Original art by Julia Schur, (aging this photo).

For some time now, Jay Z has been rap’s most involved elder statesman. He’s been a made man since the late ’90s, and for our genre, that’s an eternity ago. Jay keeps putting out music, but once he passed the torch and completed the trilogy that began with his most highly acclaimed record (and got married), he became an old timer. Jay has certainly come to carry himself in such a way too, always giving off a stately, polished, much-too-rich-to-be-here type of presence that surpasses even the most cocksure moments of his career’s earlier eras. With this status of hip-hop tenure, it’s easy to begin to slip, which Jay undoubtedly has. But every so often, a more passionate, inspired Hova comes back and reminds everyone just why it is he’s one of hip-hop’s the world’s most powerful men, and one of music’s most respected artists. Here are Jay Z’s best verses since gaining Old Man Hov status. (Roughly, we’re drawing from everything 2010 and onward.)

10. “Heaven,” Verse 2, Magna Carta Holy Grail

Jay sounds particularly reinvigorated here. From the exasperated way he opens and delivers that clever little line about “baggage” at heaven’s gates, to the quick adoption of Chief Keef‘s flow, to that inspired image of the angel wings on his Lambourghini, Hov’s dancing all over the place in the best way possible. Also, relating religion’s dividing powers to his Maybach’s partition is just quintessential Jay Z as a philosopher / millionaire.

9. “The Devil Is A Lie,” Mastermind

After what most felt was an overall sluggish performance on Magna Carta, “The Devil Is A Lie” was what convinced many that Hov still had the fire in him, whether or not it was doused in a little D’usse (which gets a pretty terrible reference here). Jay’s nimble flow at the verse’s opening and his cocky energy throughout are what make his spot on Ross’s record special. Well, that and when he puts White Jesus in his crock pot, calling the accepted image out as bullshit, and adds soda to make Jesus (who is of course, Jay here) into his truer, blacker self.

8. “Mr. Nice Watch,” Cole World: The Sideline Story

This verse was widely overlooked, and even called “phoned in,” likely because of the seemingly repetitive nature of the first few lines. Jay does rhyme “band” with “band” and “wound up” with “wind up,” but the way he puts a new meaning on each repetition, and builds the complex punches around the theme of watches and time is pretty damn masterful. He goes on to, with quicker pacing, pull the same trick again, saying he’ll “Put the front on the back of the ‘Bach like a boss / So I’m fronting on niggas when I’m backing off.” Stunting at its finest.

7. “New Day,” Watch The Throne

The entirety of this verse’s strength comes from its second half. When Jay moves past the relatively uninteresting “Paparazzi sucks” warning to his future child, he begins to speak with true substance. Setting himself up with a great line about finding his path at 26 (which is the age he got his first record credit) and wanting to start his son out at 13, Jay gives commanding advice about speaking with conviction before showing some true vulnerability as his mind wanders to a possible split between him and the child’s mother. The last line really lets the doubt soak through, as Jay promises to never repeat his deadbeat dad’s ways. “Never repeat ’em…never repeat ’em,” he echoes, showing just how close Jay is worried he might be to his father.

6. “No Church In The Wild,” Verse 1, Watch The Throne

To properly open Watch The Throne in epic fashion, Jay bombards with vivid, dramatic images. “Lies on the lips of a priest” might have more distinct detail and tangibility than the entirety of Jay’s raps on the rest of the album. It’s moments like that that show the man still has a love for language somewhere inside him. Next, Hov quotes one of Plato’s most interesting questions: “Is Pious pious cause God loves pious?” The question is ultimately asking what humans truly bow to: the opinion of themselves or of gods, and further, who should interpret the word of god? Considering the album’s goliath nature, fewer questions could be more relevant.

5. “Glory,” Verse 2

There have been so few occasions throughout Jay Z’s career where he really wore his heart on his sleeve, but this song, and this verse in particular, might be the best and most bare example. Opening up with a line about his own subpar father, Jay pulls in that same doubt that we saw on “New Day,” but moves on to the more immediate concerns of being a (famous) father that that hypothetical on WTT could never reach, like spoiling Blue. The verse grows even more personal as Jay reveals that Bey miscarried on their first try for a child. It’s not a particularly innovative or slick line, but the joy in his voice when he says “nah baby, you magic!” is undeniably powerful and, most of all, human. Additionally, Hov closes out with those sweet lines about Blue being the child of Destiny, and while it’s a good punchline, it’s even better knowing that he really earned them by taking us through the troubling road to this glory.

