1 00:00:00,655 --> 00:00:03,313 [gentle music] 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 4 00:00:15,429 --> 00:00:18,052 [gentle music] 5 00:00:19,191 --> 00:00:21,814 - No, no, don't sweat this. Mic too close. 6 00:00:21,814 --> 00:00:26,854 - One, two, one, two. This is how we do it from Brooklyn. 7 00:00:27,682 --> 00:00:28,925 [Old Dirty Bastard beatboxing] 8 00:00:28,925 --> 00:00:29,512 - Oh yeah. That sound kinda funky. 9 00:00:29,512 --> 00:00:30,409 - Ow. 10 00:00:32,791 --> 00:00:36,726 - Now break it down. And then I start. 11 00:00:36,726 --> 00:00:38,486 - [Narrator] When you hear the name Jay-Z, 12 00:00:38,486 --> 00:00:41,248 you can't help but think of greatness. 13 00:00:41,248 --> 00:00:42,559 From humble beginnings, 14 00:00:42,559 --> 00:00:44,078 growing up in the Brooklyn Projects, 15 00:00:44,078 --> 00:00:46,701 to becoming the world's first hiphop billionaire, 16 00:00:46,701 --> 00:00:48,910 Jay-Z never let his past or surroundings 17 00:00:48,910 --> 00:00:51,879 deter him from reaching his ultimate goal. 18 00:00:51,879 --> 00:00:55,193 Motivated to give himself the life he always wanted, 19 00:00:55,193 --> 00:00:57,091 he turned his pain into passion 20 00:00:57,091 --> 00:00:59,266 and used the suffering he experienced growing up 21 00:00:59,266 --> 00:01:03,684 to influence the words and lyrics in his music. 22 00:01:03,684 --> 00:01:06,549 And when these lyrics struck a chord with the public, 23 00:01:06,549 --> 00:01:11,347 the rollercoaster ride of his life and never slowed down. 24 00:01:16,593 --> 00:01:18,112 For over 30 years, 25 00:01:18,112 --> 00:01:21,219 Jay-Z has become synonymous with the world of hip hop, 26 00:01:21,219 --> 00:01:25,188 and the genre wouldn't be the same without him. 27 00:01:26,776 --> 00:01:28,847 He changed the game and inspired millions 28 00:01:28,847 --> 00:01:32,195 to follow in his footsteps to greatness. 29 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,718 The road to success wasn't easy, 30 00:01:37,718 --> 00:01:40,307 but even with a few bumps along the way, 31 00:01:40,307 --> 00:01:43,448 the boy from Brooklyn came out on top. 32 00:01:57,082 --> 00:02:00,258 [mellow hip hop music] 33 00:02:01,949 --> 00:02:05,194 - [Narrator] New York City, the city that never sleeps. 34 00:02:05,194 --> 00:02:07,403 The Big Apple, the concrete jungle, 35 00:02:07,403 --> 00:02:09,025 where dreams are made up. 36 00:02:09,025 --> 00:02:10,578 Whatever you know it as, 37 00:02:10,578 --> 00:02:12,960 it's one of the world's most important cities. 38 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,790 And as the birthplace of hip hop in America, 39 00:02:15,790 --> 00:02:18,138 it's sacred ground for many. 40 00:02:38,123 --> 00:02:40,090 - [Narrator] From the block parties of the South Bronx 41 00:02:40,090 --> 00:02:42,748 to the stages of Madison Square Garden, 42 00:02:42,748 --> 00:02:45,786 hip hop has always been a reflection of the energy and grit 43 00:02:45,786 --> 00:02:48,444 associated with living in New York. 44 00:02:48,444 --> 00:02:50,515 Emerging in the 1970s, 45 00:02:50,515 --> 00:02:54,208 hip hop was a byproduct of the economic and societal issues 46 00:02:54,208 --> 00:02:57,867 that many experienced growing up in America. 47 00:02:59,040 --> 00:02:59,972 - Well, I'm one. 48 00:02:59,972 --> 00:03:00,732 - I'm two. 49 00:03:00,732 --> 00:03:01,940 - Are you ready to go? 50 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:04,598 'Cause the human beatbox gonna take the show. 51 00:03:04,598 --> 00:03:06,565 [man beatboxing] 52 00:03:06,565 --> 00:03:08,567 - Yes, y'all, you don't stop. 53 00:03:08,567 --> 00:03:11,018 Yes, yes, I'm the person they call [indistinct] G 54 00:03:11,018 --> 00:03:13,296 guaranteed to rock the mic for you young ladies. 55 00:03:13,296 --> 00:03:15,712 I said we go like this, and we go like that. 56 00:03:15,712 --> 00:03:18,957 Homeboys and girls, we can never beat it back, go huh. 57 00:03:18,957 --> 00:03:21,097 - [Narrator] At street parties and community gatherings, 58 00:03:21,097 --> 00:03:24,445 rapping was the creative outlet for the disenfranchised, 59 00:03:24,445 --> 00:03:27,759 particularly young, Black, Latin, and Caribbean Americans 60 00:03:27,759 --> 00:03:32,281 who wanted to tell their own stories in their own way. 61 00:03:33,834 --> 00:03:35,836 By the end of the 1970s, 62 00:03:35,836 --> 00:03:38,287 the release of Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight, 63 00:03:38,287 --> 00:03:41,324 which reached the top 40 in the US Billboard charts, 64 00:03:41,324 --> 00:03:44,016 propelled hip hop out of the local communities 65 00:03:44,016 --> 00:03:46,156 and entered the spotlight. 66 00:03:46,156 --> 00:03:48,814 ["Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight"] 67 00:03:48,814 --> 00:03:50,022 ♪ Hip hop hippy 68 00:03:50,022 --> 00:03:51,231 ♪ Hippy to the hip hip hop 69 00:03:51,231 --> 00:03:52,818 ♪ And you don't stop 70 00:03:52,818 --> 00:03:55,407 ♪ Rock it out baby bubba, to the boogity bang bang ♪ 71 00:03:55,407 --> 00:03:57,375 ♪ The boogie, to the boogie the beat ♪ 72 00:03:57,375 --> 00:03:59,998 - [Will] Everybody say, yeah. Here we go. 73 00:03:59,998 --> 00:04:00,826 Here we go. 74 00:04:04,416 --> 00:04:07,350 - [Narrator] As the genre moved from block parties to clubs, 75 00:04:07,350 --> 00:04:10,974 a whole new audience began to experience and enjoy the music 76 00:04:10,974 --> 00:04:15,185 that was once purely associated with the disenfranchised. 77 00:04:15,185 --> 00:04:17,257 - [Will] Hold on. I like to introduce my dancers- 78 00:04:17,257 --> 00:04:19,535 - [Narrator] And by the end of the 1980s, 79 00:04:19,535 --> 00:04:21,709 the once niche world of hip hop 80 00:04:21,709 --> 00:04:23,884 was part of the mainstream culture. 81 00:04:23,884 --> 00:04:26,956 - Is the undisputed greatest DJ alive. DJ Jazzy Jeff. 82 00:04:26,956 --> 00:04:28,233 I wanna let my dancers 83 00:04:28,233 --> 00:04:30,028 do a little something individually first. 84 00:04:30,028 --> 00:04:32,617 Oh, just do little something. 85 00:04:32,617 --> 00:04:35,240 [hip hop beat] 86 00:04:39,071 --> 00:04:42,040 [muffled chanting] 87 00:04:43,455 --> 00:04:46,493 - [Narrator] Many see the period from 1986 to 1993 88 00:04:46,493 --> 00:04:49,289 as the golden age of hip hop in America. 89 00:04:49,289 --> 00:04:52,430 The emergence of artists like Tupac Shakur, 90 00:04:52,430 --> 00:04:55,087 the Notorious B.I.G. and Nas 91 00:04:55,087 --> 00:04:57,227 were just a handful of popular artists 92 00:04:57,227 --> 00:04:59,540 emerging during this time. 93 00:04:59,540 --> 00:05:02,854 Characterized by its diversity, quality, and innovation, 94 00:05:02,854 --> 00:05:04,752 it was a time when every new record 95 00:05:04,752 --> 00:05:07,686 and every emerging artist seemed to reinvent the genre 96 00:05:07,686 --> 00:05:10,413 through the ever-growing technique of sampling. 