Some wondered what compelled Jay-Z to write Decoded. Did he do it to brandish his lyrical prowess? No, that's what we have OHHLA.com for. To analyze his own words? Nosir, that's why critics exist. Hov had one goal in mind when he wrote Decoded: he wanted to show that rap—all rap, not just his—is poetry.
In this never-before-seen video, Jay-Z makes a case for the political and conscious thought behind rap music. Contrary to your grandma's assertion, rap isn't a bunch of gibberish laced to a catchy beat. Jay cites Biggie Smalls and Rakim as prime examples of poetic emcees.
"Some of the things Biggie wrote," says Jay, "if you take those lyrics and pull them away from music and put them up on the wall, someone will say, 'This is genius...this is genius work.'"
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