Jay-Z, Rich Righteous Teacher (Part I)

Cedric Muhammad

(I’ve) never read the Qur’an, or Islamic scriptures

The only Psalms I’ve read was on the arms of my n*****s

- Jay-Z, Intro off of the The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

If there were any track in the universe of Jay-Z’s catalogue, which I think represents the
powerful puzzle of his personality and appeal it is the Intro to the 2000 Roc La Familia album. In
terms of the deliberate amount of time he allows to pass before delivering his verse; the sound of
the hot but haunting beat; the nonchalant flow, the penetrating wit; the jewels and gems of
wisdom; and the provocative hints and nods (‘this is food for thought, you do the dishes’) that
Jay-Z deliberately leaves, this one-verse track almost perfectly symbolizes the career and mind
of an artist who I am convinced may be the most Selfaware artist that rap has ever seen.

When many of us use the phrase ‘Knowledge of Self,’ what exactly are we really talking about?
The older I get and the more I hear it used, I’m convinced people really don’t understand what it
fully represents. Sadly, one of the most important concepts and bodies of wisdom we could
understand has been reduced to a cliché.

In a portion of a letter introducing his Study Guide # 10, “The God Within” Minister Louis
Farrakhan gives one of the best descriptions of that powerful phrase that I have ever heard:

“The knowledge of Self is the greatest of all knowledge. It is akin to the knowledge of Allah
(God). Both of these knowledges, which is really one, is the key to our return to God, Self and
Power.

…We must know ourselves historically, biologically, genetically, but we must also go to the root
of ourselves which is knowledge of the nature in which we are created, which is the Essence of
Self-knowledge.”
For years I have considered Jay-Z to be a conscious artist, very. It has been a very controversial
position to take in the eyes of some. I first unveiled it, in limited form, in an economic context in
a piece I wrote at BlackElectorate.com called , “The Consciousness of Wu-Tang Clan, Suge
Knight, and Jay-Z” (http://www.blackelectorate.com/articles.asp?ID=529).

I have never gone into the other side of the consciousness I had in mind as it as it relates to Jay-
Z. It has to do with what he implies on the ‘Intro’ with the phrase ‘keen senses.’

The portion of the Minister’s statement that I’m building on, as it relates to consciousness is ‘the
knowledge of the nature in which we are created.’ The only way that one comes into this
understanding of self is by traveling – outwardly and inwardly – through the 5 paths by which
we all learn: conversation, observation, reading, experience (which is always painful), and
revelation/intuition. Getting to the heart of this, in a December 12, 1986 letter he wrote
introducing his study guides, Minister Farrakhan writes:

“Each student, after studying the principle under analysis, must then analyze self and critique
self. The study sessions, while leading the student to self-examination, first; self-analysis,
second; self-correction, third; must simultaneously be therapeutic. Therefore, these sessions
must be twofold, consisting of both theory and practice. The practice will refine the theory.”

After many years and travels in the world of entertainment, politics and business, I am growing
to learn the difference between one having an ideology, a teaching or dogma, and one who
understands the real-life struggle of trying to apply what you know and believe, in public.

In my view, what limits the appeal of what is categorized as ‘conscious’ rap is the usually narrow
definition of that word, which seems to equate to only reading certain books. Many artists, for
years, have gotten credit for being ‘conscious’ primarily by only memorizing and quoting things
that they have read in the books of others. But are they really any more of an intellectual than
someone like 50 Cent who co-authors a book -The 50th Law - based upon the insights of his own
life experience in the light of the wisdom of the book, The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene?

In impressive fashion not only does he weave that knowledge into his lyrics but I’ve seen 50
represent his book on rap stations, local news outlets and respected financial media like CNBC,
handling questions like a professor.
I intend to write on the decline of the conscious MC, soon. Part of their extinction is self-
imposed.

In a sense their appeal is limited because their ‘story’ is limited to ‘theory.’ The practice that will
refine the theory and the lessons that come from the attempt to apply that theory are not in their
life experience, or perhaps, more importantly that particular artist is simply not able to explain
their life experience as well as they are able to quote it as expressed by others.

Keeping those 5 ways in which we all learn in mind and are taught, I believe that while many
others may have more overtly conscious or political content than Jay-Z none express it lyrically
in more diverse, articulate, subtle, or penetrating ways.

Although Jay-Z certainly reads books, his ‘keen senses’ – enable him to learn in powerful ways
from observation, experience, and intuition and communicate them in a conversational manner
that no other rapper, in my view approaches. Therefore, he delivers something for teenagers,
women, non-Blacks, the hood, the industry professional, and the politically inclined (if only they
would listen).

It may be hard for some to realize (or accept) but on a sensory level Jay-Z is a more holistic
learner and communicator – as an artist - than those that are labeled as ‘positive.’ It allows him
to reach more with his personality and ‘message’ than they do.

His appeal is based on his ability to combine introspection (self-examination and self-analysis)
with keen observations and an interesting life experience.

’Where do Blacks with crazy cash and knowledge of they self live at?
Teacher haven’t seen them,
Many sold their sold for cash.

- Wise Intelligent on the Poor Righteous track ‘Black Business.’

With those words, on ‘Black Business,’ Wise Intelligent, one of the most konscious and brilliant
individuals I have come across and had the pleasure of building with, presents the challenge to
all of us who pursue knowledge, wealth, and success.

In one of the best ‘public’ conversations I’ve ever had, here is what Wise said to me in 2005
when I asked him for his thoughts about Jay-Z:

“Wise Intelligent: I really want to say that Jay-Z is the best MC, lyrically, skill level, I have
probably heard in the last ten years. Jay-Z is a phenomenon, lyrically, to me. He can take a
rhyme where he wants. Jay-Z can tell a rhyme sit, and it sits. He says, ‘get up and go’, and the
rhyme will get up and go. Jay-Z is definitely a talent. He can rhyme about anything he wants to
rhyme about. He’s rhyming about what works for him right now. That’s it. He is more than just a
rapper too, I see more than just a business man in him as well. There is something else there. I
don’t know what, I ain’t trying to figure it out, but, hey, that’s Jay-Z to me.”

“There is something else there. I don’t know what…” is part of the secret to Jay-Z’s success. He
has created a mystique and aura about him through the selective nature of his public appearance
(note: the lack of movies, commercials, and advocacy and the rarity with which he grants in-
depth interviews). As I have written in a previous column, “The Business of ‘Story’ (A Rapper’s
Brand And Image) [http://allhiphop.com/stories/editorial/archive/2010/01/12/22092307.aspx],
the nexus point of his brand-reputation-image have had better alignment over a longer period of
time than any other rapper in history. The result: he’s always interesting but not always easy to
understand. That tension creates intrigue around him, his creative work and his career.

The only other person I have seen maneuver through the Hip-Hop culture and industry and
maintain this kind of mystique, as I have said before, is Star of Star and Buc Wild
(http://www.vladtv.com/videos/star-buc-wild/).

Is it any coincidence that Star’s philosophy Objective Hate is defined as, “The total belief in
one’s self with the full understanding of man’s true nature.”

No form of consciousness - no matter how ‘political’ - that leaves out the self will be relevant in
this new era we are entering.