You’re a child of destiny
You’re the child of my destiny
You’re my child with the child from Destiny’s Child

4. “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” (Remix)

While it was largely overshadowed by Kendrick‘s show-stopping third verse, Jay let off a pretty dope verse to cement his cosign of K.Dot as, already, one of the greats of his time. Jay’s a little slow getting started, but he does exude a solid distillation of that above-it-all Jay Z cool, as he feigns frustration with gossip and wind pockets: “Up in the clouds, me and my spouse…Turbulence, shit, I almost spilled my drink.” When he speeds up to a more rapid-fire flow, his writing gets denser. The “million dollar baby” punchline is great, but it leads to possibly the best one-off line of this entire era for Jay: “Sittin’ next to Hillary smelling like dank.” Jay Z tells truths (or at least plausible lies) that not only could no other rapper pull off, but few could even dream something that good.

3. “Shiny Suit Theory,” Pre-Act II

Much like that destiny’s child line from “Glory,” one of the best moments on Jay’s “Shiny Suit Theory” feature is a play with homophones and homonyms. Kicking off the theme of the “insanity” of how far Jay’s come from his humble beginning, he contrasts his time “warrin’ with undercovers” to landing on “covers with Warren Buffet.” It’s “warrin’ to Warren.” Jay Z’s genius has always been delivering wisdom and wit with slogan-like slickness. Jay only makes you work a little bit to understand him, and is always sure to make that work well worth it. By the time we reach the verse’s end and Jay Z is wedging the picture of his inexplicable success into a larger, societal frame, we truly understand the “insanity” theme. “Since when did black men become kings,” he asks. Well, those who see the truth and future are often pegged as crazy.

2. “Oceans,” Verse 1, Magna Carta Holy Grail

Right off the bat, Jay is making distinct use of a powerful pallet: white and (vs) black. He still smells like the dope he left behind, and, because of the white echoed in his robe and boat, he still looks like it too. Hov then jumps from one past that can’t be forgotten (his) to the grander past that’s also hard to ignore as we stand with him on his yacht: “the oil spill that BP ain’t clean up.” Few lines in Jay’s career have been darker or sneered harder than that one. Another great example of Jay’s gift for slogans comes soon after: “The only Christopher we acknowledge is Wallace.” Wrapped up in that one small moment is an entire movement of reclaiming America as black culture and black culture as American, complete with the recasting of heroes and villains. Next, Jay continues to wield his palette wisely, contrasting his black card with the white cotton of Hermés. Both black and white are found in wealth here; we see how similar opposites can be, and how close the distance between “old” and “new” money (touched on later in the album) can feel.

It’s hard to believe that the same rapper who spits that terrible Ocean’s 11 line (twice!) is capable of producing such thought provoking material for the same verse, but we’ve known Jay’s complex for some time now.

1. “We Made It” (Remix)

There is  something about pressure of diss records that often bring out the lyrical best in them. “We Made It” is certainly a lot more complex than just being a warning to Drake, though. Even when Jay fires his real “shots” at Aubrey, he is light to medium teasing at best, calling him “Mrs. Drizzy,” before turning Drake’s (and many others’) complaints about Magna Carta on their head the way only a business–man could. Jay confronts the storied issue of what do street rappers write about once they’re rich and safe? by facing it head-on. He’s just rapping about his life in that moment, he argues. Further, in fact, he taunts, “Silly me rappin’ bout shit that I really bought,” as if going by any other model would be ridiculous. That’s the way a good Jay verse makes you feel–as if any other pick for the GOAT would be ridiculous. To paraphrase: you could have been anywhere else in the world right now, but you’re there with him.

