“Wow… uhhhh…. wow….”
^^Those were my first thoughts when hearing this track. This is kind of unexpected but at the same time… it’s not. Anyone that really pays hardcore attention to hip hop nowadays knows that Jay and Birdman have been going back and forth about who has more money and all that mess. MY money is on Jay having the bigger bank but my opinion doesn’t matter. Analysis/Review below.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Forbes clearly listed Jigga as the throne-holder of last year’s hip hop earnings. Birdman and Weezy were on the list as well but COMBINED they made less than Jay did, according to the figures from Forbes. This is where the “beef” via song comes in though: On “H.A.M.“, which appears on the deluxe edition of Watch the Throne, Jay-Z spits the following bars:
“N*ggas fantasize about the shit that I do daily,
Like these rappers rap about all that shit that I do really,
I’m like really half a billi n*gga, really you got ‘baby’ [Birdman aka Baby] money,
Keep it real wit’ n*ggas, n*ggas ain’t got my lady’ money…”
This is AFTER interviews in which Baby, better known as Birdman, challenged Jay-Z’s assumption that he was the richest rapper in the land. Jay-Z responded in a separate interview by offering up his bank account figures, with the stipulation of money being on the table prior to this debate being settled.
Well, today Tha Carter IV was leaked and one song in particular raised the brows of listeners. That song was “It’s Good,” which features Jadakiss and (surprisingly, considering the content of the record) Drizzy Drake. The song opens with what I believe is a sample of a singer whose lyrics are aimed at the “problems” of a king (clearly a reference to WTT and it’s implications).
Jada takes the first verse, followed by Drizzy, with Weezy taking the final verse.
Drake opens up with the following lines: “Mind in one place, Heart in another, please pardon my brother…” and continues with lines about unnamed rappers being “too f*ckin’ comfy…”
Clearly Drake felt the need to preface Wayne’s following verse which contains the following not-so-subliminal bars:
“Talkin’ bout baby money? I got yo baby money…
Kidnap yo bitch, get that ‘How much you love your lady?’ money,
I know you fake n*gga, press yo brakes n*gga,
I’ll take you out, that’s a date n*gga…”
Wayne then goes on to call Jay-Z (allegedly) a “pussycat” and continues his lyrical attack.
It’ll be interesting to see if Jigga responds to this. Typically, he wouldn’t BUT Wayne’s probably gonna sell well this year, especially after this track makes its rounds. Plus, Wayne, if this is actually a Jay-Z diss (which it probably is), went after Beyonce a little bit. I’m gonna go ahead and assume that this is a no-no in Jigga’s book. Remember when Ja Rule brought up Hailie’s name when he dissed a certain rapper named Eminem? Yeah, that dude. Ja Rule’s was rendered null and void, irrelevant, obsolete by Em and his running mates.
So, what’s gonna happen when Shawn Corey hears this? Where does Drake stand with Jigga now? What’s Kanye gonna say? What’s gonna happen in hip hop? It’s potentially great for sales and as long as it stays “hip hop” I’m cool with it. If it’s an “Ether vs. Takeover” situation, fine. But if this turns into a Biggie-Tupac situation, I’m gonna end up crying like a child about something… and that’s real.
What are your thoughts??
Illy Kay Update:
For the bored/dedicated hip hoppers, below I’ve posted some links to YouTube videos related to this topic. Check ‘em out.
Lil Wayne Addresses Jay-Z’s Alleged “Baby Money” Jab at Birdman! <<<pay attention to what Lil Wayne says before the video ends
My money is on Jigga too
Right? I mean, I rock with Wayne but to think Jay-Z has made less money than him is kinda… goofy.