“I had to lace up my boots even harder

Father is too far away to father
Further-more all the kids either smoke reefer
or either move white, there’s few writers in my cypher
So they made light of, my type of
dreams seem dumb, they said wise up
How many guys-a, you see makin it from here
The world don’t like us, is that not clear? Alright but..
I’m different, I can’t base what I’m gon’ be
offa what everybody isn’t, they don’t listen
Just whisperin behind my back
No vision, lack of ambition, so whack!”

Jay-Z, “So Ambitious,” Blueprint 3

But the something else that I have always seen in Jay-Z and equated it to a form of consciousness
that most ‘conscious’ artists lack is his natural ability to teach in very profound and subtle ways
– lyrically and in how he moves on the public stage.

There is a discipline and comfort with self that allows Jay to pass up what is not best for him, on
a business level and permits him to handle being misunderstood (and criticized) while still saying
and doing things with a positive impact (I don’t feel I have to list various things he has done of a
charitable nature to support my point. The fact that so little of it is publicized is something to
consider though.)

While the critics, ideologues, and guardians of ‘consciousness’ in rap have have expressed their
view of him, Jay has been reaching and stimulating thought in people – young and older - that
they could never reach in the way he does.

Here’s how one artist from Africa, Howee (http://www.howeemusic.com) who has also lived in
the States recently described it to me:

“So as soon as I heard the 1st Blueprint album from Jay-Z I was going through it 4 real. Money
and the motions that come with that life. I remember hearing ‘Izzo’ and I was like “hol’ on!!
rewind that!”.
I never heard anyone speak on it like that. So I bought that CD, backdated and was like
“mannnnn, he’s been saying this all these years??” I mean I had hard knock life in high school
(my brother sent it for me from the states) but I didn’t know that world.

Reasonable Doubt changed my look on music and self expression with no boundaries. I was still
been highly influenced by Tupac (who wasn’t?..till now too) so I payed attention to this double
voice and back ups and what not. Jay-Z just made it more easier, more descriptive. I started
writing poetry in between times. I never rapped until I got to Kenya.”

It may not be a popular thing to say but in different ways I’ve heard the same thing from others
which Howee expresses ‘I was still been highly influenced by [you fill in the rapper’s name].
Jay-Z just made it more easier, more descriptive.’
The authority in my inner circle on Jay-Z’s lyrics, and maybe anywhere else for that matter, is a
Hip-Hop Internet Marketer named Duane Lawton. Many people can say they’ve studied Jay’s
lyrics or been inspired by them but he’s the only one I know who has actually written a book
about them (BookofHov.com).

In 2007 when I read what he had done I just started using the phrase the ‘Book Of H.O.V.’ in
reference to what I saw as his compilation and commentary on the teachings of Jay-Z. My friend
E from Queens and I, to this day, speak to one another in code out of the ‘Book of 50,’ the ‘the
‘Book of Jeezy,’ the ‘Book of KRS,’ and just last week I quoted something from the ‘Book of
N.W.A.’ which I’ll keep to myself (smile). I’m even dropping some lines from ‘The Book of
Young Money.’

This goes on everyday with our culture. It’s real.

I asked Duane some questions about the teachings of Jay:

Cedric Muhammad: What made you start this kind of study?

Duane Lawton: I’ve been a big fan of Jay dating back to the beginning of his career. I embraced
his debut, Reasonable Doubt, not because I lived that life but because I was ‘around’ it
and could relate. I was one year outta of high school and
to me that album was the voice of my era at the time.

Reasonable Doubt is a record that’s really just about ambition-

with swagger.

In Reasonable Doubt, Jay rhymed about hustling with a level

of wit and insight that I had never really heard before then and
that caught my attention. I was a cool and smart kid and when
I heard Reasonable Doubt I knew that his lyrics were conceived
from careful observations and enlightening experiences, which
shaped his profound perspectives. And Jay’s performances
on Reasonable Doubt were flawless; his rhymes were
driven by street cred delivered with the demeanor of “a college cat”.

And as a fan, I’ve been ‘riding wit him’ ever since.

Cedric Muhammad: How important are his lyrics to consciousness raising?

Duane Lawton: Jay-Z has his ear to the streets and he has the ear of the streets. But, as one of
his famous sayings states, you gotta “get your mind right”. To be honest, sometimes I wish the
consciousness in Jay’s lyrics weren’t so abstract. But at the same time I think listeners have to be
hungry in order to partake in his food for thought.

The point I made in my ebook is that the listener has to be

able to deciper Jay’s lyrics. He rhymes alot (maybe a little
too much) about the drug trade. But his mindset as it relates
to hustling can be applied to any sort of ambition within the
context of family, business, education, politics, community, etc.

Cedric Muhammad: What can one learn from the Book of H.O.V.?

Duane LawtonI think listeners can learn that there is a ‘cost’ to ambition; physically, mentally,
spiritually, emotionally…

Success does not come without struggle, pain, jealousy &

envy, patience, solitude, unity, temptation, competition,
arrogance, humbleness…

Jay-Z is taking us to school. He’s like the most popular

guy in the school becoming the principal. If the most
popular guy in the school became the principal most of
the students would think it’s party time. But that cool
guy became the principal for a reason. There’s more
to him than his swag…

I’ll end by saying this: Jay-Z is featured

on “Light it Up” one of the songs off Drake’s upcoming
album. In the song Jay basically prophecies
on what Drake with go through as a result of his success
in the game and gives him advice on how to handle it.
It’s yet another hot verse by your boy Hov, but the verse
sort of sums up what Jay has been doing since back in
‘96: Showin’ us how to do this, son!

*****

“Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?
See I’m influenced by the ghetto you ruined
That same dude you gave nothin, I made somethin doin
what I do through and through and
I give you the news - with a twist it’s just his ghetto point-of-view…”
- Jay-Z; “Renegade”, The Blueprint

Last year at the American Music Awards, Jay-Z made a controversial statement recently that
many people interpreted as directed at 50 Cent (http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=FIwxIobtab4). Another moment where Jay-Z wanted to be puzzling and could care less about
who misunderstood, because he was confident the right people would understand. And 50’s blunt
reaction to the comment, if it were intended for him, I thought was good, too. Both of them were
true to their respective brands-reputations-images (see the intro of my book to see what qualities
50 embodies better than anyone). It was another moment where the tension between competitors
became an opportunity to teach where the goal is making a more powerful point than your
‘opponent,’ not manufacturing a phony scene for the consumption of the ignorant masses.
Unfortunately, the comment generated only the usual silly chatter that dominates so much of the
culture and industry these days.
Lost in the usual superficial focus on manufactured ‘beef,’ was the lesser-noted reality that Jay
was teaching once again. He knew people wanted him to say something disrespectful to 50 but
rather than be aggressive, which is not his strength (and he learned that for certain in his ‘beef’
with Nas where he was the aggressor), he decided to just be himself, and allow people to be
perplexed, offended or humored by his comment, ‘Men Lie, Women Lie, Numbers Don’t’ on the
week that 50 Cent had disappointing sales for the release of his album, ‘Before I Self-Destruct.’