97 00:05:10,413 --> 00:05:11,587 - We gonna get funky with it in the place 98 00:05:11,587 --> 00:05:13,313 to be a little something like this. 99 00:05:13,313 --> 00:05:14,693 Hey Jeff, are you ready? 100 00:05:14,693 --> 00:05:16,385 You ready? Now you gotta test it up, man. 101 00:05:16,385 --> 00:05:18,283 'Cause we gotta get ready to rip it. You ready? 102 00:05:18,283 --> 00:05:19,284 You got it? 103 00:05:20,492 --> 00:05:21,769 Test it up? 104 00:05:21,769 --> 00:05:22,839 One. 105 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:24,393 Two. 106 00:05:24,393 --> 00:05:28,535 One, two, DJ Jazzy Jeff and yours truly, the Fresh Prince. 107 00:05:28,535 --> 00:05:30,675 I'm making an attention to all the events. 108 00:05:30,675 --> 00:05:33,574 - [Narrator] It allowed hip hop music to defy generations, 109 00:05:33,574 --> 00:05:37,129 as songs from the past became beats of the present. 110 00:05:37,129 --> 00:05:38,372 - [Will] And different styles music, 111 00:05:38,372 --> 00:05:39,891 never will another group go be able to do this. 112 00:05:39,891 --> 00:05:42,687 By doing this, the present with the past, 113 00:05:42,687 --> 00:05:45,379 I hip hop with the [indistinct]. 114 00:05:45,379 --> 00:05:47,105 Let me get everybody waving their hands back and forth, 115 00:05:47,105 --> 00:05:48,658 a little something like this. 116 00:05:48,658 --> 00:05:50,626 Let me hear you say yeah. 117 00:05:50,626 --> 00:05:52,144 - [Audience] Yeah. 118 00:05:52,144 --> 00:05:53,249 - [Narrator] For anyone growing up in the Projects 119 00:05:53,249 --> 00:05:55,769 during the 1980s and 1990s, 120 00:05:55,769 --> 00:05:59,013 the influence of hip hop cannot be understated. 121 00:05:59,013 --> 00:06:02,189 It gave the people who had no voice a real voice, 122 00:06:02,189 --> 00:06:05,295 and over the course of the 1980s and 1990s, 123 00:06:05,295 --> 00:06:09,817 these voices were beginning to be heard more and more. 124 00:06:11,232 --> 00:06:14,201 For Sean Corey Carter, the boy who would become Jay-Z, 125 00:06:14,201 --> 00:06:16,790 being exposed to the early eras of hip hop 126 00:06:16,790 --> 00:06:21,760 became an education that would change his life forever. 127 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,176 Born in Brooklyn In 1969, 128 00:06:24,176 --> 00:06:26,627 Carter was raised in the Marcy Projects, 129 00:06:26,627 --> 00:06:29,699 alongside his three siblings, by a single mother 130 00:06:29,699 --> 00:06:34,635 after his father Adnis Reeves, abandoned his family. 131 00:06:34,635 --> 00:06:37,983 Carter has referred to the 27 six story buildings 132 00:06:37,983 --> 00:06:40,400 that make up the Projects as, 133 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,610 "Huge islands built mostly in the middle of nowhere, 134 00:06:43,610 --> 00:06:45,508 designed to warehouse lives 135 00:06:45,508 --> 00:06:47,924 that keep the struggles of the urban poor 136 00:06:47,924 --> 00:06:50,271 invisible to the larger country." 137 00:06:50,271 --> 00:06:52,826 Carter remembers having to dodge glass shards 138 00:06:52,826 --> 00:06:54,724 that lined the grassy patches 139 00:06:54,724 --> 00:06:57,658 that passed for a park while playing touch football, 140 00:06:57,658 --> 00:07:02,007 and unresponsive heroin addicts collapsed on benches. 141 00:07:04,182 --> 00:07:06,633 Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, 142 00:07:06,633 --> 00:07:09,187 the Marcy Projects and the surrounding neighborhood 143 00:07:09,187 --> 00:07:11,431 would also become synonymous with hip hop 144 00:07:11,431 --> 00:07:14,054 as the home of several talented musicians, 145 00:07:14,054 --> 00:07:17,022 including Lil Kim, Mos Def, Aaliyah, 146 00:07:17,022 --> 00:07:19,059 and the Notorious B.I.G. 147 00:07:21,958 --> 00:07:26,135 Unfortunately, hip hop was not the only product of the 1980s 148 00:07:26,135 --> 00:07:28,793 altering the surroundings of the Marcy houses 149 00:07:28,793 --> 00:07:31,036 and the neighboring area. 150 00:07:31,036 --> 00:07:34,212 When the crack epidemic hit the Projects he lived in, 151 00:07:34,212 --> 00:07:38,112 Carter remembers what had been was gone, and in its place, 152 00:07:38,112 --> 00:07:39,666 was a new way of life, 153 00:07:39,666 --> 00:07:41,426 that was suddenly everywhere 154 00:07:41,426 --> 00:07:44,947 and seemed like it had been there forever. 155 00:07:44,947 --> 00:07:47,570 [somber music] 156 00:07:54,612 --> 00:07:56,165 Determined to make something of his life 157 00:07:56,165 --> 00:07:58,823 and escape the drugs, violence and poverty 158 00:07:58,823 --> 00:08:01,860 that surrounded him growing up, Carter turned to music, 159 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:03,517 something he had been passionate about 160 00:08:03,517 --> 00:08:05,968 throughout his teenage years. 161 00:08:09,005 --> 00:08:12,595 Influenced by his peers and the local hip hop scene, 162 00:08:12,595 --> 00:08:15,633 Carter would write raps in poems in his notebook, 163 00:08:15,633 --> 00:08:17,566 a form of therapy to tell his story 164 00:08:17,566 --> 00:08:20,292 and help him understand himself. 165 00:08:22,502 --> 00:08:25,643 He remembers how for days he filled page after page 166 00:08:25,643 --> 00:08:27,023 of a notebook. 167 00:08:27,023 --> 00:08:29,578 Then he would bang out a beat on the table, 168 00:08:29,578 --> 00:08:33,513 his bedroom window, whatever had a flat surface. 169 00:08:33,513 --> 00:08:35,687 He would practice from the time he woke up 170 00:08:35,687 --> 00:08:39,070 until the time he went to sleep. 171 00:08:39,070 --> 00:08:40,520 As the '80s progressed, 172 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,592 Carter became even more involved in the hip hop scene 173 00:08:43,592 --> 00:08:46,595 that was rapidly transforming youth culture. 174 00:08:46,595 --> 00:08:49,045 Subwoofers and speakers seven feet tall 175 00:08:49,045 --> 00:08:53,187 filled the landscape of the courtyards at the Marcy houses, 176 00:08:53,187 --> 00:08:57,537 the epic battles shaking the Projects to their core. 177 00:09:00,712 --> 00:09:02,990 - [Speaker] Ready? Go on. 178 00:09:02,990 --> 00:09:06,580 - All right. Hova December 26, back at y'all. 179 00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:09,894 Peace and love. [indistinct]. 180 00:09:09,894 --> 00:09:13,622 What's happening in here? Gotta [indistinct]. 