Jay-Z is the GOAT.

Images procured from our dear friend Vik.

Ok.

Not quite.

But he is exactly what I needed this summer.

And I ain't talking about no Umbrella.

This is not another writer waxing poetic about who belongs in the
hip hops holy trinity.

Its about my Jay Z Summer. But before I get into that, let me
breakdown my description of the emcees and the attributes
the make them candidates for hip hop's holy trinity .

Jay= The Hustler's Hustler
Nas= Thug Politician
BIG= Nihilistic Storyteller with a Keen Eye for All Things Beautiful and Street
Pac= Panther Spirit with Thug Sensibilities.

I rock w/ all these Jawns. But J.
He is DOING something special for me this summer.

You see. School had me overwhelmed.
And Im just now recovering.

Sh*t had me not remembering my hustlers spirit.

I got the hottest chick in the game, wearing my chain.
~PSA

Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first
And my thirst is the same as - when I came
~My 1st song

I have always stayed having, school, 2 jobs and a side hustle.
Planning six months in advance. That type of thing. But.
Not as of late.
And that IRKS me.

However, I remind myself that, when you take on new challenges in life,
you are forced to recalibrate.

For me, this summer, J is helping me to see
that I need to fuse them
clerkship dreams, with that East Oakland- OUT THE TRUNK mentality.

No matter where you go you are what you are you are player.
~Public Service Announcement

I'm ten years removed, still the vibe is in my veins 
~Public Service Announcement

He feels relevant to my life right now because, we both like cake,
we both have an entrepreneurial spirit, he is ambivalent and a
analytical about his acceptance into the White establishment
and finally he is obsessed with class mobility.

If you grew up with holes in ya zapatos You'd be celebrating
the minute you was havin' dough
~99 Problems

Rap mags try and use my black ass So advertisers can give 'em more cash for ads, fuckers
~99 Problems

I have never had his catalog.

In fact, I think I have only owned Reasonable Doubt, and
The Blueprint for Big Pimpin.

You see.

Im a Nas Head. But hearing Public Service Announcement in a Rover
this past May, doing 80 from brunch on a MONDAY morning
got me kinda open for your boy J.

It was at that moment that I concluded that I
NNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEDED more Black Album in
my life.

Without sayin a word, the ghetto's got a mental telepathy Man my brother hustled so, naturally Up next is me, but what perplexes me Shit I know how this movie ends, still I play the starrin role in "Hovito's Way"

Man. Who talks about the streets cycle in a way that is analytical
of both our families, our positions within our families
and the future that we see for ourselves.

The folks over at "Black People For More Black MALE
Lawyers" need to holler at Jay to get a dialog cracking on
how to reach out to and retain the young bucks at 9 and 10 years old.
Plus, he gets right to the gristle of how succesful Black men, and
aspiring Black men feel.

I heard "Son do you know why I'm stoppin' you for?" Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low? Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo'? "Well you was doin fifty-five in a fifty-fo' "

I BEEN feeling like I have been doing a 55 in a 54
for the last two years blood!

Real talk.

Then came 99 Problems.
I always felt this song. But really listening to 99 problems,
Dear Summer Public Service Announcement, My 1st Song
and Allure ON REPEAT, when you are
in the trenches of struggle is life altering.

Half a Mil for Bail cuz Im African.
~ 99 Problems

And then there is the crush on Bleek, and there you have it.

So. I guess the more appropriate title is
Jay-Z, Greatest of All Summers.

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Whats your favorite J joint?

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