What was Jay teaching with the comment? An aspect of his business philosophy. About 5 years
ago I learned from someone who did business with Jay-Z that he was reading and influenced by
the book ‘Moneyball: The Art Of Winning An Unfair Game,’ by Michael Lewis. The publisher’s
description of the book is:

Michael Lewis examines how in 2002 the Oakland Athletics achieved a spectacular winning
record while having the smallest player payroll of any major league baseball team. Given the
heavily publicized salaries of players for teams like the Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees,
baseball insiders and fans assume that the biggest talents deserve and get the biggest salaries.
However, argues Lewis, little-known numbers and statistics matter more. Lewis discusses Bill
James and his annual stats newsletter, Baseball Abstract, along with other mathematical
analysis of the game. Surprisingly, though, most managers have not paid attention to this
research, except for Billy Beane, general manager of the A’s and a former player; according to
Lewis, “[B]y the beginning of the 2002 season, the Oakland A’s, by winning so much with so
little, had become something of an embarrassment to Bud Selig and, by extension, Major League
Baseball.” The team’s success is actually a shrewd combination of luck, careful player choices
and Beane’s first-rate negotiating skills. Beane knows which players are likely to be traded by
other teams, and he manages to involve himself even when the trade is unconnected to the A’s. ”
`Trawling’ is what he called this activity,” writes Lewis. “His constant chatter was a way of
keeping tabs on the body of information critical to his trading success.” Lewis chronicles
Beane’s life, focusing on his uncanny ability to find and sign the right players. His descriptive
writing allows Beane and the others in the lively cast of baseball characters to come alive.

Jay-Z was reading this book while serving as President of Def Jam Records. The book, Jay-Z
told our mutual business associate reflected his (and my associate’s) way of doing business –
relying upon numbers, statistics, and past history to judge performance and make decisions for
the future.

That is what was at the root of his statement at the American Music Awards that he allowed
others to misinterpret, for better or worse. Perhaps this is the gift and the curse with Jay-Z’s
teaching and what Duane means when he says he wishes Jay-Z’s words weren’t so ‘abstract.’

“Ving ain’t lie

I done came through the block in everything that’s fly
I’m like, Che Guevara with bling on, I’m complex
I never claimed to have wings on
Ni**a I get mine - by any means on whenever there’s a drought
Get your umbrellas out because, that’s when I brainstorm
You can blame Shawn, but I ain’t invent the game
I just rolled the dice, tryin to get some change
And I do it twice, ain’t no sense in me
lyin as if, I am a different man
And I could blame my environment but
there ain’t no reason why I be buyin expensive chains
Hope you don’t think users are the only abusers
Ni***z, gettin high within the game
If you do then, how would you explain?
I’m ten years removed, still the vibe is in my veins
I got a hustler spirit, ni**a period
Check out my hat yo, peep the way I wear it
Check out my swag’ yo, I walk like a ballplayer
No matter where you go, you are what you are player
And you can try to change but that’s just the top layer
Man, you was who you was ‘fore you got here
Only God can judge me, so I’m gone
Either love me, or leave me alone”

- Jay-Z; “Public Service Announcement (Interlude)”; The Black Album

So what’s next for rap’s least appreciated teacher?

Here are excerpts of quotes Jay-Z gave to a Canadian newspaper late last year:

“The challenge with rap music is, you know, the place where it’s white hot is with 16- and
15-year-olds. You have a lot of people who are 30-something, 30-plus, still recording music
like they were 15 because that’s where the most urgent buyer is…There’s been this
reluctance to mature in hip hop and when you do that, you leave the audience very narrow.
My whole thing is to expand the audience and the genre of music in any way, because
music is music…If I’m 35 years old and I’m talking like I’m 15 — the kids at 15, they
change slang every week. They know that’s not being authentic. I live in Teaneck, New
Jersey, somewhere, I’m not on the streets…I felt like that was my calling and that was my
direction in life, to show artists in a different light, that we could ascend to executive
positions of record companies….In the beginning, it was at its purest form because
everyone was struggling. All great music and all great art, I believe, comes from pain. As
hip hop started to get successful, and really successful — you had these guys coming from
these neighbourhoods that were now millionaires — it’s tough to draw back to that place
[of creativity]…. Now people are having those types of feelings: ‘You’re sounding lazy,
you’re sounding formulaic, you’re sounding like the same subject matter. So what are you
going to do?’ Now we’re facing that challenge to make great music like every other genre.”
There have been many who have expressed suspicion that Jay-Z’s success is partly due to his
membership in some form of secret society. There is something very legitimate about this
curiosity and fascination over his ability to reach mass popularity and access to very high social
circles, while remaining revered on a street level. A very powerful elite does exist and they
search for brilliant and popular ones among the poor through whom they can control the masses.
And yes, there are secret societies which elite Blacks are part of and which have been
manipulated toward this end.

Yet, there is something very harmful and dangerous about this suspicion as well, if such
discussions do not take into account the nature of business and the fact that the people from
whom Jay-Z comes were systematically denied the education of it.

Could it be that certain people have a hard time accepting Jay-Z’s rise and continued success not
because of anything he or others are doing but because they lack a grasp of the science of
business?

How deeply do those who detract from Jay-Z and attribute his rise primarily to the work of this
powerful elite understand the 5%, 10%, and 85% concept as authored by Master Fard
Muhammad?

So, the homework for next week is: careful study and review of Brand Nubian’s classic,
‘Meaning Of The 5%?’ at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLAmKnCfAnw
Things are about to get real interesting in this classroom…

Next week (Part II): What We Can All Learn From Jay-Z’s Business Model

Cedric Muhammad is a business consultant, political strategist, and monetary economist. He

is a former GM of Wu-Tang Management and currently a Member of the African Union’s
First Congress of African Economist. He’s the Founder of the economic information service
Africa PreBrief (http://africaprebrief.com/) and author of ‘The Entrepreneurial Secret’
(http://theEsecret.com/). Cedric can be contacted via e-mail at: cedric(at)cmcap.com

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2 Responses to “Jay-Z, Rich Righteous Teacher (Part I)”

