Thu 27 Oct 2011
Jay-Z Speaks on the Impact of ‘Watch The Throne’ with Steve Stoute
Posted by Mikey Fresh under Uncategorized , videos[12] Comments
In support of his book The Tanning of America, Steve Stoute gave the Huffington post an exclusive clip from his interview with Jay-Z.
Check out part one of the exclusive interview above, featuring Jay-Z discussing the meaning of his joint album with Kanye West, Watch the Throne, which debuted at number one in 23 countries; on his epiphany that his music has a substantial impact on mainstream America; and on being an unpaid spokesman for Cristal champagne.
Jay also talks about the significance of the Hard Knock Life Tour. I would have stabbed somebody with a rusty screw driver back in the day for a ticket to go that tour. *sigh*
Excerpt from Stoute’s chapter: “Hard Knock Life” after the jump…
Excerpt from Chapter Two: “Hard Knock Life”
Yes, it’s true that in the past the idea of pushing brands would have been seen as inauthentic, or something you did after your career peaked, or as some kind of selling out. But no longer. Why not? Why wasn’t it selling out for rappers to embrace and promote Versace when it would have been seen that way for rock ‘n’ roll and R&B icons or pop superstars? Well, one reason, as we saw with “My Adidas,” was that it’s not a sellout when it’s authentic to your taste and style anyway and you’re already doing product placement for free. It was part of the art and far from selling out; Andy Warhol proved that when he painted iconic pop art portraits of products like Campbell’s soup cans, paying homage to one of the most classic, enduring American brands ever.
When I asked Jay-Z for his insights, he pointed out that many of the rock musicians had come from sustainable backgrounds, seeking acclaim for their talent and a level of cool that playing music gave them. For rappers coming out of the projects, getting paid and bettering yourself is part of gaining credibility. Jay reminded me also that it’s not selling out when a kid in the projects sees a guy rapping about Sprite or the Gap because they know he’ll be getting the money and that feeds his or her own aspiration. It’s not that being acknowledged for talent and great work isn’t desirable, but getting paid trumps those goals. I agree. I don’t think many hip-hop fans ever subscribed to the concept of selling out, not when you come from nothing and a deal can become part of your rags-to-riches success story.
(via Huffington Post)
Related: Steve Stoute on Searching for Nas in QB Projects, Jay-Z, and his New Book
Unreleased Excerpts from Jay-Z’s ‘Decoded’ Book
October 27th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I expect a thorough banko dissertation on this video… lol
I don’t think this work of body was that impactful..it picked off right where kingdome come left off with kanye production and samples over it(luxury rap with 80′s samples and drum patterns). To me watch the throne was kanye inspired and motivated with his rendition to what kingdome come should have sounded like. If anything almost felt like it was a reverse of the times; Economic Recession<luxury rap; missed the throne quota by 4 yrs id say i.e (t.I's paper trail album). Never the less its still fruitful to hear jay's take on this body of work
Reasonable doubt=impactful
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The Method Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Dude I thoroughly understand where you are coming from. But we as Listeners of WTT, need to understand the relationship between Jay and Kanye. Jay is a straight up lyricist a rapper in its truest from. Kanye is a producer first then a rapper. Of course the album is going to sound like a kanye produced album. It is not different than when Jay use to have Mostly Just Blaze or Swizzy shit on his album. It only makes sense that tracks on WTT sound like Kanye’s shit. I don’t know, but I think Jay-Z brought that aggressiveness to the album. I counted 6 different flowing techniques by Jay-Z. There are alot of things that Jay brought to the Table.
On the other hand there are a few songs on watch the Throne that perhaps Kanye would had not done if it weren’t for Jay-z.
Jay-Z impact on the industry is undeniable… Perhaps not beyond a reasonable doubt, but maybe on the preponderance of the evidence.
Jay-Z say ribs were stupid, people back of that shit. (even wayne on MTV cribs spoke on it)
Jay say Jersey where wack, people stop rocking them.
Jay-z said Autotune was wack, nigga where running for the hills the next day. (Tpain might still be there)
Jay said niggas clothing was getting to colorful. Niggas are doing the all back or all white shit now.
Jay-Z started wearing Shirts, niggas where rocking that shit heavy.
The list goes on an on. He might not be impactful on a 2pac level. But fuck Pac, that nigga got shot. he don’t count.
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Malik Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
He’s talking about just the WTT album. Not his entire career.
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Angry Gillmore Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
I can Agree with him setting trends within the hip hop culture and so-forth; but trends come and go; making a impact as an artist on the culture with an album is different ball park; which is what stout asked. A classic album sets the prefisist for making a huge impact; WTT was a decent album not a “classic” album that changes music forever. if you look at his catalog “watch the throne” was a far cry from “impactful”.
Impact to me means a collision of energy in regards to music; means affecting people’s lives within the time and place by pushing musical boundaries. Jay himself says music marks a time in place. I just think WTT missed its stride in order to have that impact on the people. Luxury rap during a recession is impactful? .
Reasonable doubt=impactful
blue print= impactful
American Gangster= impactful
watch the throne= slight collision: miss timed(wrong place and time)
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Jerico Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
SMH
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gee ess Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
“The list goes on an on. He might not be impactful on a 2pac level. But fuck Pac, that nigga got shot. he don’t count.”….up until that i was with you bro…c’mon now…you sound way too intelligent to say things like that…
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October 27th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Steve Stoute is an yawn-inspiring interviewer. Also, the title of his show is about as cumbersome as you can get, “The Tanning Effect”. ???
Didn’t Puffy beat this guy up with a bottle of Krystal in his own office?
That being said, it was interesting to see what sneakers their stylists choose for them to wear.
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Truf.com Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 1:56 am
lol! every time Steve Stoute gets mentioned, it’s: “wasn’t he stomped out by Puffy’s people?”
Here’s a letter from a well known music critic (who aint even remotely hip hop) talking about Steve Stoute:
http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2011/02/22/steve-stoutes-letter/
Stoute is a media self-promoting whore. Nothing interesting to see here. unless he’s getting beat over the head with Ciroc. Now that’s promo right there!
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steelo brown Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 6:36 am
I didn’t think much about Stoute until I read this feature, http://www.complex.com/music/2011/10/interview-steve-stoute-jay-z-nas-the-tanning-of-america
He comes across cheesy but sure knows his business. I might even pick up his book…
As far as Cristal goes, I think the quote was misinterpreted but shows how damaging an off the cuff comment can be.
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October 28th, 2011 at 1:28 am
i feel like if you dont think Jay went hard on WTT you’re not diggin dip into his lyrics he breaks down shit on scales that only some can understand, Jay & Kanye put together what i believe is the best collaboration album between two #1 A- List rappers ever
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October 28th, 2011 at 7:19 am
To me, impactful means this, in regards to music, and impactful album is one that you will always asociate with that time frame in your life.
For example I remember when I first heard Get Rich or Die Tryin back in 03, and whenever I hear it I am reminded of my life back then.. The same with Kanye’s College Drop out etc…
I doubt WTT will bring back such memories, but that could be becuase of the current economical climate…
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October 28th, 2011 at 11:56 am
Yeah WTT was dope to listen too, but definitely not impactful, in the classic since of the album, when I heard it i thought ” this is dope”, but its nothing that i internalized like when I heard, The College Dropout, or the Blue Print. In this economic climate, they are celebrating black excellence, when black unemployment is over 20%, if now if the recession never happened and then barack had won, this album would have been a classic!
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