I know some people are probably shocked that I used a Jay-Z song, but hey like I said before Jay-Z is still in my ‘Top 5 of All Time’ and I do like Jay-Z but he fell off after The Black Album (Can’t lie that American Gangster album was a good comeback).
When I look back in time I can really see Jay-Z was next to really blow up big think about how many soundtracks he was on in the 90’s but just the kind of attention he was receiving. He was listed in 1996 as a big power player from The Source Magazine along with Nas, 2Pac, Biggie, & various other artist who are no longer doing music/or fell off. I mean dude wrote the Bugs Bunny rap on the Space Jam soundtrack in 1996. I didn’t know he wrote that shit for years until I looked at the credits again around 2003 and I was like “Wow S.Carter wrote this shit?” (He also had the song he did with Changing Faces on the same album). Not only that but he was on “Tell Me” with Blackstreet on Soul Food soundtrack. Jay-Z was getting trashed by 2Pac before he died in Sept 13th 1996. He was close friends with Notorious B.I.G. and getting outshined by him also but not by much. He was friends with Big L, he stabbed Undeas in 1999. He was close with Aaliyah, he collaborated with Michael Jackson (Biggie did it first). Jay-Z did songs with Jon B, R Kelly, and the list go on. Somehow the beefs he had with Big Pun & E Money Bags never popped off big since Jay-Z seemed to be scared especially of E Money Bags (R.I.P.). How can forgot the infamous “Takeover” track he dissed Nas & Mobb Deep (Prodigy more than the group itself). Now when you look at Jay-Z he is part owner of the Nets and making some major moves. He came a long way (Sorry to drag on).
I decided to post up “What The Game Made Me” with Memphis Bleek & Sauce Money from Master P’s I Got The Hook Up soundtrack in 1998. I remember being at the movie theater watching that movie back then *Shrugs*. Anyway this is by far one of my favorite songs off that soundtrack and the song still go hard in 2013. The sample come from Don Blackman’s “Holding You, Loving You” which is one of my favorite 70’s songs.
Jay-Z use to spit with so much hungry and was really lyrical but them days are long gone though. Sauce Money did his thing on here and Memphis came hard too. I wish Sauce would have signed with the Roc though…. He kept Jay-Z on edge lyrically to make him better. It seem like after Jigga got away from Sauce, Jaz, Biggie (R.I.P.), and others who were really good lyrically before he started to decline.
The second song I decided to choose from is from Jaz-O (Back when he called himself the Jaz). This was released in 1991 by the way. This was from his 3rd album Ya Don’t Stop which I currently have in my collection if anybody want it. Jaz was okay on here but you can see where Jay-Z get his influence from even til this day. I mean, just think of the name Jay-Z… He definitely got it from Jaz. However these two guys are still not friends and may never be ever again until somebody die then they’ll live in regrets I’m sure. Well check out these two joints if you haven’t heard.
Download: Jay-Z feat. Memphis Bleek & Sauce Money – “What The Game Made Me”
