.
There's something that flow that's indescribable. Sauce does bring the best out of Jay...I've never heard a bad song with them together.
You're such pests...now, what is it you want? In your depths of your ignorance, what is it you want? Well, whatever it is you want, I can't deliver because I just don't see it. - Orson Welles
13. "true, that was part of 'The Rainman' process at that point" In response to Reply # 10
even the 'Bo!' he lets off while Sauce is on while he almost runs over him trying to start his verse gives you the feeling those two are in the booth together & he's got an itchy trigger finger nodding feverishly ready to spit.
"Whenever you're feeling pessimistic about personal or external shit, just remember that actually happened in between today & the first day you got here to start bullshitting on OKP."
Hustle Harder huh?
********** "naive as the dry leaves on the ground looking past the trees to the blue sky asking 'why me?'" -Blu
15. "I don't think see him being able to rap quite that authoritatively again" In response to Reply # 14
not to say there hasn't been plenty of quality songs/albums since this time period but the way he's rapping here is something you can do only when you're fully working on honing your rap craft & perfecting it on a daily almost hourly basis.
At some point though like any great athlete, age/outside-interests/motivation/life just kinda naturally gets in the way.
17. "Definitely agreed." In response to Reply # 15 Mon Oct-01-12 07:24 PM by Brew
There's something to be said for that early hunger that can't be regained. The same can be said for Common and a bunch of others, who can still be technically impressive often but don't have that "it" factor or (I shudder at the use of this word) "swag" they had when their focus was 100% on rap and trying to prove themselves on the mic. You can hear it in his voice on this track and others from that time period. You can't regain that, replicate it, force it or fake it.
I think Nas may be the only exception to this rule, that I can think of. Cause he's spitting like he's 20 again on Life is Good.
16. "you can say the same thing about the intro to vol.1" In response to Reply # 0
"a million & one ?s/rhyme no more" is way more sharper and keen, but once again right to say it is @ its finest. vol. 1 > blueprint the only real misstep is "sunshine" and not because of the video, but the failed attempt at trying to create 'ain't no nigga pt.2'
19. "These aren't really the same type of flow, necessarily, but..." In response to Reply # 0
both Jay's verses on these joints from around that same time period have that "it" factor that we were discussing above. He just sounds so much more raw and fresh and effortless on these than he has in a long time. Obviously the lyrical content is nothing new. And even the writing itself isn't mind-blowing. But just the flow and delivery is ridiculous.
Especially the shit he spits over the third beat. Even the first shit he spits here sounds a lot slicker than when it turned up on Vol. 3. I've never been able to find an uncensored version of this and I've been searching for years.
I think the closest he came to recapturing this era was on the pre-Black Album mixtape, which he just demolished from top to bottom. Not quite as effortless and cocky sounding, but just as filthy. Kind of like late 90s Jordan instead of early 90s Jordan.
26. "I agree here completely:" In response to Reply # 24
>I think the closest he came to recapturing this era was on the >pre-Black Album mixtape, which he just demolished from top to >bottom. Not quite as effortless and cocky sounding, but just >as filthy. Kind of like late 90s Jordan instead of early 90s >Jordan.
He was absolutely out to prove something in his "retirement". He spit like crazy on that mixtape and The Black Album.
25. "His cleverness on that song is off the charts." In response to Reply # 22
The chess lines (rook/rookie, night/knight, crown/king, queen/chick) (not to mention how he foreshadows them earlier in the verse with "poppa raised me with chess moves").
Also the quick little math section is nice - "my mathematics is precise - i carry the nine" (as in during addition) so fucking with me "just ain't the answer."
WIth Jay, the sheer number of fairly indiscrete but insanely clever lines always blew me away.
>Also the quick little math section is nice - "my mathematics >is precise - i carry the nine" (as in during addition) so >fucking with me "just ain't the answer." >
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
37. "Thinking about this post one thing I noticed about Jay's lyrics" In response to Reply # 0
is that dude has always been incredibly focused on making money. His tracks about fcuking bitches are always half hearted. He's got club anthems about partying and spending money of course. But he rhymes more about making money more than any other MC. Dude has been focused.
********** "naive as the dry leaves on the ground looking past the trees to the blue sky asking 'why me?'" -Blu
42. "RE: A Million And One Questions (DJ Premier Remix)" In response to Reply # 40
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IYCsQm5nj4 > >The third verse when the beat changes is incredible... > yeah that beat switch is straight nasty/ominous-sounding & Jigga responds in kind, that piano chop sounds a little like that Isaac Hayes one PE used on 'Black Steel' but different.
>I got timing like a segue, now holla back baby! > >Love that "Pre-game" joint with Sauce Money. > > >______________________________________________________________ >http://twitter.com/Gedi > >"This is your world. Shape it or someone else will." - Gary >Lew
56. "Yeah, I was talking in regards to a Reasonable Doubt Package" In response to Reply # 55
I'm guessing either Dame would have to do it or maybe Jay and Dame will get to the point where they can work it out before 2016 so we can get a dope 20 Year Anniversary reissue.
I know it won't happen, and this isn't a shot at Jay, but it would be dope if Ski was a part of the reissue and they included the Camp Lo version of Feelin' It on a bonus disc. Maybe do a new remix with them. That would be real nice.
71. "Nah, Jay wanted to give Dame/Biggs everything BUT Reasonable" In response to Reply # 55
The way I remember it, they split because Dame wanted to split everything evenly three ways (which is reasonable, considering that each man played a role in the Roc and Jay's solo career launch).