Jay exhibits another great moment of condensing in the verse’s opening, as he wipes aside all previous shackles-to-jewelery punchlines with ease, painting the transition with refreshing crispness. The brevity of his motion–from slave ship to jeweler’s–somehow makes it all the more triumphant. From the very start, it’s a victory lap. Jay puts himself “onstage after 12 Years A Slave” with an Oscar-like bottle of champagne before going one step further, inserting himself in biblical times with an amazing stretch of lines. “Showed up to the last supper in some brand new J’s” might be the only line in Jay’s recent catalogue that can touch the Hillary line mentioned earlier.”You’re blind baby, blind to the fact of who you are, maybe,” stings with unbelievable precision considering how vague the actual wording and target are. Regardless of bearing in the real world, of which he often has tons, it remains that Jay Z is just on another level when it comes to saying the most piercing thing with the fewest words.

The post Old Man Hov: Jay Z’s 10 Best Verses Since Becoming A Rap Elder appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

We’ve drawn past the midpoint of 2013, and it has been quite a year thus far. There have been big releases from some of hip-hop’s biggest stars and some surprise newcomers as well. This year, we’ve seen a wealth of diversity with a plethora of artists perfecting their individual sounds. In honor of this growth, we’ve compiled the top records in the genre from an eventful six (almost seven) months. Take a look at the 15 Best Rap Songs of 2013 so far.

Update: Now that the year is over, we have the best songs for the complete year. 

15. ScHoolboy Q – “Yay Yay”

ScHoolboy Q makes his living on gritty street anthems [See: “Oxy Music,” “Nightmare on Figg St.,” “Kamikaze,” etc.] and “Yay Yay” may be his darkest work yet. Boi-1da worked up a haunting masterpiece.  ScHoolBoy doesn’t rewrite the rap bible with this one, but his words still hold weight despite that.

14. Drake – “Started From the Bottom”

Few songs have been more frequently quoted or had more influence than “Started From the Bottom.” So why is it not higher on the list? Despite its catchiness, it’s really just one long, glorified chorus.

13. Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire – “Noble Drew Ali”

Few artists come across as more authentic than Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire. “Noble Drew Ali” is some of his most menacing work yet, carving out somewhat of a niche for himself as an uncontrollable force of raw rap energy. The song is a manifestation of his authenticity in the form of a warning to the fake.

12. Lupe Fiasco – “Animal Pharm”

Read the dystopian George Orwell novel and then read the Rap Genius interpretations. Lupe, a rap genius, is the reason for Rap Genius.

11. Ab-Soul – “The End Is Near” [Feat. Mac Miller]

“The End Is Near” is a Larry Fisherman-produced gem that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The barren soundscape serves as the perfect backdrop for Soulo’s typical abstract, apocalyptic shtick. Mac Miller adds one of his most technically sound verses yet. Ab-soul presents an early candidate for bar of the year with, “I’m a king and I smoke a lot of weed / That makes sense, there’s ‘bout 33 ounces in a liter (leader).” This was 2013’s sleeper record.

10. Young Thug – “2 Cups Stuffed”

“L, E, A, N, I-N-G (Lean)! LEAN, LEAN, LEAN, LEAN, LEAN LEAN LEAN!!!”

9. Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”

“Black Skinhead” isn’t as provocative as its title suggests, but it is both haunting and hostile. Utilizing a dark sample from Marilyn Manson‘s “Beautiful People,” he spits bars power-packed with quotables. You’d be hard pressed to find a record more brooding, and what it lacks in charm it makes up for in wit. “I keep it 300, like the Romans / 300 bitches, where the Trojans?” he spouts confidently as if he didn’t just make a gross historical error, and that’s because, like everything else he does, it still works.

8. Drake – “5AM in Toronto”

Transparency has been the key to Drake’s success, and “5AM in Toronto” proved to be one of his most candid records to date. Every now and then, Drake really brings his rap shit, and like with “9AM in Dallas,” he flexes his lyrical chops here. Boi-1da, who produced both, seems to bring the best out of the Toronto MC. The greatest thing about this record is that it provides sobering truth. “It’s funny when you think a nigga blew up after Lupe,” Graham spits only half joking—three years in and he’s already considered a rap king. The record, in itself, is another example of why.

7. Kendrick Lamar – “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Remix)” [Feat. Jay-Z]

The past, present, and future all collided on what has proven to be the best remix of the year thus far. The “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Remix)” was a rare torch-passing moment that saw a young star in Kendrick Lamar one-up one of the all-time greats in Jay-Z. It’s the audible version of watching a young, spry Kobe go head-to-head with Jordan in a Wizards uniform in ’01. Kendrick’s third verse should be studied by all who hope to perfect the craft of writing rhymes. It’s worth mentioning that Jay’s verse was nothing to sleep on either. Together, the two continue to set the standards for rap–Kendrick is displaying what it takes to be a star in this new age and Hov is showing how a legend ages gracefully.

