In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jay-Z detailed the process he goes through in order to compose hit after hit. Hov revealed the method behind the man who has had more number one albums than Elvis. Citing rappers like Dre and Rakim as his influences, Jigga described the feeling of ecstasy that engulfs him every time he creates a song. The initial experience must have been overwhelming for the icon who is a former drug dealer. “When I’m writing a song that I know is going to work, it’s a feeling of euphoria.”
Jay compares his glee to that of a sports star when they are in form; “It’s how a basketballer must feel when he starts hitting every shot, when you’re in that zone. As soon as you start, you get that magic feeling, an extra feeling.” Hov also revealed the short gestation period that is required in order for his songs to bloom; “Songs like that come in five minutes; if I work on them more than, say, twenty minutes, they’re probably not going to work.”
When he started out, the rap icon admits he was just trying to tell stories but that soon changed; “I started to marry storytelling with everything I was learning from all these great other records; the great writers like Babyface and Lionel Richie” He also commented on the inspiration of “Dre’s whole package on the Chronic albums” and “Rakims technique and syncopation.”
For a man who is one half of one of the world’s most powerful couples, is a close associate of Barack Obama, and has a net worth of 450 million, there must be some extra special ingredient in Jigga’s creative recipe which has worked a real treat!
