black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

My first album didn’t come out until I was 26.

Jay-Z

Racism is taught in the home. We agree on that? Well, it’s very hard to teach racism to a teenager who’s listening to rap music and who idolizes, say, Snoop Dogg. It’s hard to say, ‘That guy is less than you.’ The kid is like, ‘I like that guy, he’s cool. How is he less than me?
JAY-Z

Agree Hard Home Idolize Listen Music Racism Rap Taught Teach Teenage
People wanted to make products based on our child’s name, and you don’t want anybody trying to benefit off your baby’s name.
JAY-Z

Anybody Baby Benefit Child Make Name People Want Product Try Want
No one came to our neighborhoods with stand-up jobs and showed us there’s a different way. Maybe, had I seen different role models, maybe I’d’ve turned on to that.
JAY-Z

Came Different Job Neighbourhood Our Show Stand Way
My first album was mainly dealing with street issues, and it was ‘coded’: it was called ‘Reasonable Doubt.’ So the things I was talking about…
JAY-Z

Album Call Code Deal Doubt First Issue Mainly Reasonable Stress Talk
Hip-hop has done more for race relations than most cultural icons; and I say save Martin Luther King, because his ‘I Have A Dream’ speech was realized when Obama was elected into office.
JAY-Z

Culture Done Dream Hip Hop Icon More Most President Relation Say Speech
I am against discrimination of any kind, but if I make snap judgments, no matter who it’s towards, aren’t I committing the same sin as someone who profiles?
JAY-Z

Against Community Discrimination Judgement Kind Make Matter Same Sin Snap Someone Toward
I’ve talked to Bill Clinton – he’s the ultimate rock star; no one’s more charming than him. People clap in a restaurant when he finishes dinner! I don’t get that treatment. I get it when I walk onstage, but not when I have dinner.
JAY-Z

Charming Fun More Person President Rock Star Talk Ultimate
I grew up in Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, and my mom and pop had an extensive record collection, so Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder and all of those sounds and souls of Motown filled the house.
JAY-Z

Celebrity Collection Country Extensive Grew Mom People Person Pop Project Record
I was a really good student. In the sixth grade, I was reading at a twelfth grade reading level. But I got bored.
JAY-Z

Bore Good Grade Raed Really Six Student Twentieth
The day Obama got into office, rap was less important because Obama gave kids an alternative. But will rap ever go away? No. There will always be a need for poets.
JAY-Z

Alternative Away Country Every Go Important Kid Office President
Your job is to inspire people from your neighborhood to get out.
JAY-Z

Inspire Job Neighbourhoodm Out People
When Basquiat was hanging out with Madonna and Fab Five Freddy, and all those worlds were colliding, people have to realize hip-hop and the arts were like this ’cause we both were outcasts.
JAY-Z

Basquait Celebrity Collide Country Hand Out People Person Those Word
For me, being with Obama or having dinner with Bill Clinton… it’s crazy. It’s mind-blowing, because where I come from is just another world. We were just ignored by politicians – by America in general.
JAY-Z

Another Being Blow Come Just Mind Person Dinner President Vraxy World
You make your first album, you make some money, and you feel like you still have to show face, like ‘I still go to the projects.’ I’m like, why? Your job is to inspire people from your neighborhood to get out. You grew up there. What makes you think it’s so cool?
JAY-Z

Album Face Feel First Go Make Money Parent Show Some Still
Poor people don’t like talking about poverty because even though they might live in the projects surrounded by other poor people and have, like, ten dollars in the bank they don’t like to think of themselves as poor.
JAY-Z

might People Poor Project Surround Talk Themselves Think
What people have to understand is ‘Billboard’ is a magazine. They’re like elected officials – they work for us.
JAY-Z

Billboard Elected Magazine Official People Understand Work

My first album didn’t come out until I was 26.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

My first album didn’t come out until I was 26.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Jay-Z Quotes