Jay-Z. Photo Credit: CNN
DJ Clark Kent chats with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about working with Jay-Z on Reasonable Doubt and his thoughts on the 4:44 album. Press Play below to listen to the episode of Scoop B Radio!
The notion of an almost 50 year old rapper still being consistent and relevant was foreign 20-years ago.
But we’ve evolved!
Unless you’ve lived under a rock, Jay-Z turned 48 today. He’s had a successful 2017. This year, he also put out a 4:44, an album that actually showed him to be vulnerable. He admitted being an accomplished business man, philanthropist, father and music icon and just like everyone else, he’s fallen short.
He admitted to cheating on his wife, Beyonce, he apologized for wasting women’s time before he decided to settle down, told us the story of O.J. and he gave us a bunch of game for $9.99 at a time where he once told us that it was all about money, cash and hoes.
Now he’s giving pointed commentary to the New York Times. That’s a case study on life!
It’s also serious growth and life reflection in thirteen studio albums: Reasonable Doubt in 1996 all the way to 4:44 in 2017.
Think of it in Presidential terms: that’s Bill Clinton to Donald Trump.
In hoops terms that time frame was the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls and their second three-peat all the way to the Golden State Warriors’ potential dynasty.
Those are some years put in!
“The album itself is one of the best bodies of work that we’ve seen in a long time,” DJ Clark Kent told me about Jay-Z’s 4:44 while on today’s episode of Scoop B Radio.
“So how can you say it’s lost anything when it’s still that shit. You might say that nobody is listening to the whole album, but instead songs that came off the album. But you know, the album was effective because his shows are sold out, which means people want to see him perform those records.”
DJ Clark Kent produced three tracks on Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt: “Brooklyn’s Finest”, which featured Notorious B.I.G., “Coming of Age” and “Cashmere Thoughts.” Kent thinks that Jay-Z’s 4:44 left an indelible mark on 2017. “His album worked especially because you look at other artists and they can’t go out and perform their whole album,” he said. “He can perform his whole album and people will say that was that sh*t,because the music does something to your soul, so you wanted to hear everything. You listened to his album because the body of work was special.”
DJ Clark Kent also produced My 1st Song, off Jay-Z’s The Black Album, a tribute to the beginning of his career. In the song, Jay-Z alludes to Clark Kent’s role in helping him break into the industry. My 1st Song was the last song on the album. And in the song, he states: ‘Clark Kent, that was good lookin’ out, n***a.’
Jay-Z doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon with the success of Roc Nation, Tidal and his own musical career.
Drake and Jay-Z. Photo Credit: Complex
But, here’s a legitimate question: Who in hip hop will carry carry the torch after Jay-Z? Is it Drake? “That’s a great question,” said DJ Clark Kent.
“All I know is he better be nice. Because if you saying Drake is the guy and Jay-Z put out an album that cleared everybody’s plate this year.”
Added DJ Clark Kent: “It’s funny that a 47-year-old guy can take back rap again.”
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