With a depart from his Def Jam presidency looming over his head, Hip Hop power player Jay Z says he still has one more album to do before he completely parts ways with the historic music label.
"I have one album left, right? If I'm inspired to make that album, then my contract is done and I'm not in the music business anymore as far as being an artist." Said Hov in a recent interview with Billboard.com.
The rapper, who will be opening a new 40/40 club in Las Vegas on December 30th, says his career will come full circle with his last contractual album dropping under Def Jam,.
"I can still make music. But how I reach people with that music ... I can do anything with it at that point. It's kind of exciting in a way. I'm not in the music business so I can drop a single every month. Who knows? The possibilities are endless -- and without any pressure to
In other news…
sell anything.
I could make whatever and do whatever with my music. Maybe the songs would just play in 40/40."
As far as who the next front runner of hip hop will be after his depart, Jay Z gave the obvious answer--Lil Wayne.
"The obvious choice would be Lil' Wayne. That's on the front of everyone's mind unless you don't include Kanye in the equation. I think everyone would agree that Wayne is the closest."
You can check out the entire interview here.
COMMENTS
Jay ain't going no where -- Here we go with the retirement plan again. Dude to nice to retire, artist don't retire. If Marvin Gaye retired at Jays age we wouldn't have his great music that he put out to make him a legend. Pharrell said a few years back that Jay-Z makes great business moves like playing chess. This is just another strategic move to get other record companies involved in a bedding war on where he will record his next albums if he doesn't renew with Def Jam. Get that mony
shit i dont really like wayne but to be honest he has probably the next biggest fan base right now so who else is gonna hold it down like that? hes gettin his money and hes still young and hes gonna keep going
if any nigga got next its LUPE
LUPE FORE SURE the future is in this niggas hands. wayne n kanye close runners but i think if lupe step up with some conviction the cat is gon b in the bag ya feel
weezy is siiick
how yall saying lupe is next when 2 weeks ago the nugga said he dont wanna rap no more n hes working on his last album, yall are morons
lupe aint gon quit nigga, he mighta said dat but he aint gon quit, now dat his album dropped he gon see his success and he aint gon quit, hes growin an growin his buzz is gettin bigger, he aint no dumb nigga, he aint goin no where open ur eyes "moron"
What was the point in saying, "unless you don't include kanye in the uquation.."
Why wouldn't you include him?
I don't think Lil Wayne will be THE hip-hop image though, depends on how good his carter III album will be.
Kanye's audience isn't as hip-hop as wayne's. Kanye's nice as hell but he aint no rapper. Wayne is hip-hop and jay knows it
how you gon say kanye's fanbase isnt hip=hop? thats all he spits..im a wayne fan til the end but wayne doesnt always bing true hiphop. kanye does. but waynes a beast at what he does.
danm this nigga hov don't stop
man you know what, fuck all this shit, i dont really care
crab crab crab
its ck nigga
he'z a beasT
man why he gotta do this again? sayin he gonna retire again? and what's the thing with lil' wayne? this is wack... still jay is the best :D
He didn't say that he was going to retire again. He said that he only has one album left with Def Jam. Kinda like LL now...after that he can do whatever he wants with his music. So that could actually mean more HOVA music than less.
with all due respect Hova.......Wayne? wtf.. thats the best answer you could come up with?
Truly Its Not Up To Another Artist To Say Who They Fave Is Its Up To The Fans. 1 Person Cant Speak For Everybody We Learned That Wit Al Sharp
YALL JUST TRASHED MY ISH B/C YALL HATERS!
Now u like him when he co sign's your little girlfriend
Yo I give it to Lil Wayne for his work ethic, but damn..how come his fans are so emotional. Not a good look. If people put that much focus in themself, maybe they would be successful.
same goes for the Wayne haters!!!
