Jay-Z – Hot 97 Interview

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Interviews

Published on August 03, 2007 with 68 Comments">68 Comments

beyonjay1.jpg

Shawn had a sit down with Angie Martinez on Hov 97 earlier today. Highlights include:

And why won’t Jay just go ahead and admit that Illmatic is the greatest hip-hop album ever? Illmatic > Reasonable Doubt > Blueprint.

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • http://www.sungmusic.blogspot.com sooch

    he’s very much in denial. “reasonable doubt” and “the blueprint”? no where near “illmatic”. i’ll take it a step further and say “only built for cuban linx” was far more superior than “reas. doubt” and “the blueprint”.

  • http://www.sungmusic.blogspot.com sooch

    he’s very much in denial. “reasonable doubt” and “the blueprint”? no where near “illmatic”. i’ll take it a step further and say “only built for cuban linx” was far more superior than “reas. doubt” and “the blueprint”.

  • Illmatic620

    Doe or Die is arguably better than Reasonable Doubt too.

    It was Written is on Reasonable Doubt’s level

    Illmatic is far better than it

  • Illmatic620

    Doe or Die is arguably better than Reasonable Doubt too.

    It was Written is on Reasonable Doubt’s level

    Illmatic is far better than it

  • Illmatic620

    oh and Stillmatic = Blueprint and

    Aziatic perhaps > than them both

  • Illmatic620

    oh and Stillmatic = Blueprint and

    Aziatic perhaps > than them both

  • Southern Soverign

    Erik b and Rakim-Paid in Full,
    The Geto Boys-We can’t be stopped

    The best CD’S period, inside and outside of hip-hop.

  • Southern Soverign

    Erik b and Rakim-Paid in Full,
    The Geto Boys-We can’t be stopped

    The best CD’S period, inside and outside of hip-hop.

  • http://nayschola.blogspot.com Nahshon

    Sooch: How do Ready to die or Only built for Cuban Linx fare in your mind against Illmatic?

    Also, I know rap heads always defer to the emcees of NY when it comes to talking about greatness but where do you place west coast classics like All eyes on me, the Chronic, or Doggystle?

    Basically, I know its not one of Jay’s albums but i’m not ready to give it to Nas

  • http://nayschola.blogspot.com Nahshon

    Sooch: How do Ready to die or Only built for Cuban Linx fare in your mind against Illmatic?

    Also, I know rap heads always defer to the emcees of NY when it comes to talking about greatness but where do you place west coast classics like All eyes on me, the Chronic, or Doggystle?

    Basically, I know its not one of Jay’s albums but i’m not ready to give it to Nas

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    Illmatic = King of hip-hop albums, bar none.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    Illmatic = King of hip-hop albums, bar none.

  • http://www.theehlp.com esbee

    Eh Blueprint > Stillmatic…

    Stillmatic for all the rave of Nas’s comeback that it got was not a classic album, God’s Son was a more cohesive thought out piece than Stillmatic which was all over the place. only reason Stillmatic got the classic title was ‘cos folk didn’t want it to seem like Nas the “underdog” at the time wasn’t getting a fair shot, that and the presence of ether on the track.

    and no Doe or die is NOT better than RD. RD is a classic and not ‘cos Jay said so…there is no track on there that isn’t great..even “Ain’t No” beats were on point, each track full of quotables..

    I think ppl just get ancy ‘cos saying RD is a classic is like stating the obvious. Don’t hate…rocafella y’all!

  • http://www.theehlp.com esbee

    Eh Blueprint > Stillmatic…

    Stillmatic for all the rave of Nas’s comeback that it got was not a classic album, God’s Son was a more cohesive thought out piece than Stillmatic which was all over the place. only reason Stillmatic got the classic title was ‘cos folk didn’t want it to seem like Nas the “underdog” at the time wasn’t getting a fair shot, that and the presence of ether on the track.

    and no Doe or die is NOT better than RD. RD is a classic and not ‘cos Jay said so…there is no track on there that isn’t great..even “Ain’t No” beats were on point, each track full of quotables..

    I think ppl just get ancy ‘cos saying RD is a classic is like stating the obvious. Don’t hate…rocafella y’all!

  • http://www.theehlp.com esbee

    and too many ppl give Illmatic the best hip hop album title…when really that is up for grabs imo.

  • http://www.theehlp.com esbee

    and too many ppl give Illmatic the best hip hop album title…when really that is up for grabs imo.