181 00:09:13,622 --> 00:09:15,624 - [Narrator] Another resident of Marcy Houses 182 00:09:15,624 --> 00:09:18,247 was Jonathan Burkes, Jazz-O. 183 00:09:18,247 --> 00:09:20,974 In Carter's early days, he acted as his mentor 184 00:09:20,974 --> 00:09:24,425 and pushed him to explore his musical talents. 185 00:09:24,425 --> 00:09:27,256 Jay-Z's name actually comes from his mentor, 186 00:09:27,256 --> 00:09:30,362 the similar structure acting as a salute to him. 187 00:09:30,362 --> 00:09:33,296 In addition, it's a reference to both his childhood nickname 188 00:09:33,296 --> 00:09:38,336 of Jazzy, and the J-Z subway station near his Brooklyn home. 189 00:09:43,790 --> 00:09:46,620 In 1989, he joined his mentor to record a song 190 00:09:46,620 --> 00:09:48,553 called The Originators, 191 00:09:48,553 --> 00:09:50,935 which won the pair an appearance on an episode 192 00:09:50,935 --> 00:09:52,661 of Yo MTV Raps. 193 00:09:52,661 --> 00:09:54,421 ♪ J-A-Y-Z, y'all know me, I wish you co-write ♪ 194 00:09:54,421 --> 00:09:56,561 ♪ 'Cause you'd pay me all the rhymes you stole from me ♪ 195 00:09:56,561 --> 00:09:58,080 ♪ Leave you freeze in a minute 196 00:09:58,080 --> 00:09:59,909 ♪ You gotta get in it breathing only when it lets, no sweat ♪ 197 00:09:59,909 --> 00:10:01,255 ♪ I stutter-step with ease, 198 00:10:01,255 --> 00:10:02,809 ♪ And stop faking, you're making it, son ♪ 199 00:10:02,809 --> 00:10:04,224 ♪ I'm breaking and breaking and breaking your tongue ♪ 200 00:10:04,224 --> 00:10:06,985 ♪ Don't get caught perpetrating the cool ones ♪ 201 00:10:06,985 --> 00:10:09,263 - [Narrator] Jazz scored a record deal before Carter, 202 00:10:09,263 --> 00:10:11,921 and invited his protegee to London with him 203 00:10:11,921 --> 00:10:14,372 to record some new music. 204 00:10:14,372 --> 00:10:17,099 [hip hop music] 205 00:10:22,898 --> 00:10:25,763 Jazz's album tanked after a poor decision was made 206 00:10:25,763 --> 00:10:27,212 for his first single. 207 00:10:27,212 --> 00:10:29,801 He went from being courted at the highest level 208 00:10:29,801 --> 00:10:33,909 to not having the people at EMI return his calls. 209 00:10:37,671 --> 00:10:40,950 The executives who had withdrawing their support from Jazz 210 00:10:40,950 --> 00:10:45,437 were then trying to contact Carter for a solo project. 211 00:10:46,991 --> 00:10:49,165 Given the way his mentor had been treated, 212 00:10:49,165 --> 00:10:51,305 Carter temporarily gave up his dreams 213 00:10:51,305 --> 00:10:53,618 of a rap recording contract. 214 00:10:55,413 --> 00:10:59,210 But his first real big break was soon to come. 215 00:11:07,459 --> 00:11:12,188 From the 1990s to 1995, Jay-Z returned to street hustling, 216 00:11:12,188 --> 00:11:15,226 while still attempting to forge a music career. 217 00:11:15,226 --> 00:11:18,332 He would appear on other artists' songs with the odd verses 218 00:11:18,332 --> 00:11:20,369 and collaborations here and there, 219 00:11:20,369 --> 00:11:23,061 but never enough clout for his own project. 220 00:11:23,061 --> 00:11:26,306 After being turned down by several labels in the industry, 221 00:11:26,306 --> 00:11:30,897 Jay-Z, Damon Dame Dash, and Kareem Biggs Burke 222 00:11:30,897 --> 00:11:33,313 started their own record label. 223 00:11:33,313 --> 00:11:37,110 They pooled their resources to form Roc-A-Fella Records. 224 00:11:37,110 --> 00:11:38,456 ♪ You got your own 2001 to ride in ♪ 225 00:11:38,456 --> 00:11:40,216 ♪ And keep your ass tight up in Versace ♪ 226 00:11:40,216 --> 00:11:41,977 ♪ That's why you gotta watch your friends you ♪ 227 00:11:41,977 --> 00:11:43,875 ♪ Got to watch me they conniving, shit ♪ 228 00:11:43,875 --> 00:11:45,187 ♪ The first chance to crack the bank ♪ 229 00:11:45,187 --> 00:11:47,465 ♪ They try me, all they get is 50 cent franks ♪ 230 00:11:47,465 --> 00:11:49,122 ♪ And papayas, from the village to the telly ♪ 231 00:11:49,122 --> 00:11:50,779 ♪ Time to kill it on your belly no question ♪ 232 00:11:50,779 --> 00:11:53,367 ♪ Have more chicks between my sheets than Essence ♪ 233 00:11:53,367 --> 00:11:55,542 ♪ They say sex is a weapon, so when I shoot ♪ 234 00:11:55,542 --> 00:11:57,371 ♪ Meet your death in less than 8 seconds ♪ 235 00:11:57,371 --> 00:11:59,270 ♪ Still pounding in my after life ♪ 236 00:11:59,270 --> 00:12:02,756 ♪ Laughing, my shit is tight, who you asking ♪ 237 00:12:02,756 --> 00:12:04,827 ♪ Ain't no nigga like the one I got ♪ 238 00:12:04,827 --> 00:12:07,312 ♪ No one can fuck me better 239 00:12:07,312 --> 00:12:09,901 ♪ Sleeps around but he gives me a lot ♪ 240 00:12:09,901 --> 00:12:11,109 - [Narrator] Initially, 241 00:12:11,109 --> 00:12:12,766 the label acted as an independent outlet 242 00:12:12,766 --> 00:12:17,046 for Jay-Z's debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. 243 00:12:18,807 --> 00:12:21,292 Reasonable Doubt was the first sign 244 00:12:21,292 --> 00:12:22,500 that Jay-Z had something to offer 245 00:12:22,500 --> 00:12:24,640 within the hip hop community. 246 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:25,986 He had the beats, 247 00:12:25,986 --> 00:12:28,575 the lyrics and the connections to make it happen. 248 00:12:28,575 --> 00:12:31,785 But with so many artists vying for the role of King of Rap 249 00:12:31,785 --> 00:12:34,823 in the 1990s, and the turf wars between the East Side 250 00:12:34,823 --> 00:12:37,826 and West Side of American hip hop reaching a fever pitch, 251 00:12:37,826 --> 00:12:39,724 it was one of the most difficult periods 252 00:12:39,724 --> 00:12:41,243 to try and reach the top. 253 00:12:41,243 --> 00:12:43,659 - Biggie Smalls doing his thing in the rap world. 254 00:12:43,659 --> 00:12:45,212 That's right, baby. 255 00:12:45,212 --> 00:12:47,318 What's up man? From dance tracks to Video Music Box. 256 00:12:47,318 --> 00:12:48,802 I'm back with you, man. What's up? 257 00:12:48,802 --> 00:12:52,564 - I'm just chilling. Trying to stay outta trouble. 258 00:12:52,564 --> 00:12:55,602 - Yeah, well you game man. You got a lot going on. 259 00:12:55,602 --> 00:12:57,328 Are there any movie deals or anything? 260 00:12:57,328 --> 00:12:59,951 - Jamming when she was pregnant with me. Yeah. 261 00:12:59,951 --> 00:13:01,539 - [Interviewer] So, you were right in the middle 262 00:13:01,539 --> 00:13:03,092 of the storm. 263 00:13:03,092 --> 00:13:04,956 - I'm still in the storm. I'm still in the storm. 264 00:13:04,956 --> 00:13:08,339 As a matter of fact, my mother was in a book. 265 00:13:08,339 --> 00:13:09,616 It's a book about my mother 266 00:13:09,616 --> 00:13:10,824 called Look For Me In The Whirlwind. 267 00:13:10,824 --> 00:13:13,827 And I like to think that's my motto. 268 00:13:13,827 --> 00:13:15,070 "Look for me in the whirlwind." 