Listed as one of the New York Times “30 Greatest Songwriters’ alive, Jay-Z breaks down the art of writing in its purest form, where rhythm leads and the words follow.
“The flow comes first… then I fill it with words.”
From channeling jazz like Rakim to studying the unorthodox genius of The Notorious B.I.G., it’s a masterclass in making every word hit.
Presenting GQ’s April issue: Shawn Carter on 30 years of Jay-Z
He’s kept his thoughts to himself for the better part of a decade. But here, in a rare and exclusive interview, the legendary rapper put everything on the table—music, family, money, and the 30 years since Reasonable Doubt https://t.co/MNyAao5RpW
Eugene Edgerson posted this public message on Facebook about his son's Senior Day at Salpointe. Wouldn't expect anything different from Gene. This kind of character goes back to the days I called him over the phone about his recruitment by Arizona when he attended St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. You could tell then he was raised right. This comment by Gene should be shared to every single parent who has a young athlete as a son or daughter:
"It’s senior night and Jazi didn’t get to play.
I never once walked up to my son’s high school basketball coach about playing time. Not once.
See, that wasn’t my lane.
My job was to raise a young man.
Coach’s job was to run a team.
If my son wanted more minutes, I told him what was told to me:
‘Work so hard they can’t sit you.’
I wasn’t about to teach him that when life feels unfair, you go over somebody’s head. Nah. Life don’t work like that. The world ain’t handing out minutes — you earn them.
I sat in them bleachers quiet.
Clapped when he did well.
Drove him home when he didn’t play.
And in that car, I’d say —
‘You control effort. You control attitude. Everything else? That’s grown man business.’
Too many dads fighting battles their sons need to fight themselves.
Basketball ain’t just about buckets.
It’s about learning how to handle disappointment without folding.
I didn’t need my son to be the star.
I needed him to be solid.
Because one day it won’t be about minutes…
It’ll be about marriage, jobs, pressure, and real-life fourth quarters.
And I refuse to raise a young man who thinks somebody owes him playing time.
#basketball #basketballdad #hooplife #highschoolbasketball #earnednotgiven"
30 YEARS OF ‘ALL EYEZ ON ME’ 👁️
Today in 1996, 2Pac shared his fourth studio album—and final album released during his lifetime. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 selling 566,000 copies in its first week.
It was certified RIAA DIAMOND by the RIAA in 2014. Favorite tracks?
Whew, that period of time when communication was clocked!!! It was imperative that you learned how to say what you mean and mean what you said and you didn’t beat around the bush saying it. If too much sweet talk could give you diabetes, then what would talking too much shit do?
Begin all things by giving thanks to the ALL.
HAPPY REMEMBRANCE BORNDAY DUMILE
Believing that as time goes on, it will get easier to do this and say the
right words to let the world know, and celebrate the day that you were born.
Some may look at 13 as bad luck, yet you have 6 on the left, 6 on the right, and that one in the middle holding both sides together, that 13. Balance—that’s what you did while you were here. Help balance mankind for those who listen and really listen. Will never stop honoring you in the most honest and pure way that we can.
The Idiocracy Crew are still trying to perpetrate as though they understood what the feeling was all about, and they still don’t get it. It’s so easy to see through now more than ever. The veil has been lifted for a long time, and it’s really time to get things correct in all aspects of our existence. As always, thank you for being that bright light, North Star, still guiding us through. We appreciate all the sacrifices that you’ve made in your very short 49 years on earth. You are and will always be appreciated and missed tremendously.
Always with love
Jasmine
ALWAYS REMEMBER, NEVER FORGET