  • http://myhangover.wordpress.com/ Big Homie

    Reasonable Doubt was a classic album. Blueprint was almost there, but still a solid album. I think Jay should of said those were his best albums instead of saying they were the best Hip Hop albums. Illmatic, OB4CL, 36 Chambers…are. Reasonable Doubt they is atleast in the top 10.

    Jay though has one of the longest resumes of good albums though..Black Album, Hard Knock, Blueprint 2 were very good albums. Jay never dropped a wack album besides what he did with R Kelly. Kingdom Come is not a wack album, but not a good enough album to come back to the game. He had the 45 jersey on that album

  • http://myhangover.wordpress.com/ Big Homie

    Reasonable Doubt was a classic album. Blueprint was almost there, but still a solid album. I think Jay should of said those were his best albums instead of saying they were the best Hip Hop albums. Illmatic, OB4CL, 36 Chambers…are. Reasonable Doubt they is atleast in the top 10.

    Jay though has one of the longest resumes of good albums though..Black Album, Hard Knock, Blueprint 2 were very good albums. Jay never dropped a wack album besides what he did with R Kelly. Kingdom Come is not a wack album, but not a good enough album to come back to the game. He had the 45 jersey on that album

  • http://nayschola.blogspot.com Nahshon

    Rizoh, was it only 12 minutes? I feel like there was more coming and it cut off

  • http://nayschola.blogspot.com Nahshon

    Rizoh, was it only 12 minutes? I feel like there was more coming and it cut off

  • http://nayschola.blogspot.com Nahshon

    Cosign all that, BigHomie.

  • http://nayschola.blogspot.com Nahshon

    Cosign all that, BigHomie.

  • Illmatic620

    Ready to Die wasn’t as good as Cuban Linx imo, they are both great, classic albusm but Cuban Linx is better.

    Personally I might argue that Liquid Swords is better than Cuban too.

    I personally don’t rate The Chronic, Doggystyle that high, and as far as I’m concerned, Me Against the World is Pac’s opus magnus and not All Eyez on Me.

    And Blueprint was a more cohesive album than Stillmatic, but it was less gritty, and less lyrical

    and Doe or Die shits all over Reasonable Doubt, they are both classic, but no one can touch A.Z.’s flow and lyrically he peaked back in 95.

    And yes Paid in Full might be better than Illmatic, and I actually JUST listened to that Geto Boys album for the first time in full around 2-3 days ago, i know its shameful

  • Illmatic620

    Ready to Die wasn’t as good as Cuban Linx imo, they are both great, classic albusm but Cuban Linx is better.

    Personally I might argue that Liquid Swords is better than Cuban too.

    I personally don’t rate The Chronic, Doggystyle that high, and as far as I’m concerned, Me Against the World is Pac’s opus magnus and not All Eyez on Me.

    And Blueprint was a more cohesive album than Stillmatic, but it was less gritty, and less lyrical

    and Doe or Die shits all over Reasonable Doubt, they are both classic, but no one can touch A.Z.’s flow and lyrically he peaked back in 95.

    And yes Paid in Full might be better than Illmatic, and I actually JUST listened to that Geto Boys album for the first time in full around 2-3 days ago, i know its shameful

  • Illmatic620

    Oh btw, some of the worldplay on Reasonable Doubt like “D’Evils > anything Nas has ever done” but thats it, Nas is a lyrical, narrative dude, Jay-Z is more on the punchline, swagger side of the tracks

  • Illmatic620

    Oh btw, some of the worldplay on Reasonable Doubt like “D’Evils > anything Nas has ever done” but thats it, Nas is a lyrical, narrative dude, Jay-Z is more on the punchline, swagger side of the tracks

  • http://ttofblackice.blogspot.com DSuper

    Actually the best album of all time is either OB4CL or ATliens.

    Matter of fact I’ll say it:

    ATliens > Illmatic

  • http://ttofblackice.blogspot.com DSuper

    Actually the best album of all time is either OB4CL or ATliens.

    Matter of fact I’ll say it:

    ATliens > Illmatic

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    DSuper, you’re reaching

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    DSuper, you’re reaching

  • Illmatic620

    ATliens is a great album, i think it might beat The Fix as the greatest southern album of all time

  • Illmatic620

    ATliens is a great album, i think it might beat The Fix as the greatest southern album of all time

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    ^So where does that leave The Diary.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    ^So where does that leave The Diary.