269 00:13:15,070 --> 00:13:18,211 Even now, this is all a whirlwind for me. 270 00:13:18,211 --> 00:13:20,558 [gunshots] 271 00:13:20,558 --> 00:13:23,043 [gun clicks] 272 00:13:24,596 --> 00:13:26,840 - [Narrator] The mysterious deaths of Tupac Shakur 273 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,430 and Biggie Smalls in 1996 and 1997, 274 00:13:30,430 --> 00:13:33,295 sent shockwaves through the world of hip hop. 275 00:13:33,295 --> 00:13:35,676 It was the crescendo of increasing tensions 276 00:13:35,676 --> 00:13:37,506 between the East and West coast, 277 00:13:37,506 --> 00:13:40,820 which had been going toe to toe for the past decade. 278 00:13:40,820 --> 00:13:43,995 Within six months of each other, both artists, 279 00:13:43,995 --> 00:13:47,136 who were arguably the most influential of the decade, 280 00:13:47,136 --> 00:13:49,104 had been killed by unknown assailants 281 00:13:49,104 --> 00:13:51,140 in drive-by shootings. 282 00:13:51,140 --> 00:13:53,522 For Jay-Z, the death of Biggie especially 283 00:13:53,522 --> 00:13:55,110 had a more human impact. 284 00:13:55,110 --> 00:13:58,182 - I see you. I'm saying, you doing a good job, man. 285 00:13:58,182 --> 00:13:59,459 - I try to. 286 00:13:59,459 --> 00:14:01,461 - Yo, this is Biggie Smalls. That's right. 287 00:14:01,461 --> 00:14:04,567 It's the mad celebrity birthday bash JD Ralph McDaniels. 288 00:14:04,567 --> 00:14:06,328 - [Narrator] From attending the same school 289 00:14:06,328 --> 00:14:08,295 and growing up in the same neighborhood, 290 00:14:08,295 --> 00:14:10,815 the two almost lived the same life, 291 00:14:10,815 --> 00:14:13,197 and having spoken to Biggie the day he died, 292 00:14:13,197 --> 00:14:15,647 this was personal for Jay-Z. 293 00:14:15,647 --> 00:14:18,133 - [Jay-Z] 'Cause I spoke to him, like I just spoke to him. 294 00:14:18,133 --> 00:14:20,204 I was like, "Nah." 295 00:14:20,204 --> 00:14:24,484 I immediately dismissed it. Like, "You bugging." 296 00:14:24,484 --> 00:14:29,420 It was like, "Son, it happened. I'm telling you, honestly." 297 00:14:29,420 --> 00:14:32,078 [somber music] 298 00:14:39,292 --> 00:14:41,190 - [Narrator] Biggie paved the way for rap music, 299 00:14:41,190 --> 00:14:42,882 and his legacy can still be heard 300 00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:44,884 in the modern music landscape. 301 00:14:44,884 --> 00:14:47,334 Jay didn't just lose a friend, 302 00:14:47,334 --> 00:14:50,130 but lost his musical inspiration. 303 00:14:53,858 --> 00:14:55,964 The empty space at the top of hip hop 304 00:14:55,964 --> 00:14:57,897 by the deaths of the two biggest names 305 00:14:57,897 --> 00:15:00,865 within the genre was bound to be filled. 306 00:15:00,865 --> 00:15:02,280 And with his own record label 307 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,282 and an impressive debut release, 308 00:15:04,282 --> 00:15:08,700 Jay-Z was in the perfect position to fill those shoes. 309 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:11,703 The release of In My Lifetime in 1997 310 00:15:11,703 --> 00:15:13,740 was a revelation for Jay-Z. 311 00:15:13,740 --> 00:15:16,191 The emotional state he was in due to the death 312 00:15:16,191 --> 00:15:19,780 of his friend made this album more personal than ever 313 00:15:19,780 --> 00:15:21,955 with references to his difficult upbringing 314 00:15:21,955 --> 00:15:23,923 rife throughout the record. 315 00:15:23,923 --> 00:15:26,339 Where I'm From paints a grim picture of his life 316 00:15:26,339 --> 00:15:27,788 in the Marcy Projects, 317 00:15:27,788 --> 00:15:30,274 giving listeners an insight into what it was like 318 00:15:30,274 --> 00:15:32,207 to grow up in Brooklyn. 319 00:15:33,380 --> 00:15:35,727 ♪ Cough up a lung, where I'm from, Marcy son ♪ 320 00:15:35,727 --> 00:15:37,074 ♪ Ain't nothing nice 321 00:15:37,074 --> 00:15:39,007 ♪ Been many places but I'm Brooklyn's own ♪ 322 00:15:39,007 --> 00:15:41,285 ♪ Cough up a lung, where I'm from, Marcy son ♪ 323 00:15:41,285 --> 00:15:42,596 ♪ Ain't nothing nice 324 00:15:42,596 --> 00:15:45,254 ♪ Been many places but I'm Brooklyn's own ♪ 325 00:15:45,254 --> 00:15:46,704 - [Narrator] But with references to Biggie 326 00:15:46,704 --> 00:15:47,912 throughout the album, 327 00:15:47,912 --> 00:15:50,570 and title tracks like The City's Mine, 328 00:15:50,570 --> 00:15:53,849 it was obvious Jay-Z was not just reliving the past: 329 00:15:53,849 --> 00:15:56,507 he was embracing the legacy of his lost friend 330 00:15:56,507 --> 00:15:58,647 whilst looking to fill the power vacuum 331 00:15:58,647 --> 00:16:00,787 that had been left behind. 332 00:16:12,074 --> 00:16:15,491 [muffled cheering] 333 00:16:15,491 --> 00:16:16,768 - [Narrator] It wouldn't be until the release 334 00:16:16,768 --> 00:16:20,289 of Jay-Z's third record, Hard Knock Life in 1998, 335 00:16:20,289 --> 00:16:22,947 that it looked more likely that the place at the top of rap 336 00:16:22,947 --> 00:16:25,915 was fully reserved for Jay-Z. 337 00:16:25,915 --> 00:16:27,365 And after its release, 338 00:16:27,365 --> 00:16:30,368 Jay-Z's life was going to change forever. 339 00:16:30,368 --> 00:16:32,992 The title track, which famously sampled his chorus 340 00:16:32,992 --> 00:16:34,855 from the Broadway musical Annie 341 00:16:34,855 --> 00:16:37,375 became Jay-Z's most popular single to date, 342 00:16:37,375 --> 00:16:39,308 and the album would eventually become 343 00:16:39,308 --> 00:16:42,484 Jay-Z's most commercially successful album. 344 00:16:42,484 --> 00:16:44,003 ♪ As hell when I come through 345 00:16:44,003 --> 00:16:46,695 ♪ The life and times of Sean Carter, volume two ♪ 346 00:16:46,695 --> 00:16:49,663 ♪ It's the hard knock life for us ♪ 347 00:16:49,663 --> 00:16:52,735 ♪ It's the hard knock life for us ♪ 348 00:16:52,735 --> 00:16:56,015 ♪ Instead of treated, we get tricked ♪ 349 00:16:56,015 --> 00:16:58,948 ♪ Instead of kisses, we get kicked ♪ 350 00:16:58,948 --> 00:17:00,778 ♪ It's the hard knock life 351 00:17:00,778 --> 00:17:03,229 ♪ I flow for those dro-ed out 352 00:17:03,229 --> 00:17:06,025 - [Narrator] Seemingly a strange inspiration for a rapper, 353 00:17:06,025 --> 00:17:07,750 but there was a connection. 354 00:17:07,750 --> 00:17:10,236 "I wasn't worried about the clash between the hard lyrics 355 00:17:10,236 --> 00:17:12,652 and the image of redhead Annie. 356 00:17:12,652 --> 00:17:16,000 Instead, I found the mirror between the two stories; 357 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,417 that Annie's story was mine, and mine was hers. 358 00:17:19,417 --> 00:17:21,937 And the song was the place where our experiences 359 00:17:21,937 --> 00:17:23,697 weren't contradictions, 360 00:17:23,697 --> 00:17:26,907 just different dimensions of the same reality." 