1. Kevin L. Collins says:

June 16, 2010 at 8:18 PM

Cedric,
I have to build on that powerful piece you authored about Jay-Z, “Rich Righteous
Teacher” , as usual, I attached a link to my facebook page, extremely insightful. I
remember when I first heard Reasonable Doubt I was sold as soon as I heard the first
track, when Mary start singing the hook I knew the album would be a winner, but it
wasn’t until track number 8 “Can I Live” that I became a disciple. When Hov spit,
“Viva, Las Vegas, see ya, later at the crap tables meet me by the one that starts a G up
This way no fraud Willie’s present gambling they re-up And we can have a pleasant time,
sippin margarita sGe-ge-geyeahhh, can I live?Can I live?”
After hearing that line I knew dude was official. I was going into my senior year in
college when this album came out. During this period I wouldn’t consider myself to be a
major hustler, but I knew many major hustlers WELL, and that verse struck me as
something that either I had heard them express, or sentiments I could imagine them
expressing. The way he spoke on that album seemed very authentic, more so than Kool G
Rap, or even Ice T before him. It wasn’t that I doubted the authenticity of other rappers
who had spoke about hustling; he just spoke about some of the more subtle and nuanced
aspects of a hustler’s existence. Being from the Midwest, (E. St. Louis) most of the
homies refused to even give Jay a listen. I often tell this story, I remember me and several
homies were throwing a hotel party in the Presidential suite of a fancy local hotel. It was
a real nice set, lot of ladies, fine libations and other enmities. It just so happened Jay-Z
was performing at a small local venue the same night. Well the show ended early because
only 10 people showed up and Jay refused to perform. Jay and crew ended up back at the
same hotel we were partying in. Some guys we went to high school with were working
for the promoter who brought Jay to town. Since I was a fan I told them to invite Jay and
crew up to kick it. The rest of my crew did not wish to extend the invitation to the little
known Brooklyn MC. To make a long story short Jay did not party with us, but some of
his crew came through and hung out. Jay-Z’s refusal to break bread with the locals only
 fueled the hate among my crew for the unknown East Coast MC. Well that was 1996, two
years later on the Hard Knock Life tour, Homie came thru and sold out the Savis Center.
Most of the cats that were at that party were right there singing every cut LOL. With few
exceptions I have had the same experience with every Jay-Z album that I did with that
first one, a verse or two that makes you go damn, that’s real shit.
Great article, keep up the great work, there’s nobody out there presenting the type of
information and in the manner that you are.

2. idris says:

June 18, 2010 at 10:05 PM

Peace,you make mention of some key points regarding jay’s exclusive status and the
most poignant being the suspicion that postion has recentely raised with regard to secret
societies and such. His career has been storybook to say the least,as if guided by some
unseen power. We as a people find it extremly difficult to fathom his wealth and
longevity to be strictly the result of his talents because the game is fixed. How has he
been able to navigate the changing currents of the waters that he swims in more
successfully than any artist before him or since and not just in rap. I say study his
catalogue, he said it from day one “while you thumb through the source,i read the rye
report”, if he is a member of a secret society they tabbed him prior to “reasonable
doubt”,because his language has always been coded………..

Jay-Z, Rich Righteous Teacher (Part II)

Cedric Muhammad
“Jay-Z can market just about everything but a breakfast cereal because he’s got huge talent and
a savvy business manager, John Meneilly, a former Provident Financial executive.”

- New York Post; May 16, 2010; ‘Jay-Z’s 99 problems’

Please, can we stop being so spooky about Jay-Z, for just a few minutes?

Let me offer an approach to calm the hysteria down.

With all due respect to the conspiracy theorists and groupies on one hand, and the established
Hip-Hop and mainstream media on the other – in 2010, anyone’s analysis or critique of Jay-Z’s
career has little credibility with me if it does not factor in the role that John Meneilly – his
business manager and adviser has played in it. It is actually a supreme compliment to Jay-Z and
John Meneilly and a discredit to the journalism profession that the most talked about celebrity
in the history of the Hip-Hop culture and industry has the least talked about business
manager. Sadly, it is a sign of two things: how ignorant of business the Hip-Hop culture
continues to be and why its media – talk shows, magazines and blogs – have little to offer those
seeking to find a way through a global recession and music industry in transition. Last I checked
as of the date of this writing there was not even a Wikipedia page entry on the man arguably
most responsible, other than Jay-Z, for certain key business moves he has made. Nor, are there
hardly any pictures of him on the Internet.

Is this a conspiracy of silence (being executed by Jay and John) or just one of ignorance (on
all of us in the culture and industry who are fascinated and distracted by the wrong things)?

One of the reasons why I don’t superficially engage the talk of Jay-Z’s success allegedly being a
result of his membership in some secret society (a subject Jay lyrically addresses on a hot new
just recorded track…stay tuned) is because I know that the ignorance of business looms so large
in the chatter that dominates rap music, that it is very difficult to have a rational and calm
discussion over why certain artists are more commercially ‘successful,’ than others.

The mere mention of the name ‘Jay-Z,’ causes people to become irrational and unable to think
logically, it seems (smile).

An example of this is the reaction to the word ‘righteous,’ in the title of this article. Righteous
does not only refer to basic morality, it also has an application in terms of whether
something is in harmony with nature, science and universal order. That so few people
understand business and persuasive communication (which Jay has ‘mastered’ to a degree) to be
age-old sciences and elements of human nature is a clear indication about the larger problem in
how we in Hip-Hop narrowly define ‘consciousness,’ only in terms of book knowledge, morality
and activism. This is an area where ideology (socialism vs. capitalism as the beginning of
economic thought) has blinded us to the fact that trade and commerce pre-date Adam Smith and
Karl Marx. (I’ve never understood how scholars, activists, and ‘conscious’ artists who claim
Africa ignore the thousands of years of its economic history in favor of being parrots of these
two schools of Western economic thought.)
If you understand that and how the people from whom Jay-Z comes were systematically denied
business education (not to mention capital, wages and freedom of association) for nearly 400
years (while Marx and Smith supporters were formulating ‘capitalism’ and ’socialism’) Jay-Z is
a ‘righteous’ teacher - enlightening us to certain sciences in life - in ways people simply don’t
understand because of how we have been mis-educated.

So, until and unless certain aspects of Jay-Z’s business model are examined people will never get
the benefit of what he represents for the good of us all – important lessons (for better or worse).

I am not writing this as an intellectual observer or outsider. I know it from within as a music
industry professional - serving as part of the management of Wu-Tang Clan, and today as a
business consultant.

I am not the greatest expert on the Wu nor have I ever claimed to be. But because I know my
place in that history and don’t step out of it, I can explain some things accurately to others.

There are many things that journalists and die-hard Wu-Tang Clan fans know about the group, its
music, lyrics, and its cultural impact that I do not know.

But when it comes to certain aspects of the business side of things – for a certain period of time
if you don’t talk to RZA, Divine, Power, Mook, myself, and a handful of others that were in a
position to know, as part of the administrative and team infrastructure of the group you simply
cannot understand the music career of the Clan (during a certain period of time).
When it comes to Jay-Z’s success there is simply too much conjecture floating around for us to
learn the valuable lessons that his approach to business can teach us.

A look at his business manager can help end some of the speculation and even mysticism around
Jay-Z and go a long way toward educating the youngest members of the Hip-Hop generation
about business, while improving the stategies and tactics of other artists who continue to hustle
backwards.

I will never forget the day I met John Meneilly a few years ago. I actually had to be told who he
was. After shaking hands with a very non-descript Caucasian who looked a bit disheveled, with a
briefcase and documents he had to maneuver in order to greet me, my business associate (with
whom John Meneilly had just met) told me whom I had just spoken with. In other words there
was nothing flamboyant, loud, eccentric, distracting, or vain about Jay-Z’s business manager,
although these are the characteristics many ascribe to the artist himself. And this man did not
introduce himself to me as ‘Jay-Z’s business manager.’ In other words, he felt no need to impress
or make himself memorable. He was just handling his business.

John Meneilly perfectly fits the low-key profile of what Thomas J. Stanley describes in the book,
The Millionaire Mind.
I recognize this as an important lesson in how Jay-Z does business. It was the first thing I was
taught – when only 22 years old – by my business mentor (whom I write about in Volume II of
my book) who told me that the clients and artists that I would one day manage wanted to know
that I could go places that they couldn’t. In John Meneilly, Jay has that someone ‘who can go
places he can’t.’ That alone separates him from the legions of ‘commercial,’ ‘conscious,’ and
‘independent’ artists who simply do not know how to build a proper team infrastructure.