I can guarantee you that the people who dislike wayne are more educated,wealthier, less emotional, and will go further in life then the average wayne fans.You can go to any board on the net and see the lack of intelligence displayed by Lil Wayne fagnatics.
jay is still good its just his age is catching up to him and its botherin em
on some real shit i dont care what jay said wayne is not in my top no way he could atleast gave it to Nas atleast ...u can tell he just going by what little kids are telling em whats 'hot' he has no incite on real hip hop seriously on some real shit what kind of MC uses t-pain straw??
Yeah...I'm sure you have more insight on hip-hop than HOV. You guys go out of your way to discredit Wayne and even disrespect the "God Emcee" to do it. How lame. Who is really hip-hop? Nas? 50? Whoever you name, Wayne is just as important and maybe at this stage in the game even more because Hip-Hop will be around longer than just whatever generation you support or represent. It's a new day. All the haters sound like the old people who hate on rap music because no one is singing or because they say the music is recycled. Co-sign Hov. If it ain't Wayne, it's Kanye. No one else in the game right now is in a position to rep the future like they are. They are both outstanding artists with much more career left in them. Quit hating.
i dont have to discredit wayne the music speaks for itself
ok theres a new generation in hip hop
if it aint wayne its kanye? wtf 2 pop nikkas
just cause jay said it u gone jump off a roof to?
how about someone who can actually rap good lupe- i think hes the future
besides kanye his album was alright not my style and wayne i dont know wat the hell he doing he aint droppin no new mixtape half the time he singing with a straw and with fat joe lol and if the carter 3 dosent come out any soon its gonna be like nacirema dream papoose
yo this is rare... are you ready... cosign D.B. on the lupe statement
how can Nas have next if hes in the same generation as jay z?
Im cosignin da DB for the first time. Good Job!!
Dsvid Barrels making an intelligent statement, the world must be coming to an end.
umm an MC that is so versatile he can work with anyone. he could kill it on a country song. he's right wayne is very popular and very talented and he is up there...
its versatile ??
he wasnt rapping he was singing....so what are u a rapper or r&b pop
rappers dont do that b
he's a rapper...and he is switchin his style up its not illegal its different people hate on somethin different...
because people can't open their minds up...no im not a weezy dick rider i just happen to like his music and happen to be an open minded person..i like a lot of different types of music...
Jay was giving respect where respect is due. You can't knock little man Wayne. I am not a big wayne fan but his lyrics are on point and punchlines are sick. Jay know skills when he hears them and hate it or love it but Wayne is the future. (Don't get it twisted not a fan)
Here come the haters
wayne is fire, but dude need to get his image right and stop doin all them drugs, but i would've gave it kanye or somethin idk...
in my opinion carter 3 won't be good cuz the hype is over
Jay needs to be a president and put other niggas projects out....He shoulda stopped rapping after the Black Album.....He needs to fall back and let all of the great def jam artists dropp with great marketing and take the radio back but no he would rather use all the marketing on American Gangster and cruise to gold...i fuckin hate jay
Alot artists have came out under Jay.Unlike the supposed "great Def Jam Artist" you are talking about, the artists that have gotten big promotion under Jay's leadership have sold.No one wasn't going to buy,Methodman,Redman,Ghostface, and many other artists that didn't get the same promotion as a Jay or Jeezy.Hov is smart, he's understand making smart business decision.Why waste promotional dollars on an artist,knowing you are not going to get a return on your investment.You like those supposed "Great def Jam artist" needs to stop bitching.
Wayne's hot, but I'd pass the torch to Ye. He's more of a lyricist and makes better songs than Weezy. I think once Jay's gone it'll be the era of Ye...until I make MY debut!
kanye is good but he has no consitancy he might get on song and kill it then another and u be like wat the fuck and thats him giving his all on that track... wayne 85% of the time kills everything but when he dont u know that nigga aint trying or jus playin around...in my opinion wayne is the future of hip hop becuase he got the whole package... but there are peps out there that are better than him i think lyrically suck as lupe but he aint really reaching broader audiences which why he aint as suscessful..
he's on waynes nutz 2 damn
it depends on if the carter 3 hot or not till i give him the respect of a top 5 rapper cus right now its like this..