  • Illmatic620

    Crap thats a great one too, I havent heard it in a while, I think i like “The Fix” the best, but theres a debate to be had there

  • Illmatic620

    Crap thats a great one too, I havent heard it in a while, I think i like “The Fix” the best, but theres a debate to be had there

  • Walter

    “All I Need” beats a ton of albums on its own, imo

    And I think Jay has said before that he’s done it consistently better than any other rapper. That doesn’t really say anything about the individual albums, though…

    IMO Illmatic > RD > OB4CL

  • Walter

    “All I Need” beats a ton of albums on its own, imo

    And I think Jay has said before that he’s done it consistently better than any other rapper. That doesn’t really say anything about the individual albums, though…

    IMO Illmatic > RD > OB4CL

  • Illmatic620

    It Was Written lyrically > Illmatic, doesnt mean its better but that was Nas’ true peak, it just wasnt as focused as Illmatic.

    Feel free to flame me

  • Illmatic620

    It Was Written lyrically > Illmatic, doesnt mean its better but that was Nas’ true peak, it just wasnt as focused as Illmatic.

    Feel free to flame me

  • http://ttofblackice.blogspot.com DSuper

    So nobody thinks Reasonable Doubts formula was based on Illmatic/OB4CL? C’mon, I mean it was a good album but Illmatic was better. So Rizoh, where do you rank 3000 in your all time lyricist? If he’s less than top 5 your tripping.

  • http://ttofblackice.blogspot.com DSuper

    So nobody thinks Reasonable Doubts formula was based on Illmatic/OB4CL? C’mon, I mean it was a good album but Illmatic was better. So Rizoh, where do you rank 3000 in your all time lyricist? If he’s less than top 5 your tripping.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    I like 3000 but he doesn’t have enough body of work (where he’s actually rapping and not that faux-Prince nonsense) for me to consider him Top 10 of all time.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    I like 3000 but he doesn’t have enough body of work (where he’s actually rapping and not that faux-Prince nonsense) for me to consider him Top 10 of all time.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    That said, he’s No.23 in my book.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    That said, he’s No.23 in my book.

  • http://www.sungmusic.blogspot.com sooch

    Nahshon, Illmatic is the illest, hands down. I liked Ready To Die, I do think it was a little long winded. And also, it came at a different time when radio friendly singles started being ushered in. I never liked “Juicy”, “Big Poppa” or “One More Chance” although, lyrically, BIG was on point. The tracks were just way too syrupy for my taste. Had EasyMoBee and Primo produced the whole album, I’d hold the album in higher regard. But that’s just my personal taste.

    OB4CL is my second all time favorite. But it just doesn’t measure up to Illmatic. Illmatic is just THAT album. Short, concise, unmatched storytelling, imagery (“niggas be runnin’ thru the blocks shootin’/time to start the revolution/catch a body/head for houston), the illest intro, no cameo’s but one, velvety smooth flow with ridiculously amazing beats from the best of that era.

    Jay knows…Of course he’s got to ride with the home team. He knows in his gut that Illmatic is at the top of the HipHop pantheon.

    And with regards to the other albums mentioned? It’s all a matter of personal taste. I’m probably one of few who think OutKast kind of sucks balls.

  • http://www.sungmusic.blogspot.com sooch

    Nahshon, Illmatic is the illest, hands down. I liked Ready To Die, I do think it was a little long winded. And also, it came at a different time when radio friendly singles started being ushered in. I never liked “Juicy”, “Big Poppa” or “One More Chance” although, lyrically, BIG was on point. The tracks were just way too syrupy for my taste. Had EasyMoBee and Primo produced the whole album, I’d hold the album in higher regard. But that’s just my personal taste.

    OB4CL is my second all time favorite. But it just doesn’t measure up to Illmatic. Illmatic is just THAT album. Short, concise, unmatched storytelling, imagery (“niggas be runnin’ thru the blocks shootin’/time to start the revolution/catch a body/head for houston), the illest intro, no cameo’s but one, velvety smooth flow with ridiculously amazing beats from the best of that era.

    Jay knows…Of course he’s got to ride with the home team. He knows in his gut that Illmatic is at the top of the HipHop pantheon.

    And with regards to the other albums mentioned? It’s all a matter of personal taste. I’m probably one of few who think OutKast kind of sucks balls.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    OB4CL is obviously one of my personal favorites, but Illmatic is the undisputed king of hip-hop albums. I can write an entire book on why Illmatic is a masterwork, but I won’t.

  • http://www.therapup.net Rizoh

    OB4CL is obviously one of my personal favorites, but Illmatic is the undisputed king of hip-hop albums. I can write an entire book on why Illmatic is a masterwork, but I won’t.

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