The artists who are going to survive this transition period are going to be the ones who pick the
right managers and advisers to help guide their careers within and without the music industry
caste system. I describe this a bit in connection to the emergence of the 360 record label deal in a
November 9, 20009 Hip-Hoppreneur ™ Commentary “Chris Lighty Is Not A Sell Out! The
Music Industry Caste System” (http://www.cedricmuhammad.com/chris-lighty-is-not-a-sell-out-
the-music-industry-caste-system-hip-hoppreneur-%E2%84%A2-commentary-november-4-
2009/):

“You see there is a caste system in the industry.

And this reality opens the door for some frank talk about the emergence of the 360 Deal and why
it is poised to put managers out of business, or out of their own misery, depending upon your
perspective.

Now when I say ‘caste system’ I don’t have the country of India in mind, but only a system of
rigid division and separation characterized by a custom of social barriers.

Yes, there are real social barriers in the music industry and the success and failure of artists is
dependent upon their ability and that of their team infrastructure of managers, agents, lawyers,
and publicists to navigate it.
On one end of the caste system we have the unsigned talent; in the middle of this power pyramid
we have the independent artist; and at the top of the social system is the elite artist signed to a
major record label.

Each of the three have their own forms of power and spheres of influence that make them
valuable in the marketplace.

The unsigned talent has freedom, purity, and unlimited upside and potential.

The independent artist has greater creative control and a larger share of the revenue they
generate.

The elite major label artist has social mobility at the higher levels of the industry and access to
corporate machinery and a professional network.

Each of the three also have major vulnerabilities.

The unsigned talent initially has a prescribed minimum market value they must accept in
contracts and deals if they are to enter the industry as a signed artist.

The independent artist rarely has the professional infrastructure and business process necessary
to achieve success beyond a critical ‘underground’ (“I keeps it real”) commercial mass. Some
rationalize their lack of achievement by saying they don’t care about ‘going gold or platinum,’
but privately they lament over the inefficiencies in their business organizations and the barriers
that hinder them. In addition, their ‘independent’ status, ‘hoodonomics and love for progressive
politics or revolutionary rhetoric often limits their social mobility and alienates them from key
music industry power centers and decision-makers in the industry who are afraid of upsetting
special interests.

The elite major record label artist, having been thoroughly mainstreamed, is ‘boxed in’ to
standard contractual deals, a stereotypical marketing image, and conservative or risk-averse
business opportunities. And at times, their penchant for networking toward the top of the
industry power pyramid, although a necessary and sound business practice, when unbridled (i.e.
getting business done is more important than dating a model), opens them up to charges of
excessive materialism.

The strongest position an artist can be in, nowadays, especially in the era of the 360 deal is that
of the emerging independent artist.

This person is not established to the point where their image has hardened but not so new that
they haven’t demonstrated the ability to market and sell their own music, and generate not just
buzz but some level of mainstream visibility (through earned media, social and viral
communities, and either radio play or video rotation on mainstream outlets).
But the emergence of this kind of new independent artist becomes more difficult everyday as the
360 deal threatens to place the vast majority of artists at the bottom of the music industry power
pyramid, cutting them off from key power centers and the ladder of mobility.

The individuals best suited to turn the tide are the managers (aka ‘the 20Percenters’), who
understand the caste system and have more mobility than the artist, in the name of business.
They are best positioned to establish the right relationships that new artists are now being
denied (except they go through a label), and only they have the right mix of know how, skill sets
and networks to construct a new ladder and business infrastructure outside of the industry, if
need be, to counter the majors’ grip on market share.

Many don’t want to admit it but it is so obvious to me – what usually separates the major artist
from the independent and unsigned is their better success in the selection of the right team ‘who
can go places they can’t.’ While I do believe that the artist with the most potential to shine this
decade is not the major artist, but rather the independent one, it will only be the independent
artist who can build the right team around them capable of making things happen outside of the
old music industry infrastructure that will thrive.

A common mistake that I see over and over again with independent and progressive artists is that
as much as they criticize the elite major artists, they remain fascinated by them and adopt their
conservative business practices, and are seduced into hiring their teams.

The independent, progressive and ‘conscious’ artist needs management and a team that can make
‘independent,’ ‘progressive,’ and ‘conscious’ things happen for them, on a business level.

As I often say to conscious artists – why do you rap so much about Africa when you don’t have a
team around you who can make things happen for you in Africa on a business or cultural level?

While the ‘conscious’ artist is good at pointing out the contradictions in the lyrical content of an
artist like Jay-Z, they are not so good in pointing out the contradictions between their own lyrical
content and the manner in which they do business.

In this sense, again, Jay-Z exhibits a form of knowledge of self that they lack.

*****

“I came into this moth——– a hundred grand strong

Nine to be exact, from grindin G-packs
Put this s— in motion ain’t no rewindin me back
Could make 40 off a brick but one rhyme could beat that
And if somebody woulda told ‘em that Hov’ would sell clothin
Heh, not in this lifetime, wasn’t in my right mind
That’s another difference that’s between me and them
Heh, I’m smarten up, open the market up
One million, two million, three million, four
In eighteen months, eighty million more
Now add that number up with the one I said before
You are now lookin at one smart black boy
Momma ain’t raised no fool
Put me anywhere on God’s green earth, I’ll triple my worth…
I WILL NOT LOSE!…”

- Jay-Z; “U Don’t Know”

Something that I think gets lost in the ideological criticism of Jay-Z or the fascination with his
celebrity is that no other rapper is more capable of sparking as much intelligent conversation,
especially about entrepreneurship, economics and business, which I dare say is more essential
right now than the political form of consciousness we’ve received in rap for over 20 years.
Whether you like Jay-Z or not he is at the center of a consciousness-raising discussion in a badly
underserved area: our definitions of ‘success’ and the science of business (which too many
people incorrectly equate to ‘capitalism’: you can listen to my interview with Dr. Jared Ball
where I explain the difference between business, entrepreneurship, trade and commerce on one
hand and ‘capitalism’ on the other at: http://www.voxunion.com/?p=2588)

Here is what an AllHipHop.com reader named Dalitso emailed me regarding Part I:

”Since I was 12 I’ve been a huge fan of Jay I’ve grown on his experience to the point
almost every discussion I have with friends has a recital of a Jay
song. I’m the butt of jokes among friends but to watch someone come
from nothing towards the most influential statesman in a counter
culture is remarkable. I often think of an eastern proverb that says
“don’t follow in the footsteps of the great, seek what they sought” Jay
reminds me of Meyer Lanksy not from the media perspective but from the
lens of a minority marginalized in society and creates something. The
‘American Gangster’ album to me is his most underrated album but the
jewels on human nature, business in the album for cultural
entrepreneurs, social activist, marketing students, to me is crazy from
the intro to the last song among the many favorite lines on No Hooks
is “own boss, own your master, slaves the mentality I carry with me to
this very day, f*** rich let’s gets wealthy who else gonna feed we. If
I need it I’m gonna get it however God help me”. His realization that
as an artist freedom comes from owning his own masters, and breaking
the master slave mentality of being tied down to dying industry
structure coupled with that anybody can get rich but wealth is for the
few who understand that “money should work for you while you sleep”
and not you working for money and that is the difference between a
master and slave mentality.”
I asked Duane Lawton, an Internet Hip-Hop Marketing Consultant who has actually written a
book on Jay-Z’s lyrics (http://www.bookofhov.com/ email: Duane@BookofHov.com) for his
thoughts on Jay-Z’s business model and brand.

