Jay-Z talks about the tour and himself
NEW YORK (AP) -- It's a hurricane of noise and activity at the Manhattan offices of Roc-A-Fella Records.Jay-Z, co-founder and lead artist of the label, is starting a national tour in just a few days. Also on the tour: fellow hip-hop big dogs DMX, Method Man, Redman and DJ Clue.
There are photos to take, and last-minute details to work out, and everyone seems to be talking and rushing every which way -- even though the official workday ended hours earlier.
But every hurricane has an eye, a center of complete calm.
The eye of Roc-A-Fella's storm is casually flipping through the pages of a magazine. Jay-Z's tall, lanky frame is stretched out on a couch in an office, with his feet propped up on a desk.
'I'm not a cocky person'
His face doesn't give away much. If he is nervous about the tour -- a tour that many say will make hip-hop history -- he doesn't show it. When it comes to hip-hop, Jay-Z knows exactly how good he is.
"I know people think I'm very arrogant," he said. "I think I'm very confident with my skill level. Overall, I'm not a cocky person."
He also understands the power of hip-hop.
"It sets trends, tells you what's cool, sheds light on things that are going on in ghettos across the United States," he said. "It marks the time of your life. If you hear a hip-hop song, you know what you were doing at that time. It's a musical diary."
His records are anthems of street life, of the struggles that come from trying to survive in the environment where he grew up. His concern is for the people who still live in that environment, not for gaining accolades and awards.
"I really try to let a lot of people know that I understand their struggle, and the things that they're going through," he said.
Past an influence on work
Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, is a native of New York. He grew up in the housing projects in Brooklyn. As a teen and young man, he hustled drugs for a living.
Now he lives in New Jersey, and his business is hip-hop. But Jay-Z, who won't disclose his age, hasn't forgotten his past. On the contrary, where he came from influences everything he does.
His latest release, "In My Lifetime, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life," entered the charts at No. 1 and stayed at the top for five weeks. Previous releases have gone gold and platinum.
The Hard Knock Life tour opens Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will continue until mid-April. The way Jay-Z figures it, the fans have it made. "Redman and Method Man are incredible performers, and I think me and DMX, we have some of the hottest records out," he said.
Last year, Jay-Z portrayed himself in the semi-autobiographical short film, "Streets Is Watching." The film's soundtrack included the hit single, "It's Alright," and introduced some of Roc-A-Fella's brightest new rising stars -- Memphis Bleek, Rell, Diamonds in the Rough and the Ranjahz.
Can he see a day when he won't be performing? Sure, "that's cool with me," he said. He wants to make Roc-A-Fella a strong company. And if that means giving up performing to concentrate on business, he'll do it.
"This isn't the end, this isn't the apex. I haven't arrived. I have other things to do. I have other goals to achieve," he said.
Jay-Z's "Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life" won best rap album at the Grammy Awards. Although Jay-Z was nominated in all three rap categories at this year's Grammys, "I don't really think about that because the Grammys don't really respect rap music in the way I think they should."
He said DMX -- with two No. 1 albums in one year -- didn't receive a single nomination.
"How do you do that?" he asked.
-- Midknight with AP - 3/07/99