361 00:17:26,907 --> 00:17:30,256 Lyrics like, "Instead of kisses we get kicked," 362 00:17:30,256 --> 00:17:33,362 resonated with his experiences growing up in the Projects. 363 00:17:33,362 --> 00:17:35,433 And although they were not orphans, 364 00:17:35,433 --> 00:17:39,782 a whole generation raised themselves on the streets. 365 00:17:45,409 --> 00:17:47,618 He scored a Grammy win for the record, 366 00:17:47,618 --> 00:17:49,723 marking the beginning of a fruitful period 367 00:17:49,723 --> 00:17:51,484 in which Jay-Z would become 368 00:17:51,484 --> 00:17:54,107 one of the biggest names in hip hop. 369 00:17:54,107 --> 00:17:55,833 - That's like a cherry on top. 370 00:17:55,833 --> 00:17:57,766 You make music and people accept your music 371 00:17:57,766 --> 00:17:58,732 all around the world. 372 00:17:58,732 --> 00:17:59,906 You sell records or whatever, 373 00:17:59,906 --> 00:18:01,494 but then you're nominated for awards. 374 00:18:01,494 --> 00:18:05,567 So, it's like the cherry on top. It's great. 375 00:18:05,567 --> 00:18:07,258 - [Narrator] By the end of the millennium, 376 00:18:07,258 --> 00:18:10,192 Jay-Z was firmly at the top of the world of hip hop. 377 00:18:10,192 --> 00:18:12,884 And thanks to his collaboration with Mariah Carey 378 00:18:12,884 --> 00:18:14,438 on her song Heartbreaker, 379 00:18:14,438 --> 00:18:19,063 he was for the first time at the top of the charts too. 380 00:18:19,063 --> 00:18:21,169 ♪ She wanna shop with Jay, play box with Jay ♪ 381 00:18:21,169 --> 00:18:23,343 ♪ She wanna pillow fight in the middle of the night ♪ 382 00:18:23,343 --> 00:18:25,725 ♪ She wanna drive my Benz with five of her friends ♪ 383 00:18:25,725 --> 00:18:28,141 ♪ She wanna creep past the blocks spying again ♪ 384 00:18:28,141 --> 00:18:30,592 ♪ She wanna roll with Jay, chase skeeos away ♪ 385 00:18:30,592 --> 00:18:32,801 ♪ She wanna fight with lame chicks, blow my day ♪ 386 00:18:32,801 --> 00:18:33,767 ♪ She wanna 387 00:18:33,767 --> 00:18:35,010 - [Narrator] In the same year, 388 00:18:35,010 --> 00:18:36,943 Jay-Z released The Life And Times Of S Carter, 389 00:18:36,943 --> 00:18:38,807 his fourth solo album. 390 00:18:38,807 --> 00:18:40,843 But the release was marred by a feud he had 391 00:18:40,843 --> 00:18:42,397 with another music producer 392 00:18:42,397 --> 00:18:45,503 he believed had leaked the record. 393 00:18:45,503 --> 00:18:47,712 Jay was livid that his work was circulating 394 00:18:47,712 --> 00:18:49,438 a month before its release, 395 00:18:49,438 --> 00:18:52,510 and in his autobiography he says how he, 396 00:18:52,510 --> 00:18:55,306 "Ran into the guy everyone's been telling me 397 00:18:55,306 --> 00:18:56,859 is behind the bootleg. 398 00:18:56,859 --> 00:18:58,516 So, I approached him. 399 00:18:58,516 --> 00:19:01,588 When I told him what I suspected, to my surprise, 400 00:19:01,588 --> 00:19:03,521 he got real loud with me right there 401 00:19:03,521 --> 00:19:05,385 in the middle of the club. 402 00:19:05,385 --> 00:19:07,939 Before I even realized what I was doing, 403 00:19:07,939 --> 00:19:09,700 I headed back over to him. 404 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:12,530 But this time, I was blacking out with anger. 405 00:19:12,530 --> 00:19:14,808 The next thing I knew, all hell had broken loose 406 00:19:14,808 --> 00:19:15,878 in the club. 407 00:19:18,087 --> 00:19:20,297 That night, the guy went straight to the police 408 00:19:20,297 --> 00:19:23,265 and I was charged with assault." 409 00:19:23,265 --> 00:19:26,061 [sirens wailing] 410 00:19:32,032 --> 00:19:34,138 His arrest and acceptance of the punishment 411 00:19:34,138 --> 00:19:35,691 was a wake up call. 412 00:19:35,691 --> 00:19:38,487 With everything he had ever wanted within his grasp 413 00:19:38,487 --> 00:19:40,144 being nearly taken away, 414 00:19:40,144 --> 00:19:43,458 he headed back to the studio to record The Blueprint. 415 00:19:43,458 --> 00:19:46,978 The record is often cited as not only Jay-Z's best album, 416 00:19:46,978 --> 00:19:49,498 but one of the best albums of all time. 417 00:19:49,498 --> 00:19:51,500 And was the start of his collaboration 418 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:55,918 with one of hip hop's most exciting emerging talents. 419 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,269 [bright music] 420 00:20:05,756 --> 00:20:08,172 ♪ 400 grand 421 00:20:13,246 --> 00:20:14,730 - [Narrator] Whilst Jay-Z had been working his way 422 00:20:14,730 --> 00:20:18,596 to the top of hip hop in America in the late 1990s, 423 00:20:18,596 --> 00:20:20,288 a beat maker named Kanye West 424 00:20:20,288 --> 00:20:22,635 had been slowly but surely working his way up 425 00:20:22,635 --> 00:20:25,293 through the hip hop scene in Chicago. 426 00:20:25,293 --> 00:20:27,950 A college dropout, West turned down the opportunity 427 00:20:27,950 --> 00:20:30,332 for formal education at the age of 20 428 00:20:30,332 --> 00:20:32,576 to pursue a career in music. 429 00:20:32,576 --> 00:20:35,579 His decision soon paid off at the turn of the new millennium 430 00:20:35,579 --> 00:20:40,204 when in 2000, West took the train from Chicago to New York, 431 00:20:40,204 --> 00:20:44,381 and began producing for artists at Roc-A-Fella. 432 00:20:44,381 --> 00:20:45,899 And soon enough, 433 00:20:45,899 --> 00:20:47,660 he was working with Jay-Z on his upcoming album, 434 00:20:47,660 --> 00:20:48,626 The Blueprint, 435 00:20:48,626 --> 00:20:50,490 hoping to pave a way back 436 00:20:50,490 --> 00:20:53,459 after the end of his criminal trial. 437 00:20:54,805 --> 00:20:56,496 When the two worlds collided, 438 00:20:56,496 --> 00:20:59,775 it was obvious to them and the people around them 439 00:20:59,775 --> 00:21:03,745 that the duo were a match made in hip hop heaven. 440 00:21:04,987 --> 00:21:07,438 The duo returned to the studio soon after 441 00:21:07,438 --> 00:21:09,544 to start work on The Blueprint Two, 442 00:21:09,544 --> 00:21:12,754 which was released at the end of 2002. 443 00:21:14,238 --> 00:21:16,930 The release was also the first professional collaboration 444 00:21:16,930 --> 00:21:19,450 between Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles, 445 00:21:19,450 --> 00:21:21,314 one third of Destiny's Child, 446 00:21:21,314 --> 00:21:24,697 who had begun embarking on her own solo projects. 447 00:21:24,697 --> 00:21:27,631 And with that song, titled Bonnie and Clyde, 448 00:21:27,631 --> 00:21:30,910 came rumors that Beyonce and Jay-Z were an item, 449 00:21:30,910 --> 00:21:35,086 but it would be several years before it was ever official. 