Duane Lawton: My favorite Jay-Z saying is “I WILL NOT LOSE!” It’s a simple
declaration that can be very self-empowering especially for
those who have been made to believe that they were born to
fail. I think success in anything, particularly business and
branding starts with what I would call “stubborn confidence”
this is not to be confused with “blind ambition”.

Often times it’s not enough to have faith or confidence. There

are too many things in life that can hinder us from accomplishing
our goals. Sometimes you have to be stubborn with confidence,
almost defiant. And Jay-Z’s trademark, “I WILL NOT LOSE”
epitomizes that approach to ambition.

If you combine 2 of Jay-Z’s most popular trademark sayings, you

have the perfect mantra to live by as you seek personal and professional
growth and development:

If I… “Get my mind right”, “I WILL NOT LOSE!”

It’s amazing to see how Jay-Z has applied the theories and practices of
street hustling all the way to the corporate boardroom and the global
business environment. In some ways Jay-Z can be seen as a life coach
with a specialization in business and professional development. Of course
I’m speaking metaphorically about a MC who is a master at metaphors,
but the point is, Jay-Z has truly given our culture and generation a
blueprint- not just on how to make Hip-Hop music, but more importantly,
on how to conceive, believe, achieve and maintain success in whatever we do.
*****

Having established Jay-Z’s inspirational value and ability to teach business principles, directly
and indirectly there are some very hard questions that I believe Jay will be forced to answer
regarding his relationship to the classes (the 10%), his concern and influence over the masses
(the 85%) and just how free he is to openly associate with other righteous teachers (the 5%).

This all has to be considered in light of his recent statements from last year which seem to
indicate his interest in further evolving the culture and industry in more mature ways:

“The challenge with rap music is, you know, the place where it’s white hot is with 16- and
15-year-olds. You have a lot of people who are 30-something, 30-plus, still recording music
like they were 15 because that’s where the most urgent buyer is…There’s been this
reluctance to mature in hip hop and when you do that, you leave the audience very narrow.
My whole thing is to expand the audience and the genre of music in any way, because
music is music…If I’m 35 years old and I’m talking like I’m 15 — the kids at 15, they
change slang every week. They know that’s not being authentic. I live in Teaneck, New
Jersey, somewhere, I’m not on the streets…I felt like that was my calling and that was my
direction in life, to show artists in a different light, that we could ascend to executive
positions of record companies….In the beginning, it was at its purest form because
everyone was struggling. All great music and all great art, I believe, comes from pain. As
hip hop started to get successful, and really successful — you had these guys coming from
these neighbourhoods that were now millionaires — it’s tough to draw back to that place
[of creativity]…. Now people are having those types of feelings: ‘You’re sounding lazy,
you’re sounding formulaic, you’re sounding like the same subject matter. So what are you
going to do?’ Now we’re facing that challenge to make great music like every other genre.”

Will the ‘great music’ that Jay-Z makes next, be considered ‘radical’ by some in high places?

A hidden hand - coming from outside of the micro music industry and often working through the
multi-national conglomerates that own it – with resources to control who gets the psychic income
of fame (scandal-free media coverage, high level political access, and first crack at non-music
industry business opportunities) has subtly and not so subtly made it clear to elite artists and their
team that doing for self – in a certain sense - is incompatible with upward social mobility, in
their world.

Thus, the fear of loss of status and ‘mainstreaming’ controls many and limits the effectiveness of
those who aren’t afraid.

Jay-Z figures Some How, Some Way, into this important debate.

“I do this for my culture

To let ‘em know what a n***a look like…when a ni***a in a Roadster
Show ‘em how to move in a room full of vultures
Industry shady it need to be taken over
Label owners hate me, I’m raisin’ the status quo up
I’m overchargin’ n***az for what they did to the Cold Crush
Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you ho’ed us
We can talk, but money talks, so talk mo’ bucks”
- Jay-Z; “ IZZO (H.O.V.A.)”

Dame Dash and I discussed this dynamic and dilemma – just how independently elite artists can
be while operating in the ‘system’ at BlackElectorate.com in 2002, at the height of Roc-A-Fella’s
popularity and prior to his public break with Jay-Z (http://www.blackelectorate.com/articles.asp?
ID=744 ):

Cedric Muhammad: The way I have looked at it from an economist’s point of view, it seems
that the pace of the distribution channels, even of the multinational corporations at the center of
your business ventures, is really too slow for you.

Dame Dash: Right.

Cedric Muhammad: It seems to me that everything that you are involved with from your music
relationship with Def Jam and Universal to the movie business - you are like, really bumping up
against Black America’s crisis of not having distribution for its products and services. How do
you feel about all of that?

Dame Dash: Well…I mean, you know it is a constant struggle. A little bit of a fight, because our
culture doesn’t usually get the correct opportunities and when they are presented, somebody
usually f—- it up. Someone is there putting their hands into the cookie jar. Our culture has been
exploited so much that we haven’t been able to capitalize on things. So many other people make
so much money off of us that I don’t think that they are used to someone trying to capitalize on
their own culture, you know what I’m saying? So its full of obstacles. But the s— that bothers
me is that I know that I am a strong individual and I fight for what’s mine, but I know that there
are alot of people in this who are not like that. Not to say that other people aren’t as strong but
they don’t have the kamikaze attitude and as much to fall back on as I do.
That’s why I kind of feel sorry for anybody that can’t take the position that I hold. But I will
punish anybody that I feel is doing anything disrespectful to my company. You are a liability not
just to me but everybody else.

Cedric Muhammad: Do you think, Dame, that there is more unity required to overcome the
distribution issues that you are dealing with in music, movies and alcohol…

Dame Dash: Yeah…

Cedric Muhammad: Who are some of the people that you are looking to link up with and what
are the type of business minds that it would require to get over this hump?

Dame Dash: I feel like it is kind of hard because everybody is trying to get in where they fit in,
you know what I’m saying? And as established as people may seem, they are still on shaky ice.
So they have their own things that they gotta deal with. Like right now, I haven’t gotten the
opportunity to address the distribution issue in the music industry because it would take alot of
energy and effort. I will probably get back to that when I can. It is important that I do. I am
happy that I got to make money my way, but when you get into distribution, it gets a little
gangster, you know what I’m saying?

(laughter between both Dame Dash and Cedric Muhammad)

Dame Dash: You’ve got to be really serious about going for distribution and getting it done.
And it is hard to put someone in that position.

*****

Could Jay-Z support an effort to address the long-discussed ‘distribution’ issue (which now must
include things like ownership of concert venues, and control of transportation and
communication systems)? Or would his business and corporate partners consider it too radical a
step for him?’ And if he came out and took a stand on something like this would politically
conscious and so-called radical artists be able to get over their hang-ups with Jay and support
him? I wonder on all three questions.