1.NAS
2.LUPE
3.JOE BUDDEN
4.JADAKISS
5.JAY
6.STYLES P
7.GHOSTFACE
8.CASSIDY
9.JR WRITER/SAIGON (FUCK WAT YALL TALKIN BOUT JR A BEAST!)
10.WAYNE
your list is totally biased for east coast emcee's. here are some more...less coastal buased lists:
Top 10(alive)
1.Jay-Z
2.Kanye West
3.Lil' Wayne
4.50 Cent
5.Common
6. Nas
7.Andre 3000
8.Scarface
9.Eminem
10.T.I.
Honorable mention: Lupe Fiasco, Game
Top 10(all time)
1.2Pac
2.Jay-Z
3.LL Cool J
4.Ice Cube
5.Nas
6.Biggie
7.Rakim
8.Scarface
9.Snoop
10.Busta Rhymes
Honorable mention: 50 Cent, Eminem,Kool G Rap
Groups/Crews
1.Run-Dmc
2.Wu-tang Clan
3.NWA
4.Public Enemy
5.Outkast
6.Bone
7.Tribe Called Quest
8.Cash Money(whatever form)
9.Eightball & MJG
10.Mobb Deep
Honorable Mention: EPMD, De La Soul, Boot Camp Click
Classic Albums
1.It takes a nation of Millions-Public Enemy
2.Illmatic-Nas
3.Only Built for Cuban Linx-Raekwon
4.Ready to Die-Biggie
5.Atliens-Outkast
6.Low End Theory-Tribe
7.REasonable Doubt-Jay-Z
8.The Score-The Fugees
9.Death Certificate-Ice Cube
10.Get Rich or Die Trying-50 Cent
Honorable Mention: Aquemini,The War Report, BE, Graduation.
wheres DOGG POUND in ur groups..thy had ah damn near if not ah "classic album".. deeee-troit
as usual im ridin with birdman on this one
757 you got some nice names on your list, but you got t.i. of all people ahead of LUPE???
idk mayne i think lupe is hands down "the future"
heres my list
top 10 in the game RIGHT NOW
1.Nas
2.Lupe
3.Jay
4.Young Buck (yall niggas surprised?)(real as they come)
5.Jada
6.Ghostface
7.Budden
8.Scarface
9.3000
10.Bishop Lamont
honarbale:
11.AZ the visualiza
12.Wayne
13.Styles & or Talib
i agree wit 757's list. you gonna say dipset aint in the top groups tho?
TI should be on nobody's top MC list. Period
Birdman you got the right idea...illseed id take off Young Buck in a heart beat...suprised no ones got GZA or someone from Wu-Tang as a top MC of all time...GZA is the truth. Lupe is mos def the future of Hip Hop...
supaFriend whats wrong with young buck?
and i do have someone from the WU so does birdman we both got Ghostface Killah in our TOP
this guy above me should die for putting 50 on the list let alone above all of those great emcees....leaving out talib and mos is disgusting to me
yo real talk this is top 5 in the game right now
1.Soulja Boy
2.Hurricane Chris
3.Anyone from The Pack
4.Kia Shine
5.Lil Wayne
put that smif-n-wesson to use and KILL YASELF
"As far as who the next front runner of hip hop will be after his depart, Jay Z gave the obvious answer--Lil Wayne.
"The obvious choice would be Lil' Wayne. That's on the front of everyone's mind unless you don't include Kanye in the equation. I think everyone would agree that Wayne is the closest."
WEZZY DOING IT BIG. WAYNE HATERS GOTTA GIVE HIM RESPECT IF THE ALMIGHTY HOV IS GIVINH HIM THE RESPECT!!!
NEW ORLEANS IS IN THE BUILDING!!!