450 00:21:35,086 --> 00:21:36,053 ♪ Like it's supposed to be 451 00:21:36,053 --> 00:21:37,019 ♪ The '03 Bonnie and Clyde 452 00:21:37,019 --> 00:21:38,573 ♪ Hove and B, holla 453 00:21:38,573 --> 00:21:41,058 ♪ All I need in this life of sin ♪ 454 00:21:41,058 --> 00:21:43,957 ♪ Me and my girlfriend, me and my girlfriend ♪ 455 00:21:43,957 --> 00:21:46,443 ♪ Down to ride till the very end ♪ 456 00:21:46,443 --> 00:21:48,479 ♪ It's me and my boyfriend 457 00:21:48,479 --> 00:21:49,998 - [Mica] The reason why the relationship 458 00:21:49,998 --> 00:21:53,208 between Jay-Z and Beyonce was kept a secret is business. 459 00:21:53,208 --> 00:21:55,521 You get it in record companies with artists. 460 00:21:55,521 --> 00:21:57,074 The minute an artist falls in love, 461 00:21:57,074 --> 00:21:58,972 they're frightened that the sales will be affected by it. 462 00:21:58,972 --> 00:22:00,422 So they're always like, 463 00:22:00,422 --> 00:22:01,043 "Don't tell anyone you're having a relationship. 464 00:22:01,043 --> 00:22:02,597 Keep it down." 465 00:22:02,597 --> 00:22:04,495 Because they want you to be accessible to everyone. 466 00:22:04,495 --> 00:22:07,326 They want everyone drooling over you. 467 00:22:07,326 --> 00:22:08,775 They want to have the posters on the wall. 468 00:22:08,775 --> 00:22:11,019 And if you know that the person who's a poster on your wall 469 00:22:11,019 --> 00:22:15,679 is married or conceiving, with child or something, 470 00:22:15,679 --> 00:22:18,267 it's not quite the same, is it? 471 00:22:18,267 --> 00:22:20,891 [upbeat music] 472 00:22:22,306 --> 00:22:24,550 - [Narrator] Not long after their first collaboration, 473 00:22:24,550 --> 00:22:26,793 Jay-Z returned the favor to Beyonce 474 00:22:26,793 --> 00:22:30,418 by appearing in her debut smash Hit Crazy In Love. 475 00:22:30,418 --> 00:22:33,006 The single went on to gain global status 476 00:22:33,006 --> 00:22:36,285 and rose to the top of the US and UK music charts, 477 00:22:36,285 --> 00:22:38,115 earning them both a Grammy award, 478 00:22:38,115 --> 00:22:40,738 and in 2018 was ranked the greatest song 479 00:22:40,738 --> 00:22:42,637 of the 21st century. 480 00:22:42,637 --> 00:22:44,949 The song's lyrics fueled the already roaring fire 481 00:22:44,949 --> 00:22:46,848 of their secret relationship. 482 00:22:46,848 --> 00:22:49,747 And the music video, which is still iconic today, 483 00:22:49,747 --> 00:22:52,474 gave fans a closer glimpse at the couple's affection 484 00:22:52,474 --> 00:22:53,786 for each other. 485 00:22:53,786 --> 00:22:54,752 - [Mica] Well, you know what it was? 486 00:22:54,752 --> 00:22:56,029 I first heard it on the radio. 487 00:22:56,029 --> 00:22:59,481 I remember hearing it on the radio and going. 488 00:23:01,414 --> 00:23:03,036 This is just... 489 00:23:03,036 --> 00:23:04,313 Like a James Brown song. 490 00:23:04,313 --> 00:23:06,833 When you hear a James Brown song and you just. 491 00:23:06,833 --> 00:23:09,526 It's so good, your face is contorted 492 00:23:09,526 --> 00:23:11,942 and the beat is so good you can't keep still. 493 00:23:11,942 --> 00:23:13,495 It's like, "Oh, man." 494 00:23:13,495 --> 00:23:16,291 Trying to do the dishes, and it was all going off. 495 00:23:16,291 --> 00:23:20,260 And then when I saw the video, that was it. 496 00:23:20,260 --> 00:23:23,885 The video is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. 497 00:23:23,885 --> 00:23:27,820 It was the way that she walked on the road there. 498 00:23:27,820 --> 00:23:30,374 It was a dirty road with a broken down car. 499 00:23:30,374 --> 00:23:32,618 But the way she did that walk. 500 00:23:32,618 --> 00:23:33,826 And I always thought that Naomi Campbell 501 00:23:33,826 --> 00:23:35,414 was the queen of the catwalk, 502 00:23:35,414 --> 00:23:37,416 'cause she's amazing when she does that catwalk. 503 00:23:37,416 --> 00:23:41,903 Naomi's famous for it, but Beyonce tore it up. 504 00:23:41,903 --> 00:23:43,387 ♪ Yes 505 00:23:43,387 --> 00:23:46,079 ♪ So crazy right now 506 00:23:46,079 --> 00:23:47,771 ♪ Most incredibly 507 00:23:47,771 --> 00:23:50,325 ♪ It's your girl, Bey 508 00:23:50,325 --> 00:23:52,948 ♪ It's your boy, young 509 00:23:52,948 --> 00:23:54,916 ♪ You ready? 510 00:23:54,916 --> 00:23:57,366 ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh no no ♪ 511 00:23:57,366 --> 00:23:59,472 ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh no no ♪ 512 00:23:59,472 --> 00:24:02,475 - I mean, she walked along that little dusty road 513 00:24:02,475 --> 00:24:04,891 with the little jeans on and the cap, 514 00:24:04,891 --> 00:24:06,134 and then she went, ah. 515 00:24:06,134 --> 00:24:08,723 And you were like, "Oh, yeah, seal the deal." 516 00:24:08,723 --> 00:24:09,965 She was amazing. 517 00:24:09,965 --> 00:24:12,071 And then you just saw this big guy, Jay-Z, 518 00:24:12,071 --> 00:24:14,176 come in and do his thing. 519 00:24:15,143 --> 00:24:16,731 Everyone was talking about it, 520 00:24:16,731 --> 00:24:19,043 because no one was quite sure 521 00:24:19,043 --> 00:24:21,529 if they were together at that time. 522 00:24:21,529 --> 00:24:24,290 It was, "Are they, are they? 523 00:24:24,290 --> 00:24:26,050 Is it real? Are they really together? 524 00:24:26,050 --> 00:24:27,258 Is it business or what?" 525 00:24:27,258 --> 00:24:28,777 It was kind of the early stages, 526 00:24:28,777 --> 00:24:33,333 but the chemistry that you saw between Beyonce and Jay-Z 527 00:24:35,059 --> 00:24:37,130 in that video was electrifying. 528 00:24:37,130 --> 00:24:38,856 And they didn't even actually do anything 529 00:24:38,856 --> 00:24:40,824 in terms of kissing or anything like that, 530 00:24:40,824 --> 00:24:42,791 but it was just the intensity. 531 00:24:42,791 --> 00:24:44,344 It was powerful. 532 00:24:44,344 --> 00:24:47,624 She was close to him, and she has that thing 533 00:24:47,624 --> 00:24:50,281 where she breathes and she kind of goes. 534 00:24:50,281 --> 00:24:51,559 And it's like, "Oh my God," it was all going off. 535 00:24:51,559 --> 00:24:52,974 It was great. 536 00:24:52,974 --> 00:24:54,907 So, no, it was a fantastic landmark for her. 537 00:24:54,907 --> 00:24:58,669 I think coming out of this sort of girl thing. 538 00:24:58,669 --> 00:25:01,292 What an amazing debut as a solo artist. 539 00:25:01,292 --> 00:25:02,708 You can't get higher than that. 540 00:25:02,708 --> 00:25:04,710 She just completely destroyed it. 541 00:25:04,710 --> 00:25:06,470 - [Narrator] Not much is known about the first meeting 542 00:25:06,470 --> 00:25:08,748 between Jay-Z and Beyonce, 543 00:25:08,748 --> 00:25:11,164 although many have their own theories. 544 00:25:11,164 --> 00:25:13,132 They continued to keep a low profile 545 00:25:13,132 --> 00:25:15,962 until their big public debut in 2004, 546 00:25:15,962 --> 00:25:19,241 when they both stepped out on the VMA red carpet. 