shorttrini said:

To this jury, I asked the following. Who would you rather listen too, a "So-called" rappers like, Rick Ross, who lied about his passed, about him working for corrections, or a simpleton so-called rapper who goes by the name, Two Chains? At least Jay never lied about his past and is now in the position to talk about his accolades, if he chooses to.

As I've said elsewhere, I don't care much about the truth of someone's experiences. Now, if Ross presented his persona as a persona, as admitted fiction, then cool--as far as the "truth" of his presentation. Claiming to be someone he's not "in his life" is a different issue.

I don't have a problem with Jay-Z rapping about being Jay-Z. I don't necessarily care to hear about what his life is--or anyone else's actual life, just like I don't necessarily care to hear about all of Prince's personal business woe or successes either when that's what he decides to do. But Prince, and other performers in other genres don't have the same pressure to "be themselves" in every song. But rap tends to blur the difference between the voice on the track and the person himself (I'm not sure the same blurring happens with female rappers, who often seem more admittedly to be "actors" than the males) or even to insist that there isn't a difference. Obviously much of rap is fiction, but if it moves too far away from the rapper's own life experiences, the authenticity issue pops up, in a way that artists in other genres don't really have to worry about. It even comes down to how collaborative lyrics are. There are exceptions, but almost the worse thing people can throw at a rapper is that someone else wrote their rhymes. Singers can sing other people's words, and routinely multiple people have input into lyrics. Even in collaborative songs, an individual rapper's verses have to be their own, or their authenticity as a performer is in dispute. Flow and delivery, the performative aspect of rap, matters--but sometimes not as much as the closeness of the match between the image and the actual person.

For me, the issue is almost entirely the interest of the music and of the lyric and of the vocal performance and how those things fit together. I've never heard a Rick Ross or Two Chains track that I'd pay any attention to again--but I also don't care much about whether either man represents his true self in his rhymes. Or whether Jay-Z does, for that matter. But many people do.

[Edited 7/9/13 16:37pm]

Above members of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) presenting Jay with a platinum plaque for 1M copies sold of Magna Carta Holy Grail.

Samsung purchased 1 million copies of the album and gave them away to their mobile users for free via the Magna Carta app on Google Play.

Jay-Z prompted the RIAA to change its certification policy, which previously required that albums be available for 30 days prior to certification. The new policy counts digital album sales immediately upon release.

Despite its pre-release, MCHG is still expected to sell around 450,000 copies in its first week.

-Getty images

Identity said:

Above members of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) presenting Jay with a platinum plaque for 1M copies sold of Magna Carta Holy Grail.

Samsung purchased 1 million copies of the album and gave them away to their mobile users for free via the Magna Carta app on Google Play.

Jay-Z prompted the RIAA to change its certification policy, which previously required that albums be available for 30 days prior to certification. The new policy counts digital album sales immediately upon release.

Despite its pre-release, MCHG is still expected to sell around 450,000 copies in its first week.

-Getty images

So that's the "yellow" Basquait He keeps referring to "hanging on my War Halls". Dope!

As for MCHG and for that matter Yeesuz they both are hot piles of garbage and this is from someone who considers Jay the GOAT. I applaud their business savvy but there are plenty of pull yourself up form the boot straps stories in America and if the business community took the same approach to flaunting and bragging on their wealth, there would be outright outrage.

I was personally offended by Kanye's use of "strange fruit" in his blood on the leaves track and honestly I was kind of shocked to hear a lot of you guys list that track as a favorite from that album.

As for Jay, he is taking corporate irresponsibility to a new level. Is he a multi millionaire or a shoe bopper? I'm done with all of these clowns... the hip hop narrative has been stuck in this pubescent stage for decades now. Time to grow up.

popgodazipa said:

I was personally offended by Kanye's use of "strange fruit" in his blood on the leaves track and honestly I was kind of shocked to hear a lot of you guys list that track as a favorite from that album.

This isn't the Yeezus thread, but why?

Cinny said:

popgodazipa said:

I was personally offended by Kanye's use of "strange fruit" in his blood on the leaves track and honestly I was kind of shocked to hear a lot of you guys list that track as a favorite from that album.

This isn't the Yeezus thread, but why?

yeah i liked it!

paisleypark4 said:

announced he plans one more European run in celebration of his new album Magna Carta Holy Grail in October. Check all the dates and venues below.

Thu 3 Oct-13 UK, Manchester Arena
Sun 6 Oct-13 Ireland, Dublin 02 Arena
Tue 8 Oct-13 UK, Birmingham NIA Arena
Thu 10 Oct-13 UK, London O2 Arena
Fri 11 Oct-13 UK, London O2 Arena
Sat 12 Oct-13 UK, London O2 Arena
Thu 17 Oct-13 France, Paris,Bercy
Fri 18 Oct-13 France, Paris,Bercy
Sun 20 Oct-13 Switzerland, Zurich Hallenstadion
Mon 21 Oct 13 Belgium, Antwerp, Sportpaleis
Wed 23 Oct13 Norway, Oslo Spektrum
Fri 25 Oct-13 Sweden,Stockholm, Globe
Sun 27 Oct-13 Germany, Hamburg 02 World
Mon 28 Oct 13 Germany, Cologne Lanxess Arena
Tue 29 Oct-13 Netherlands, Amsterdam Ziggo Dome

Magna Carta Holy Grail sold 527,000 copies in its first week, according to preliminary data from Nielsen SoundScan.