By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Rapper Jay Z has accomplished a lot in music, and he’s easily made the list when it comes to the greatest to ever pick up a mic. But he didn’t limit his accomplishments to music, and even Forbes continuously recognizes Jay Z as one of the savviest business men. In fact, he and his wife Beyonce topped the Forbes highest paid celebrity couple list twice in the last two years, and it’s clear that the power couple has no plans of slowing down any time soon. Jay Z is known for being pretty open and honest in his interviews, and he made no exception for the November issue of Vanity Fair. In the issue (Jigga also nabbed the cover), Jay Z opens about wooing Beyonce, his daughter Blue Ivy’s love for his music, his disappointment in the urban blogs and he even admitted that he did come to a point when he began to feel guilty about selling drugs to the community. Here are the highlights of the interview.
On if Blue Ivy prefers his music over Beyonce’s:
“That’s not true. She does like her mother’s music—she watches [Beyoncé’s concerts] on the computer every night. But my album came out and I don’t know if Blue ever heard any of my music prior to this album—she’s only 18 months old and I don’t play my music around the house. But this album was new, so we played it. And she loves all the songs. She plays a song and she goes, ‘More, Daddy, more . . . Daddy song.’ She’s my biggest fan. If no one bought the Magna Carta [album], the fact that she loves it so much, it gives me the greatest joy. And that’s not like a cliché. I’m really serious. Just to see her—‘Daddy song, more, Daddy.’ She’s genuine, she’s honest, because she doesn’t know it makes me happy. She just wants to hear it.”
On why no one can have longevity in the drug game:
“To be in a drug deal, you need to know what you can spend, what you need to re-up. Or if you want to start some sort of barbershop or car wash—those were the businesses back then. Things you can get in easily to get out of [that] life. At some point, you have to have an exit strategy, because your window is very small; you’re going to get locked up or you’re going to die.”
He also admits that he did eventually start to feel guilty about selling drugs to his community:
“Not until later, when I realized the effects on the community. I started looking at the community on the whole, but in the beginning, no. I was thinking about surviving. I was thinking about improving my situation. I was thinking about buying clothes.”
When asked if he thinks he would have been able to get Beyonce if he were a gas station attendant:
“If I’m as cool as I am, yes. But she’s a charming Southern girl, you know, she’s not impressed. . . . But I would have definitely had to be this cool.”
Jay even addressed his frustrations with the pregnancy rumors surrounding Beyonce, and admitted he’s most disappointed with the urban blogs for picking up the rumor:
“I don’t even know how to answer that. It’s just so stupid. You know, I felt dismissive about it, but you’ve got to feel for her. I mean, we’ve got a really charmed life, so how can we complain? But when you think about it, we’re still human beings. . . . And even in hip-hop, all the blogs—they had a field day with it. I’m like, We come from you guys, we represent you guys. Why are you perpetuating this? Why are you adding fuel to this ridiculous rumor?”
Check out the cover below:
The November issue hits newsstands October 8.
Nice cover. I’m glad he was honest and could admit he felt guilty about his start in life. But it’s not always how you started. It’s how you finish. The people who bash this man and his past just don’t get that.
Love it.
I think people will say Beyonce is pregnant at least once a year while she’s on top. They just love speculating on that woman’s uterus. LOL.
THE COVER IS “FABULOUS”….BE PROUD OF URSELF……
Sounds like he is not trying to make drug dealing sound glamourous. This is why it angered me so much that those white conservatives were calling him a thug and complaining about that middle school teaching kids about his life. The man made more out of himself and decided he could do better in life than selling drugs. Stop protecting kids from the ugly realities of life. That’s why they are so soft and naive now. Too sheltered.
I completely agree.
Cosign.
That’s a stupid statement. He said you got to have an exit strategy because you either are going to prison or get kill . he’s just telling you what his reality was.Their was nothing glamorous in what he said.
seeing crack head every time you open your door or crack vials every what’s glamorous about that. I guess most of you were babies in the 80’s. In everything you do their is a lesson to learn . he learn his business skills in the street er learn about creating and sticking to a budget. That was his college.Lots of these rich people today did a lot of shady stuff to get where they are today. Wall street make life look glamorous yet they bring the world to its knees destroying lives . How many people lost everything from homes to pension because of wall street and no one went to jail. Just remember it was Ronald Reagan and the CIA who brought in the drugs to the inner-city and use the money to fund their war in Nicaragua and other south and central america countries.
I think you misread what I said because I definitely said he was NOT trying to make drug dealing glamorous. So you and I actually agree Xedos.
Great interview. I always like reading his interviews because he’s always so honest. Even if it’s not a popular opinion, he will still speak his truth. I respect that.
Love the cover. Celebs have to remember the media and the blogs are a necessary evil. Without them, it gets harder to sell albums and get people to watch movies and TV shows. IJS.
COVER IS “FABULOUS”….BE PROUD OF ALL U HAVE ACHIEVED….LUV THAT U “KEEP IT REAL & KEEP IT MOVIN”…..ur past is just that…..UR PAST
Jay should be happy that only rumors that ever go mainstream about Bey are pregnancy rumors. She doesn’t get talked about as badly as others because she’s smart. She knows how to stay out of bad press because she refuses to act a fool and give people something to talk about.
Whatever. He’ll always be a drug dealing thug to me. #shrugs
Well thank goodness you’re not God. #shrugs
THIS.
Hello!!!
Love it Troll!
Best comment on here.
That cover tho…YES! And I agree that Jay got Bey because of his personality. I think she liked his confidence and ambition. They are made for each other.
Well it had to be his personality because he is not attractive! LOL!
I have so much respect for this man. He’s intelligent and has a lot of wisdom. Very inspiring.
he has more class than most conservative republicans!!!!
Aww he looks nice!
JIGGA!!! I love how classy he is! Only a real man would admit he was not proud of the man he was before. I admire and respect him for that. It is not where you come from but where you are headed that is the most important. If you can turn your life around and have a positive impact then you deserve to be able to live in peace.
He is your American dream become reality, pull yourself up by your boot straps and make it!
Love the cover!!!
The part about Blue?! Sweet!!!!!