How many of us have heard of the ‘secret’ or private discussions of Hammer, James Prince,
Suge Kinght and Luke in the 1990s to establish an independent distribution network in the music
industry?
Hip-Hop historian and opinion leader Davey D (http://daveyd.com/) is the most knowledgeable
person I know on the subject.

Isn’t it so interesting that it was artists/moguls with a ‘gangster’ or ‘commercial’ persona and not
‘conscious’ artists who were having this private, even revolutionary discussion?

Again – there has and continues to be an economic aspect missing from what we have labeled
‘consciousness’ in Hip-Hop.

*****

Look at Dame’s description of his peers, in my conversation with him – “everybody is trying to
get in where they fit in…” and “…as established as people may seem, they are still on shaky
ice…” and the ultimate, “Not to say that other people aren’t as strong but they don’t have the
kamikaze attitude and as much to fall back on…”

Hmmm. Sounds a lot like the mentality and attitude of most folks I know with a job – whether in
government, academia, or corporate America – scared to start a business until they are forced to
by a sudden layoff or termination.

Is Jay-Z somewhere in that description? As powerful as he is can Jay-Z be ‘kept in line’ by a

powerful elite who has the power to ‘scandalize’ him - as well as you and I? All of us have
flaws, imperfections, lifestyle choices, and habits, that if made public, distorted, or incorporated
in a slanderous media campaign would demagnetize our appeal to the masses (the 85%).

As we near the 1-year anniversary of his death, we would do well to watch/study Minister
Farrakhan’s insightful talk on Michael Jackson (“The Crucifixion of Michael Jackson and All
Responsible Black Leadership” http://store.finalcall.com/ProductDetails.asp?
ProductCode=HLF090726DVD)
Could Jay-Z one day be ‘crucified’ like Michael? Or, was Michael Jackson made to serve as an
example for Jay-Z? And do the forces who feared Michael Jackson’s evolution toward greater
and greater consciousness have similar concerns about Jay-Z (and all ‘mainstream’ rap artists)?
Is there a form of consciousness that Jay-Z has that the 10% recognize and fear, which the more
politically conscious artists still lack and can’t appreciate about him, yet?

Much has been made of Jay-Z’s recording of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) against
‘Anti-Semitism’ with Russell Simmons a few years ago. You can watch the YouTube video
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNFXHoaf4Vs.

Personally, I have no problem with Jay-Z’s actual words in the PSA. I agree with them.

However, I would hope that Jay-Z and Russell Simmons would support or be involved in a
similar effort to ask Jewish celebrities to record commercials geared toward those, for example,
in Israel today, who are currently calling President Obama an ‘anti-Semite.’
(http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20000658-503544.html)

If Jay-Z (and Russell Simmons) could publicly call for an end to the ‘anti-Black’ feelings that
some members of the Jewish community do in fact hold, I would consider the cipher complete.

But there is more to consider:

Those who are calling Jay-Z a Zionist ‘pawn’ for making the PSAs, to the best of my knowledge,
have not approached him in the same manner as the organization behind them did - Rabbi Marc
Schneier’s Foundation For Ethnic Understanding did (http://www.ffeu.org/RMS.htm)

Until we give Jay-Z a chance to similarly accept or reject his appearance in a well-developed
PSA campaign against Jewish ‘anti-Blackness,’ I will withhold judgment on who’s a pawn…or a
bishop, or a rook, and for whom.

Can we really blame Jay-Z for our own lack of operational unity, professionalism, and activism?

Again, we have to move beyond rhetoric (‘Jay-Z needs to support this…Jay-Z needs to stand for
that…Jay-Z ain’t doin enough for…’) and speak the language of power, and make it impossible
for Jay-Z (or any other artist) to say ‘no’ to us.

Jay-Z is not ‘anti-Jewish’ or ‘anti-Semitic’ but he didn’t do the PSA only because he agreed with
the message. He did the PSA because it dovetailed with his business model and interests. I’m
sure it didn’t hurt his relationship with members of the Israeli and Jewish community (in and out
of the music industry with whom he may do business) that as was reported in Ynetnews, “The
Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem received a report on the [Jay-Z's PSA against 'anti-Semitism']
initiative from Aryeh Mekel, Israel’s consul-general in New York.”

This is the real world of geopolitics Jay-Z has to operate in, not the one of Hip-Hop gossip where
subliminal shots in his lyrics are considered earth-shattering breaking news to many of us.

When Black and progressive activism approaches Jay-Z in a manner that dovetails with his
business model and interests – and not just loud shouting and whining – he will respond
accordingly, I believe.

He understands the language of power, so let’s learn to speak it, as others have.

I am certain Jay-Z loves his people. But his people also have to understand the world he operates
in.

If we love Jay-Z (which I certainly do) and want him to do better or more – we too – have to step
up our game.

Political activism without an appreciation of business realities is going to increasingly be… well,
D.O.A.

*****

“Yo, y’all n—–s truly ain’t ready for this “Dynasty” thing
Y’all thinkin “Blake Carrington”, I’m thinkin more like “Ming”
I got four nephews, and they all write’n
They all young and wild, plus they all like things
And I’m havin a child, which is more frightning
What cha’ll about to witness is big business kid
Big bosses, cocky, and big Benzsesses
Come through flossin’em shiny rims it is
And losses don’t pop up in their sentences
I think you understand what type of event this is
I don’t think you know how focused young Memphis is
or how Sigel’s so real, when you add on Amil
This is much more than rap, it’s Black Entrepreneurs
Clothing, movie, and films, we come to conquer it all
Roc-A-Wear, eighty mill like, eighteen months
You could bull—- wit rap if you want, mut———s
When it’s all said and done, we gon see what’s what
Holla at Hov, I’ll be in the cut…”

- Jay-Z; “4 Da Fam”

In an interview earlier this year, 50 Cent made an important criticism of Jay Z’s business model
which I think has merit. 50 said, “I think he has good intentions – Jay – but he’s using the
traditional corporate model and I think the only place he really went wrong was saying ‘La
Familia’ – like we [the Roc-A-Fella artists and Jay-Z] are family…I understand that transition
into the corporate space. Like Jimmy (Iovine) (doesn’t) say (to me), ‘we family,’ so I know that I
got to be on my P’s and Q’s with him 24/7, because if you are no longer generating interests
there will be that ‘new thing,’ that works (to replace you). But I say that (‘family’) and because I
say that I make sure that they (the G-Unit artists) eat.”

I literally could write a book on what 50 Cent describes (and in a way my forthcoming book on
the economic integration of Africa deals with this subject) regarding the ‘corporate’ vs. ‘family’
way of doing business, and the painful transition of evolving economic relationships from
personal to impersonal contact. They – family and corporation - are almost never the same, and
when people confuse the two they go wrong. Kinship systems which revolve around familiarity
and a common belief and loyalty are not the same as a nexus of impersonal transactions.