BEANS GOT NEXT
i like wayne but its alot of other artists...jada, beans, fab could take it if lupe dont retire even he could in my eyes wayne isnt very consistent dont get me wrong waynes in my top 5 but all this voice box shit is makin me lose respect for him but it does depend on how well cIII is
THERE YA'LL HAVE IT. THE MAN SAID IT HIMSELF.
man it dont matter what somebody say let the music speak for itself let the carter 3 turn niggas into believers i dnt give a fuck if jay said hurricane chris was the man let his music speak for him not another nigga opinion yall got it twisted 4real
lol.... Co-Sign Jay-Z ^ It's just the haters that can't understand because they won't listen... the only listen with the intent of knockin' his music so they won't really hear it... Wayne just is the Best beside Jay... and Kanye good but will never be in Wayne's league... time for everyone to recognize or I guess thats what C3 is for.
I need eminem to come back and smash everyone...hope that happens soon.. ::plays marshal mathers lp::
Niggas talikn' that shit bout wayne... BUT NOW THAT HOV(defsounds lover) says that wayne is next... what can yall say?...its not even self-proclaimed anymore... Jay Z know what it is!
Wayne hasnt proven himself yet....
i would say Lupe
I'm one of Lu's biggets fans but how has he proven himself and Wayne hasn't. You can't be serious. They aren't even in the same league. Lupe, a great lyricist, is just that. Wayne is brand name status. He's over 10 years deep in the game and has more hits than Lu has songs. Get real.
cosign^^^
okay dude.....i understand where u coming from dude.....but at the sametime...all wayne is doing is punchlines, flow, and delivery.
the thing is.....wayne isnt as lyrical like Lupe....Wayne is lyrical......but wayne is fooling ya'll with delivery.....wayne done had his foot in the door since the years of a teen.....but it dont matter how old u is......look at jay.......jay blew up in like his mid to late 20's......so wat does age and hits half to do with anything.........and so what about hits dude.........every song jay came out with aint a hit.......
nowadays everything is a hit.......
Walk It Out
This Is Why I'm Hot
ect. ect.
on top of that, those songs sucked but they were still hits.......lupe's lyrics is much more mature.....
waybe cant tell a story like that........dont get me wrong though...Wayne is a phenominal artist......dont think im hatin on him......
on top of that....when lupe spit, u know they aint just stories.......homie goes into details and breaks shit down.......
lol I can sense the sarcasm in Hovas' words...when Jay Z has left the hip hop scene (as an artist) the crown will be placed on Kanyes' head.
That's exactly what Hov said,"....unless you don't include Kanye in the equation." Kanye is pretty much that guy now. Who else can say they one Grammys for there first two albums and almost guaranteed another on the third(which was more successful than the other two.)? Who else could say that every album he has put out is arguably a classic? Yeah, 'Ye is that dude. Wayne is a close second, on the strength of him having a body of work like he does since The Carter but Kanye is the heir apparent.
won^ not one.
I co-sign both ya'll, Wayne stans are so wrapped around the fact that Jay said his name that they didn't read the statement and understand what he was saying
yah wayne haters are just looking for something to say now. Wayne to me is either hot or cold, there isnt a medium with him, his songs are either fire or trash, in my opinion that doesnt constitute a rapper as the best out,but in lil wayne's case his versitility and delivery put him high up there, and hes mad relevant, look at how may comments his articles get ppl cant stay away from him. to me hes just ok, there are far better emcees who dont get the same shine, but since he finds a way to get attention and most importantly money, i have to give him his props for that......oh and jay didnt say he was going to retire, he implied he might stop making albums, but did you dudes read, he said he could drop a single every month. he'll have freedom to just do music without the need to appeal to the masses, thats always the dopest shit anyway...
someone with a lil' insight, and an objective eye. keep posting pimpin'.
Yea, aside from being lyrically superior to wayne, stupid....
ricc your reachin' homie Lupe is the truth point blank
aside from IF lupe was in the game as long as wayne has been lupe would be LIGHTYEARS ahead of him!
cosign illseed
why r y'all surprised, evrybody wuz thinkin it... hov just said it
Co-Sign ^ Na Bird right Y'all... as much as u love or hate Wayne, you can't derive your opinion from what some1 else thinks... even if it is as prestiges as some1 like Jay-Z, you ppl gotta decide for yourselves... there should be no more talk about Wayne's lyrical capabilities until C3...