The Other Side of Jay-Z

By Alyce Maddocks

Recently, rapper and music mogul Jay-Z has said that Obama’s presidency will bring a fresh perspective and a new role model to our young gangsta rap loving youth. The artist stated that, “Obama represents so much hope for blacks and Latinos. The hope that he represents is bigger than any of the huge problems he could correct; when you have positive role models, you can change your life for the better. The day Obama became elected, the gangsta became less relevant.”

That seems at first glance, like an inspirational message to send America. The problem is that many people are looking at Jay-Z’s past albums and messages and finding his new inspirational outlook a load of crap. In previous situations, the rapper has promoted violence, mistreating women and the drug trade, so many are wondering where the sudden turnaround came from.

Besides promoting all the things he now seems to stand against, Jay-Z has been known to down rappers who don’t incorporate drugs, sex and hustling into their music. Artists like Common, Nas and others who are politically conscious normally don’t sell as many records as gangsta rappers like Lil’ Wayne and 50 Cent. Reportedly, this is the reason Jay hasn’t rapped about things that are above the thug life. In his song “Moment of Clarity,” Jay-Z speaks about ‘dumbing down for his audience’ to make money and how he‘d ‘rhyme like Common Sense’ but making money means appealing to the gangsta audience. Now, instead of dissing those with a different message than the mainstream, he seems to be complimenting them on their flow of truth and alternative ideals.

With all of this knowledge, do you think Jay-Z is just riding the Obama wave for attention, or does he actually want to start speaking up about more than just ho’s and all the like?