Jay wound up with ALL the masters, if memory serves.
He'll probably wait till he retires for real to do re-issues.
72. "Nah, Dame & Biggs (pre-jail) still retained their parts of the RD master..." In response to Reply # 71
I believe Jay was gonna give them each a piece of the rest of the masters if they just gave him that album in full.
But they ended up with just Reasonable Doubt after turning that down, which is why Dame has been trying to rustle up interest in Jay doing a 20th Anniversary Tour and re-issue.
Tracklist: 1.Hova Song 2.Jay Z-In My Lifetime (Big Jaz Remix) 3.Jay Z-Dead Presidents (Lp Version) 4.Jay Z-Only A Customer 5.Jay Z-Friend Or Foe 6.Jay Z ft Beanie Sigel-1900-Hustler 7.Jay Z-A Million and One Questions (Extended) 8.Jay Z-Streets Is Watching 9.Jay Z-22 Two's 10.Jay Z-So Ghetto 11.Kid Capri ft Jay Z-Like That 12.Jay Z ft Mary J Blige-Can't Knock The Hustle 13.Jay Z ft Memphis Bleek-Marcy To Hollywood 14.Jay Z ft Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel-You, Me, Him, and Her 15.M.O.P. ft Jay Z-4 Alarm Blaze 16.Memphis Bleek ft Jay Z-My Mind Right RMX 17.Notorious BIG ft Jay Z-Brooklyn's Finest 18.Mic Geronimo ft Jay Z & Ja Rule-Time To Build 19.Big L ft Jay Z-Da Graveyard 22.Jay Z-I Can't Get With That 21.Jay Z-Friend Or Foe '98 22.Shaquille O'Neal ft Jay Z-No Love Lost 23.Jay Z-Parking Lot Pimpin 24.Jay Z ft DMX-Money, Cash, Hoes RMX 25.Jay Z-Jigga My Nigga 26.Jay Z ft Juvenile-Snoopy Track 27.Memphis Bleek-Memphis Bleek Is (Bonus Cut) 28.The Lox ft Jay Z & DMX-Blackout 29.Jay Z-D'evils 30.Jay Z ft Jaz-Bring It On 31.Jay Z-Imaginery Player 32.Jay Z ft Scarface-This Can't Be Life 33.Puff Daddy ft Jay Z-Young G's 34.Jay Z-I'm Feelin It 35.Jay Z-It's Hot 36.Beanie Sigel-The Truth (Bonus Cut) 37.Jay Z-Where I'm From 38.O.C. ft Jay Z-Bonafied 39.Jay Z-Can I Live 40.Jay Z-Freestyle
Tracklist: 1.Jay Z ft Beanie Sigel & Amil-Do It Again 2.Angie Martinez ft Jay Z-Mi Amour 3.Jay Z ft Memphis Bleek-It's Alright 4.Memphis Bleek ft Jay Z-Do My 5.Mariah Carey ft Jay Z-Heartbreaker 6.Mase ft Jay Z-Cheat On You 7.JD & Jay Z-Money Ain't A Thang 8.Hi Five ft Jay Z-She's Playing Hard To Get RMX 9.Mic Geronimo ft Jay Z & Carl Thomas-Single Life 10.Foxy Brown ft Jay Z-I'll Be 11.Jay Z ft Foxy Brown-Ain't No Nigga 12.Jay Z ft R Kelly-Guilty Until Proven Innocent 13.Jay Z ft Blackstreet-The City Is Mine 14.Jay Z ft Puff Daddy & Lil Kim-I Know What Girls Like 15.Another Level ft Jay Z-Be Alone No More 16.Glenn Jones ft Jay Z-Good Thang (Hip Hop RMX) 17.Horace Brown ft Jay Z-Things We Do For Love Remix 18.Jay Z ft Pharell-I Just Wanna Love You 19.Jay Z ft Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek-Change The Game 20.Jay Z-Who You Wit 21.Lil Kim ft Jay Z-Big Momma Thing 22.Jay Z ft Melissa Morgan-Can't Knock The Hustle (Fools Paradise) 23.Jay Z ft Foxy Brown-Bonnie & Clyde Pt 2 24.Notorious BIG ft Jay Z-I Love The Dough 25.Jay Z-Girls Best Friend 26.SWV ft Jay Z-96 Anthem (You're The One) (All Star Remix) 27.Blackstreet ft Jay Z-Call Me (Remix) 28.Timbaland ft Jay Z-Lobster & Scrimp 29.Jay Z ft Babyface-Sunshine 30.Jay Z ft Gwen Dickey-Wishing On A Star (Trackmasters Remix) 31.Ja Rule ft Jay Z-Holla Holla Remix 32.Juvenille ft Jay Z-Ha Remix 33.Shai ft Jay Z-I Don't Wanna Be Alone Remix 34.Jay Z-Can I Get A 35.The Braxtons ft Jay Z-So Many Ways (Trinas Mix) 36.R Kelly ft Jay Z-We Ride 37.Jon B ft Jay Z-Keep It Real 38.Changing Faces ft R Kelly-All Of My Days 39.Christion ft Jay Z-Your Love 40.Jay Z-Anything 41.Jay Z ft Mariah Carey-Things That U Do 42.Jay Z-Hey Papi 43.Memphis Bleek ft Jay Z-Is That Your Chick 44.Jay Z-Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originators 99) 45.Jay Z ft UGK-Big Pimpin 46.Jay Z-Hard Knock Life
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