Both systems have a hierarchy with a leader at the top, but kinship systems unlike corporations,
almost always raise their leadership from within their own ranks while corporations pull in
outsiders. The leader of a ‘family’ group is usually looking for his ‘successor’ from among the
younger members of their own circle. While earning money is important, other qualities are a
factor too. While, in a corporation, earning can be everything. Family members expect charity to
take place among one another. In a corporation, charity has no place on financial statements –
not even as ‘petty cash.’ (smile)

A young person who doesn’t understand this and is really operating in a corporate structure
while believing they are part of a family unit is headed for disappointment, even to the point of
feeling they were deceived by the leader of the unit.

This may have been part of the dynamic in Jay’s business model and leadership style at Roc-A-
Fella and where the role of John Meneilly (and not the more ‘family-oriented Dame Dash or
Biggs) is important to understand.

I know a small bit of this dynamic, because in September 2002 I was involved in a dialogue with
Roc-A-Fella’s marketing department about how to better position all of the artists on the label,
aside from Jay-Z. The strategy was sophisticated but revolved around coordinating an ‘outside
the industry,’ strategy with the standard record promotion.

The plan I laid out was the re-positioning Cam’ron and Beanie Sigel, not just as ‘hustlers’ and
‘gangsters,’ but as real power brokers and true ‘bosses’ in the communities from which they
came – Harlem and Philly, respectively. What we discussed was revolutionary and would have
built upon the street credibility of the artists and converted that form of power into others – in the
business sector and political arena. They would have been true shot-callers with their
neighborhoods as home base from which they would make power moves, generate positive
media coverage, and break into new market segments as artists. The plan would have made them
bigger and broadened their appeal beyond their current fan base.

Roc-A-Fella loved the specifics of what I outlined. Cam’ron’s manager wanted to move forward
with the strategy and all that remained was for a meeting to be arranged to finalize details. Then,
we agreed, we would immediately apply the model to Beanie Sigel.

Then, came the surprising news, confirming for me what I had only heard as rumors regarding
how decisions were made at Roc-A- Fella Records.

I was informed that Jay-Z’s brilliant business manager, John Meneilly, who was a key decision-
maker at the label (a fact that many don’t realize) put the initiative on ice because it would
somehow distract or interfere with Jay-Z’s efforts to position himself more positively in
community affairs. I was told by Roc-A-Fella that John Meneilly felt that what I proposed was
essentially the same thing that was already in motion around Jay-Z’s efforts to do things in the
borough of Brooklyn, timed perfectly with the release of Blueprint II.
I was told that all of this would be the subject of an upcoming 60 Minutes feature on Jay-Z. My
Roc-A-Fella contact told me that after Jay-Z had the chance to establish himself in this new light,
the label would look to incorporate my strategic advice.

I was disappointed a bit, not understanding why what was good for Jay-Z wasn’t good for his
labelmates, but I was also excited to know that someone as influential as Jay-Z was moving in
this direction. I started thinking of ways to support his efforts.

The 60 Minutes special came

(http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/18/60II/main529811.shtml), Blueprint II dropped and
Jay-Z did get credit for a few good works. But the effort was heavily top-down (corporate –
driven) nothing at all like what I proposed for Beanie Sigel and Cam’ron which would have had
them building power and positioning themselves from the streets-up.

I’m sure 60 Minutes did not represent all that Jay-Z was trying to do but I got no indication that
Roc-A-Fella pushed back or was disappointed in the feature that really was more of a biography
piece designed to further mainstream Jay-Z or even, maybe make him less threatening.

It was a good look for Jay in that respect, but nothing that could benefit Beanie Sigel or
Cam’ron, I thought.

Being ‘positive’ and ‘giving back’ through donations, foundations, corporate partners and
appearances is nice but not the same as developing an artist’s street, political, and business
leadership profile outside of the industry, in ways that connect them to everyday people and help
them sell more records.

What Cam and Sigel needed was more power positioning not just good cause marketing.

*****

I ended Part I with this, “Could it be that certain people have a hard time accepting Jay-Z’s rise
and continued success not because of anything he or others are doing but because they lack a
grasp of the science of business?”
What I meant by that, is, the fascination with or focus on ‘secret societies’ among the poor can
either be a hindrance to their progress or it can be an educational experience that motivates them
toward success. The history of business is marked by private, interactions and relationships. You
don’t get business done shouting at one another in the public (like a rap beef). You get business
done by going in a room and closing the door and having serious discussion.

Either you or someone on your team has to be skilled at this kind of activity. I think this is
something that is lost in rap culture where being flashy, attention-grabbing, and seen the most is
valued too often.

In a sense, all business activity is based upon how one conducts themselves in private or cultural
settings.

I wrote about this a few months ago for The Final Call newspaper in an article entitled,
“Etiquette and Networking: The Secret Society of Business”
(http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/Business_amp_Money_12/article_6647.shtml).

I hope you will read it and not only consider Jay-Z in a new light, but more importantly,
yourself…

Cedric Muhammad is a business consultant, political strategist, and monetary economist.

He is a former GM of Wu-Tang Management and currently a Member of the African
Union’s First Congress of African Economist. He’s the Founder of the economic
information service Africa PreBrief (http://africaprebrief.com/) and author of ‘The
Entrepreneurial Secret’ (http://theEsecret.com/). Cedric can be contacted via e-mail at:
cedric(at)cmcap.com

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4 Responses to “Jay-Z, Rich Righteous Teacher (Part II)”

1. whateverCED says:

June 21, 2010 at 4:17 PM

Undoubtedly, one can learn a lot from Jay Z…to deny this—is to be delusional.
However, the frame that one puts around an argument matters just as much as the
content. I think a lot of the blow-back that this article is receiving (from AHH) has to do
with one word “Righteous” and its implications. I don’t even think Jay considers himself
“Righteous” besides his lyrical braggadocio and enjoying some celebrity psychic income
he is somewhat humble. The people that are rejecting the application of “Righteous” have
a valid argument. One that goes far beyond the position of the idealist and ideologue,
Mr.‘MUHAMMAD.’
2. Cedric says:

June 22, 2010 at 1:26 PM

whateverCED…THANK YOU for your comment and important point which made me
realize I had forgot to address the meaning of the term ‘righteous’ as I had originally
intended. As for the feedback at AHH (the world’s most dangerous site) I honestly think
that people aren’t reacting to my column as much as they are re-stating their already
formulated and hardened positions toward Jay-Z (pro and con). Perhaps overtime that
will change. Thanks for your thoughtful feedback and ‘reminder’. Peace - Ced

3. ahmad says:

June 24, 2010 at 3:58 AM

Wow, what a piece of journalizm excellence. It forces most to deal with the facts of jays
success growth and development. I wonder aloud where was jay during the million man
march, what’s his position about a recocilitation dame and biggs? And one last question
how does the business of Beyone Knowles Carter effect his decisions. Peace and Paradise
Cedric and keep up the insightful work!

4. Jomo Basoga says:

July 12, 2010 at 4:21 PM

Conspiracy theories–what conspiracy theories? You mean the ones that are quite true and
provable about Gay Z, need I say more?
Not hating on him but isn’t it ironic that he’s been on top for nearly fifteen years.
Is this to say that he’s gotten there based solely on his “skill” and “great” business
acumen?

C’mon Ced you can do better than this. Though I must say barring what I think of the
man who refers to himself as “Hova,” you’ve written an intriguing and thoughtful piece.
But I just can’t go with you there on this one.