Jay-Z opened up about his family, his rivals, and the tracks that shaped his career in episodes five and six of JAŸ-Z in 8, which premiered on HBO Max Friday night. The docuseries pairs the rapper with producer Rick Rubin to walk through his catalog, from Reasonable Doubt to 4:44, and episode six includes a viral moment where Jay praises Kanye West’s artistry.
The pair covered a long stretch of tracks across two episodes, touching on everything from “JAIL” and “U Don’t Know” to “Public Service Announcement.” Episode six also featured the quote that went viral, in which Jay called West “one of the most brilliant creatives we’re gonna see.”
Jay’s Warm Words for Kanye
Jay and West’s relationship has weathered its share of tension. Last year, West posted a derogatory rant about Jay’s children on social media, and the documentary does not settle on where the two men stand now. But the respect for West’s work remains.
“I’m one of the most brilliant creatives we’re gonna see. He is as advertised,” Jay said, per Billboard. He recalled meeting West 25 years ago heading into The Blueprint, at a studio where Ye was calling himself the “savior of Chicago” and standing on top of a table. That pure belief in himself, Jay said, has never wavered.
The episodes also detail the debates between the two when they reunited on Donda’s “JAIL” in 2021. Jay referenced West’s MAGA pivot in the track, and the two argued for a couple of weeks over a line that bothered West deeply.
The Red Cap Line That Sparked a Fight
On “JAIL,” Jay raps: “Stop all of that red cap, we goin’ home.” West objected to that line, which references Jay aligning with Donald Trump and wearing a MAGA hat. Jay recalled the argument lasting a couple of weeks, with West feeling uncomfortable about the line.
But Jay had no plans to change it. He saw the line as a “blanket of protection” since he also calls himself out in the verse, which incorporates West song titles into his bars. “There was issues there and it was almost acknowledging the elephant in the room,” Jay said. “I also know if it was switched, he would stand by the artistic integrity of what he created.”
Ye left Jay’s verse as it was, and “JAIL” won a Grammy for best rap song in 2022. It also reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.
The Blueprint Was Made in a Weekend
When discussing the Ye-produced “U Don’t Know,” Jay opened up about how The Blueprint came together in just a few days. Nine tracks were recorded over a weekend, with Bink starting the album and Kanye and Just Blaze coming back and forth with tracks.
“This album was made over a weekend. This album [had] nine songs in a weekend,” Jay recalled. Hov added that the group tinkered with things the rest of the month, but the core of the record was locked in that weekend. The songs recorded included “U Don’t Know,” “Song Cry,” and “Heart of the City,” with the chorus and the female vocal finalized later.
Young Forever Never Got Cracked
“Young Forever” was the fifth single from 2009’s The Blueprint 3, which reached the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10. But Jay doesn’t think he fully nailed the Ye-produced track.
“I knew what I wanted to say, but I wanted to find a special way to deliver it with my performance,” he explained. “I never cracked it. Still, to this day, when I hear that song, I’m like, ugh.”
Goodfellas Inspired Threat
The 2003 track “Threat” came together with 9th Wonder on production and an interlude from comedian Cedric the Entertainer. Jay said a scene from Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas inspired the song. He painted the picture of Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito character peppering Billy Batts, played by Frank Vincted, with a series of violent threats.
“Gangsters are hilarious,” Jay said. “The way they see life is really funny. People think a gangster is this brute who doesn’t speak or doesn’t know how to speak. To create a business like the ones that have been created, you have to be intelligent. You just use your intelligence in a different way.”
He name-drops Pesci on his final verse.
A Verse Jay Still Remembers
Jay jumped off the decoding of Reasonable Doubt’s “Politics as Usual” to talk about an unreleased collaboration with Rick Rubin. He still remembers his verse from that recording, which was made at an unknown time.
“I got so much trouble on my mind / Refuse to lose, and my nephews need new shoes / And I chew food like it’s going out of style / So take that blaow / Fall way back / I’m always strapped / Like Nike Airs / Right here / Under the belt, with one in the air / Anybody out there know anybody realer / Any amount of hunger make any n—a a dea”
What We Took From Episodes Five and Six
- Jay called Kanye “one of the most brilliant creatives we’re gonna see.”
- The Blueprint was recorded in a weekend, with nine tracks done in a few days.
- Jay argues that “Young Forever” never got fully cracked.
- Goodfellas inspired the menace of “Threat.”
- Jay still remembers his verse from the unreleased Rubin collab.
- The pair argued for weeks over the “red cap” line on “JAIL.”
- “JAIL” won a Grammy for best rap song in 2022.
- “U Don’t Know” was part of a weekend recording session for The Blueprint.
The episodes have been refreshing for fans who want Jay to open up about his personal life. He has candidly discussed his family, his relationships with Biggie Smalls, and the intricacies of his wordplay. He told Billboard that reflecting on his career was easy, not hard.
“Nothing was difficult,” Jay said. “It wasn’t difficult at all. It was easy. The ease of the conversation with Rick [Rubin]; he’s super curious about life [and] music. We share the same love for music. It was an easy conversation.”
The final episode airs Friday night on HBO Max.
Source material: “‘JAŸ-Z in 8’: 8 Things We Learned From Episodes 5 & 6,” Billboard.
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