9th Wonder Defends Jay-Z’s GOAT Status

9th Wonder delivered a sermon of sorts about the one-of-a-kind talent that is Jay-Z, stressing Hov’s incredible memory and skill with the pen and reminding us all that he wrote the first seven songs off The Blueprint in one weekend. Regardless of how you may feel about some or even most of his work, it’s hard for any true rap fan to deny Jay’s capability as an artist or his impact on hip hop. However, despite Jay’s 25 years in the game, over which he’s pumped out 14 studio albums,  there are still some people out there who speak ill on his name. Legendary producer 9th Wonder, wasn’t having any of that, so on Friday, he took to Facebook to go on a rant of sorts about how deserving Jay is of the GOAT title.

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“We can all like what we like…we can have opinions, we can have our favorites,” he wrote. “And I swear to God I hate to do this…But let me speak from a professional, almost 20 years in this game….perspective, from a sitting in the studio, constructing songs, guiding artists, perspective. Listen to me…Nas is a GREAT…..without Question, great rapper, emcee (There is never really been a difference of the two, that’s some media/internet BS and y’all ran with it……). NaS is GREAT…arguably TOP five….not many can do what he does….and won’t be able to do it….Illmatic along with DoggyStyle is arguably the greatest debut solo effort….EVER….EVER I said…..”

“But SHAWN CARTER, also known as JAY-Z fam?” he continued. “Listen to me. He recorded the first 7 songs from Blueprint in a WEEKEND. A WEEKEND. With NO. PAPER.” He clarifies which tracks that refers to, listing off, “The Rulers Back.” “Take Over,” “IZZO,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Jigga That N*gga,” “U Don’t Know,” and “Hola Hovito.”

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“You go to Carowinds with the fam and go to the Great Wolf Lodge and come back on Sunday…..and he got these songs…..What?!?!??” he exclaimed. “Do you understand what NO. PAPER means? Do you understand that I watched this man stand against a wall and move his mouth for 15 minutes and constructed a verse? Record it, come out and do it two MORE times? Imagine doing that your WHOLE career. 14 albums…all the guest verses….with. NO. PAPER. NO. PAPER. NO books. NO a phone. NO NOTHING. NO PAPAYA, POR FAVOR. Damn a Biggie QUOTE…that’s 30 lines spread amongst 14 studio albums?? 14??? About 200 songs??? What???? Do you know how HARD that is? Some of us can’t even remember phone numbers…Reasonable Doubt with NO. PAPER. And NO PEN FAMILY. He recorded the Black Album in a MONTH. A. MONTH. To record at that high level in a MONTH???”

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“To say he has NO lyrical content. I’m convinced that most people hasn’t even listened to Jay past the radio singles,” he said. “All 14 albums? All of them? Little to NO lyrical content?!?? To say that all Jay talks about is Money, Cars, and Women, CLEARLY shows a level of listening….or….not listening……Nope nope nope. Opinions are GREAT and also heard…But BRUH.” 9th concludes by insisting that any producer with an opinion worth hearing would agree with his stance. “Any. Producer. ON. THE. PLANET WILL TELL YOU,” he said. “From me, to Hit-Boy, to Mike Will, to PREMIER, to PHARRELL….to ANYONE..anyone that does this for a living, with plaques on their wall, the trained assassins of this will TELL YOU. Jay-Z is an ALIEN. He checks ALL the boxes. He can make all the shots. He can make all the throws, and all the catches. At a VERY. HIGH. CLIP. Debate your cable provider.”

Do you agree with 9th Wonder?