6. Jay-Z – “Open Letter”

“I done turned Havana to Atlanta,” Jay-Z casually raps in his sharp response to critics, openly mocking those who continue to question his limits. “Open Letter” was a timely release that followed both Jay’s Cuban vacation with wife Beyonce and his resignation as minority owner of the Brooklyn Nets. In typical fashion, the legendary MC dismisses politics and sports ownership with an indifference that only he can muster. Every line is spewed solely for the purpose of reminding you who he is. He’s Jay-Z, rap legend and entrepreneur; the game needs him, not vice versa. The record reeks of hubris. “Open Letter” proved there are few artists more clever or potent than Jay.

5. Rocko – “U.O.E.N.O” [Feat. Future & Rick Ross]

The most controversial record of the year (so far) also happened to be one of the best. Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O” finds Future at his most intoxicating and producer Childish Major at his apex. Rocko himself is one of the games more underappreciated MCs and “U.O.E.N.O” displayed not only his gift of gab, but also his ability to create undeniably catchy records. The term itself has even flowed over into pop culture. Unfortunately, the music itself was overshadowed by the controversy, but even in spite of that the record remains too permeating to deny.

4. Pusha T – “Numbers on the Boards”

Yuuchk. No record this year has been more savage than the destructive “Numbers On The Boards,” which delivers not just punches but haymakers. Pusha T has settled into his role as G.O.O.D. Music enforcer and continues to provide records that pad his résumé. “Numbers On The Boards” is abrasive and aggressive with a nostalgia-inducing retro feel. This is vintage. This is dookie chains and Gazelle frames. This is hip-hop.

3. Chance the Rapper – “Pusha Man/Paranoia” [Feat. Nate Fox & Lili K.]

“Pusha Man/Paranoia,” the seven-minute behemoth divided by seconds of silence, is really two individual records smashed together that serve as two sides of the same coin. The significantly shorter “Pusha Man,” is a manifestation of Chance The Rapper’s goofy, drug-riddled personality. It’s humorous and infectious.  The longer, darker, “Paranoia,” is an embodiment of the Chicago cage Chance grew up in. It’s conscious and cautious. Both songs are filled with masterful wordplay and dizzying flows. Both songs introduced a new force to be reckoned with in the rap game.

2. J. Cole – “Let Nas Down (Remix)” [Feat. Nas]

There’s something supernatural about Nas rapping over No I.D. production. The remix to J. Cole’s somber story about living up to the expectations of a living legend features only a verse from the aforementioned legend himself, and the Queens great pivots beautifully, not only explaining his perspective, but also consoling and crowning Cole at the same time. As the horns cry, Nas in rare form, turns in arguably one of the best verses of his storied career. “Made Nas Proud,” as it has been tagged, serves as a beautiful moment in hip-hop history.

1. Kanye West – “New Slaves” [Feat. Frank Ocean]

Two Kanye records in the Top 10? Yup. Even without the avant-garde guerilla marketing strategy, “New Slaves” would have been the most refreshing record of the year so far. Its hyper-minimalist approach was a stark contrast to Kanye’s previous effort, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but still maintained the typical Kanye aesthetic. The song once again pitted conscious-Kanye against superficial-Kanye as a sort of yin and yang, creating near perfect harmony. No song was a bigger spectacle and none was of higher quality. Put those two elements together and you’ve got the best song of 2013 (for now).

The post 15 Best Rap Songs of 2013 (So Far) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Kendrick Lamar‘s momentum continues to build. “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” has been getting some serious radio play and now it’s been treated to some nifty visuals. Notice the art direction for the video. It’s not too often that you see a funeral where people wear all-white. It’s also not too often that a kid from Compton gets to make an impact on the world. Watch below.

The post New Video: Kendrick Lamar – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

“Remember where you heard it first!”