547 00:25:19,241 --> 00:25:22,072 It was a welcome relief for the celebrity rumor mill, 548 00:25:22,072 --> 00:25:27,111 who could finally rest knowing they were right all along. 549 00:25:27,664 --> 00:25:29,700 [upbeat music] 550 00:25:45,820 --> 00:25:47,338 - [Narrator] As a couple, 551 00:25:47,338 --> 00:25:49,927 they continue to successfully separate their working life 552 00:25:49,927 --> 00:25:54,138 in the public eye and their private life together. 553 00:25:54,967 --> 00:25:57,003 Even their marriage in 2008 554 00:25:57,003 --> 00:25:59,212 came with no official confirmation. 555 00:25:59,212 --> 00:26:01,663 A low-key affair with friends and family 556 00:26:01,663 --> 00:26:03,423 may not have been what fans wanted, 557 00:26:03,423 --> 00:26:07,566 but it was exactly what Jay-Z and Beyonce needed. 558 00:26:22,270 --> 00:26:24,928 [gentle music] 559 00:26:29,898 --> 00:26:31,728 - [Speaker] You are asleep. 560 00:26:31,728 --> 00:26:34,351 - [Speaker] Only my eyes. 561 00:26:34,351 --> 00:26:35,939 - [Speaker] And my arm. 562 00:26:35,939 --> 00:26:37,388 - [Narrator] In 2003, 563 00:26:37,388 --> 00:26:39,805 after the success of The Blueprint Two, 564 00:26:39,805 --> 00:26:43,222 Jay-Z announced that his upcoming album, The Black Album, 565 00:26:43,222 --> 00:26:46,674 would be his very last, as he was planning to retire. 566 00:26:46,674 --> 00:26:48,848 And he did it in style too. 567 00:26:48,848 --> 00:26:51,230 With tracks like Encore and Lucifer, 568 00:26:51,230 --> 00:26:55,303 Jay-Z was ending his career on the ultimate high. 569 00:26:55,303 --> 00:26:57,236 His collaboration with renowned producer 570 00:26:57,236 --> 00:26:59,341 and label head of Def Jam Records, 571 00:26:59,341 --> 00:27:02,034 Rick Ruben on the hit 99 Problems, 572 00:27:02,034 --> 00:27:05,451 proved to be one of Jay-Z's most popular songs ever. 573 00:27:05,451 --> 00:27:08,005 - Give me after, "Legit." After, "Legit." 574 00:27:08,005 --> 00:27:09,386 Aren't you sharp as a tack? 575 00:27:09,386 --> 00:27:10,836 You some type of lawyer or something? 576 00:27:10,836 --> 00:27:13,701 Somebody important or something? 577 00:27:13,701 --> 00:27:15,185 I ain't passed the bar but I know a little bit 578 00:27:15,185 --> 00:27:16,358 enough that you won't... 579 00:27:16,358 --> 00:27:17,566 Aren't you sharp as a tack? 580 00:27:17,566 --> 00:27:18,809 You some type of lawyer or something? 581 00:27:18,809 --> 00:27:20,569 Lawyer or something? 582 00:27:20,569 --> 00:27:22,468 Lawyer or something? 583 00:27:22,468 --> 00:27:24,366 - [Narrator] Having given everything to music, 584 00:27:24,366 --> 00:27:26,265 Jay-Z took a backseat. 585 00:27:26,265 --> 00:27:28,681 His goal was to focus on other ventures, 586 00:27:28,681 --> 00:27:31,615 including nurturing more artists under his record label 587 00:27:31,615 --> 00:27:34,722 and start giving back to the community. 588 00:27:34,722 --> 00:27:36,447 For most of his career, 589 00:27:36,447 --> 00:27:39,658 Jay-Z has proved to be more than just a music producer. 590 00:27:39,658 --> 00:27:41,729 Beginning during his first retirement, 591 00:27:41,729 --> 00:27:43,178 Jay-Z started to put his hand 592 00:27:43,178 --> 00:27:47,666 to a number of important causes and business ventures. 593 00:27:49,150 --> 00:27:52,671 Most influentially in 2003, he and his mother Gloria 594 00:27:52,671 --> 00:27:54,949 founded the Sean Carter Foundation 595 00:27:54,949 --> 00:27:58,262 to help individuals facing socioeconomic hardships 596 00:27:58,262 --> 00:27:59,850 further their education, 597 00:27:59,850 --> 00:28:04,441 making higher education possible for millions. 598 00:28:04,441 --> 00:28:05,994 - I'm lucky. I'm a lucky person. 599 00:28:05,994 --> 00:28:09,170 I had a talent to do something that I really loved, 600 00:28:09,170 --> 00:28:13,346 and it took me to places I thought I'd never see. 601 00:28:13,346 --> 00:28:15,763 My situation could have turned out differently, 602 00:28:15,763 --> 00:28:17,212 much differently. 603 00:28:22,252 --> 00:28:26,532 My story is a bit of an anomaly, you know? 604 00:28:26,532 --> 00:28:29,328 So just making sure that people are prepared for the future, 605 00:28:29,328 --> 00:28:31,054 prepared for this world, 606 00:28:31,054 --> 00:28:33,228 and especially people that have drive 607 00:28:33,228 --> 00:28:35,161 and want to go further. 608 00:28:36,784 --> 00:28:39,476 Excuse me, and if the thing that's holding them back 609 00:28:39,476 --> 00:28:40,960 is something financial, 610 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:45,689 then I don't think that's right, I don't think that's fair. 611 00:28:45,689 --> 00:28:47,173 So just providing an opportunity for people 612 00:28:47,173 --> 00:28:49,900 that want to further their education 613 00:28:49,900 --> 00:28:52,869 and be successful, important to me. 614 00:28:54,284 --> 00:28:56,320 - [Narrator] His retirement for music became a renaissance 615 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,151 and laid the foundations in Jay-Z's legacy, 616 00:28:59,151 --> 00:29:01,601 as someone who was going to impact several lives 617 00:29:01,601 --> 00:29:03,051 across the world. 618 00:29:06,710 --> 00:29:09,057 After three years of working behind the scenes 619 00:29:09,057 --> 00:29:11,957 and diversifying into a number of different careers, 620 00:29:11,957 --> 00:29:15,029 the magnetic pull of the music industry was too much. 621 00:29:15,029 --> 00:29:18,791 And by 2006, Jay was ready to be back producing 622 00:29:18,791 --> 00:29:21,345 and releasing his music again. 623 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,661 Within a few years, Jay-Z had released two albums, 624 00:29:26,661 --> 00:29:28,249 been on multiple tours, 625 00:29:28,249 --> 00:29:31,908 continued charitable work with institutions like the UN, 626 00:29:31,908 --> 00:29:33,323 and set up an educational trust 627 00:29:33,323 --> 00:29:35,083 for the children of Sean Bell, 628 00:29:35,083 --> 00:29:37,914 a Black man who had been shot and killed on his wedding day 629 00:29:37,914 --> 00:29:39,363 by the police. 630 00:29:39,363 --> 00:29:41,745 It was obvious that this new era for Jay-Z 631 00:29:41,745 --> 00:29:44,575 valued music just as highly as helping others 632 00:29:44,575 --> 00:29:47,371 who are less fortunate than him. 633 00:29:47,371 --> 00:29:50,029 [upbeat music] 634 00:29:57,726 --> 00:30:00,005 Jay-Z's return to music was huge, 635 00:30:00,005 --> 00:30:03,215 and his 2008 appearance at Glastonbury 636 00:30:03,215 --> 00:30:06,666 is one of the most iconic performances of all time. 637 00:30:06,666 --> 00:30:08,599 He was the first major hip hop artist 638 00:30:08,599 --> 00:30:10,705 to headline the Pyramid stage, 639 00:30:10,705 --> 00:30:13,294 and this fact has notoriously riled the likes 640 00:30:13,294 --> 00:30:15,814 of Noel Gallagher of Oasis, 641 00:30:15,814 --> 00:30:18,437 who implied it was something that would never have happened 642 00:30:18,437 --> 00:30:19,679 in his heyday. 