That was Young Guru’s war cry before unveiling the jewel of a record he must have been waiting all night to spin.  The Jiggaman’s engineer treated his crowd at SXSW to a revamped version of Kendrick Lamar’s hit “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” now featuring a sharp verse from Jay-Z.  Never one to be slack on a collab—he is the reigning champ of “Renegade-ing” after all—Kendrick brings two fresh verses to this version, each one longer and more technically flashy than anything he spat on the original.

If you’d rather see the lyrics than watch Young Guru and the dudes in the front row sway back and forth, they’re posted below.  At times it is hard to understand K.Dot and Hov due to the video’s quality, so following along will help decipher their intricate bars.

(Chorus)

I am a sinner who’s probably gonna sin again
Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me
Things I don’t understand
Sometimes I need to be alone
Bitch don’t kill my vibe, bitch don’t kill my vibe
I can feel your energy from two planets away
I got my drink, I got my music
I would share it but today

I’m yelling bitch don’t kill my vibe, bitch don’t kill my vibe
Bitch don’t kill my vibe, bitch don’t kill my vibe

(Verse 1)
Look inside of my soul and you can find gold and maybe get rich
Hol’ up, Trinidad James in four weeks but now my album platinum and shit

So what, y’all keep the numbers I’m more than another statistic, my nigga
This courtesy of Compton Brooklyn go hard, motherfucker
Bevy on the East like I’m Chuck D, Dominicans wish that I was born there
I’m lookin’ to be the god MC, you look at my hat and see thorns there
I look at the game and see porn there fuckin’ this industry hard

[inaudible]…yo honey, you thought I was fresh out the yard
Don’t cry to me dummy, you’re lightweight
They tell me you nice and I’m like, wait
Go get me a knife, you’re looking like steak
And when the stakes are high, I stake out for days
When the water beside ya, make the pool shake
When we thirsty nigga, never alert me, nigga
I got a P89 in a suitcase I hope you heard me, nigga,

This is the burpie, nigga lyrical exercise
Right now, homie, I’m in the extra vibe
Bite down on the curb when you heard that I got these words
To the upper echelon, that’s extra vibe

 

(Chorus)

(Verse 2: Jay-Z)
Up in the clouds, me and my spouse
Rumors on the ground gettin’ too loudwe turn them shits down

Can’t hear myself think, turbulence, shit, almost spilled my drink
In the West with a mink runnin’ through that bitch like it’s my house
All up in the hall with a mall
Told you motherfuckers, all I do is ball
No, I don’t ‘member you, I don’t intend to empty my memory bank
There’s a million dollars in it, baby, Hilary Swank
Sittin’ next to Hilary smellin’ like dank
President Carter, name one nigga out there harder than him
I’ll wait…

I’ve been on my weight like 20 years straight
I’ve been on my vibe like 20 years straight
Don’t fuck up my high, fuck up my high
Nights like this, I don’t fuck up the pies
Still keep straight and still be straight
Fall back, bitch, I got a lot on my plate
Don’t waste my breath
I don’t know how many moons a nigga got left
Back to this joint

Smokin’ this shit like I’m tryna’ prove a point
I’m the highness, the highest title, numero uno
Kill my vibe, that shit’s a walkin’ funeral

(Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar)
Between you and me, turn eulogy to urinals
Niggas pissed off, I’m in this lil’ bitch and I just showed my fart
Leader of the new school, on my toes like a ballerina
Who knew I’d be the black swan, world in my palms
Ironically, I am the Ghost Rider’s vest when I don’t write the bomb
Told niggas when I was 16 that I’d write a 16 to put a nigga right on the big screen
In the paddy wagon at 16 should have been in the pen but then my pen

Ran with morphine, I heal niggas, touch down with more fiends

I kill niggas, audio crack, Khakis to meal ticket

Cardio lap rap–

After that Young Guru cut the record off.  Stay tuned for the release of the full, high quality version of this anthemic track’s remix.

The post Video Preview: Kendrick Lamar – “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe Remix (Feat. Jay-Z) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s been widely documented that Lady Gaga was set to appear on Kendrick’s Aftermath debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, but things didn’t work out.

The two nevertheless did get in the studio and recorded a version of “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” which we have not heard. Until now. Gaga took to Twitter and unearthed the song and you can now hear it below.

The post Listen to the Original Version of “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” with Lady Gaga appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.