643 00:30:21,785 --> 00:30:24,201 Jay-Z responded in the only way he could, 644 00:30:24,201 --> 00:30:28,619 and used the performance and music to make his point heard. 645 00:30:28,619 --> 00:30:31,933 ["Oasis - Wonderwall"] 646 00:30:31,933 --> 00:30:33,901 ♪ Back beat the word is on the street ♪ 647 00:30:33,901 --> 00:30:37,318 ♪ That the fire in your heart is out ♪ 648 00:30:37,318 --> 00:30:39,596 ♪ I'm sure you've heard it all before ♪ 649 00:30:39,596 --> 00:30:42,495 ♪ But you never really had a doubt ♪ 650 00:30:42,495 --> 00:30:45,222 ♪ I don't believe that anybody 651 00:30:45,222 --> 00:30:49,468 ♪ Feels the way I do about you now ♪ 652 00:30:54,024 --> 00:30:56,406 - [Narrator] Headlining Glastonbury was a turning point 653 00:30:56,406 --> 00:30:57,925 for the world of hip hop, 654 00:30:57,925 --> 00:31:00,789 and emphasized how far it had come since the 1990s 655 00:31:00,789 --> 00:31:02,930 and entering the mainstream. 656 00:31:02,930 --> 00:31:04,863 With artists like Kendrick Lamar, 657 00:31:04,863 --> 00:31:08,418 Stormzy and Kanye West following in his footsteps, 658 00:31:08,418 --> 00:31:12,353 it's clear that Jay-Z changed the game forever. 659 00:31:14,631 --> 00:31:17,151 One year after headlining Glastonbury, 660 00:31:17,151 --> 00:31:19,567 Jay-Z released The Blueprint Three. 661 00:31:19,567 --> 00:31:22,259 With the release came Jay-Z's biggest hit to date, 662 00:31:22,259 --> 00:31:25,573 Empire State of Mind, featuring Alicia Keys. 663 00:31:25,573 --> 00:31:28,058 The song acts as a homage to New York, 664 00:31:28,058 --> 00:31:31,510 referencing specific places and people from Carter's youth. 665 00:31:31,510 --> 00:31:32,511 ♪ I can make it anywhere 666 00:31:32,511 --> 00:31:33,581 ♪ Yeah they love me everywhere 667 00:31:33,581 --> 00:31:35,031 ♪ I used to cop in Harlem 668 00:31:35,031 --> 00:31:36,273 ♪ Hola my Dominicanos 669 00:31:36,273 --> 00:31:37,688 ♪ Right there up on Broadway 670 00:31:37,688 --> 00:31:38,827 ♪ Brought me back to that McDonald's ♪ 671 00:31:38,827 --> 00:31:40,174 ♪ Took it to my stash box 672 00:31:40,174 --> 00:31:41,002 ♪ 560 State Street 673 00:31:41,002 --> 00:31:42,176 - [Narrator] It's a song 674 00:31:42,176 --> 00:31:43,660 that reveals everything Jay is about, 675 00:31:43,660 --> 00:31:45,973 and what his music has always represented. 676 00:31:45,973 --> 00:31:49,631 He writes candidly about it in his autobiography. 677 00:31:49,631 --> 00:31:51,979 "When I first heard the track for Empire, 678 00:31:51,979 --> 00:31:53,946 I was sure it would be a hit. 679 00:31:53,946 --> 00:31:55,361 It was gorgeous. 680 00:31:55,361 --> 00:31:57,467 My instinct was to dirty it up, 681 00:31:57,467 --> 00:31:59,848 to tell the stories of the city's gritty side, 682 00:31:59,848 --> 00:32:02,403 to use stories about hustling and getting hustled 683 00:32:02,403 --> 00:32:05,440 to add tension to the soaring beauty of the chorus." 684 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:07,995 ♪ New York 685 00:32:07,995 --> 00:32:11,377 ♪ Concrete jungle where dreams are made up ♪ 686 00:32:11,377 --> 00:32:14,518 ♪ There's nothing you can do 687 00:32:14,518 --> 00:32:15,795 ♪ Now you're in New York 688 00:32:15,795 --> 00:32:18,833 - [Jay-Z] And you say New York City. 689 00:32:18,833 --> 00:32:20,317 Yeah. 690 00:32:20,317 --> 00:32:22,043 ♪ These streets will make you feel brand new ♪ 691 00:32:22,043 --> 00:32:24,459 ♪ These lights will inspire you ♪ 692 00:32:24,459 --> 00:32:27,807 ♪ Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York ♪ 693 00:32:27,807 --> 00:32:29,188 - Yes, yes, yes. 694 00:32:31,156 --> 00:32:33,330 ♪ Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game ♪ 695 00:32:33,330 --> 00:32:34,642 ♪ Shit, I make the Yankee hat 696 00:32:34,642 --> 00:32:36,195 ♪ More famous than a Yankee can ♪ 697 00:32:36,195 --> 00:32:38,991 ♪ You should know I bleed blue but I ain't a Crip though ♪ 698 00:32:38,991 --> 00:32:40,751 - [Narrator] Following his successful return 699 00:32:40,751 --> 00:32:41,718 to the music scene, 700 00:32:41,718 --> 00:32:43,202 it was only a matter of time 701 00:32:43,202 --> 00:32:46,136 before Jay-Z collaborated with Kanye West again, 702 00:32:46,136 --> 00:32:48,449 who himself had been enjoying his career 703 00:32:48,449 --> 00:32:51,486 and was now releasing his own albums. 704 00:32:53,281 --> 00:32:57,906 In 2011, they released a joint album, Watch The Throne. 705 00:32:57,906 --> 00:33:00,771 The project features guest appearances from the Dream, 706 00:33:00,771 --> 00:33:03,153 Frank Ocean and Beyonce, 707 00:33:03,153 --> 00:33:06,398 as well as posthumous vocals from Curtis Mayfield, 708 00:33:06,398 --> 00:33:09,021 and in this clip, Otis Redding. 709 00:33:09,021 --> 00:33:11,092 ♪ They ain't see me 'cause I pulled up in my other Benz ♪ 710 00:33:11,092 --> 00:33:13,543 ♪ Last week I was in my other other Benz ♪ 711 00:33:13,543 --> 00:33:14,785 ♪ Throw your diamonds up 712 00:33:14,785 --> 00:33:16,028 ♪ 'Cause we in this bitch another 'gain ♪ 713 00:33:16,028 --> 00:33:18,065 ♪ Photoshoot fresh, looking like wealth ♪ 714 00:33:18,065 --> 00:33:21,930 ♪ I'm boutta call the paparazzi on myself ♪ 715 00:33:21,930 --> 00:33:23,208 ♪ Live from the Mercer 716 00:33:23,208 --> 00:33:24,485 ♪ Run up on Yeezy the wrong way ♪ 717 00:33:24,485 --> 00:33:25,727 ♪ I might murk ya 718 00:33:25,727 --> 00:33:27,936 ♪ Flee in the G450, I might surface ♪ 719 00:33:27,936 --> 00:33:31,526 ♪ Political refugee, asylum can be purchased ♪ 720 00:33:31,526 --> 00:33:32,631 ♪ Everything's for sale 721 00:33:32,631 --> 00:33:34,529 ♪ Got five passports 722 00:33:34,529 --> 00:33:36,083 - [Narrator] From headlining Glastonbury 723 00:33:36,083 --> 00:33:38,568 to achieving his first number one record, 724 00:33:38,568 --> 00:33:41,053 Jay-Z made a return to the music industry 725 00:33:41,053 --> 00:33:43,400 unlike anyone before him. 726 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:46,541 He was just, as if not even more important to the scene 727 00:33:46,541 --> 00:33:48,060 than ever before, 728 00:33:48,060 --> 00:33:50,028 and it looked like nothing was going to stop him 729 00:33:50,028 --> 00:33:52,306 from becoming even greater. 730 00:33:56,689 --> 00:33:59,037 For many, the life of Jay-Z and Beyonce 731 00:33:59,037 --> 00:34:00,728 seemed to be perfect. 732 00:34:00,728 --> 00:34:03,110 And even amongst their peers in Hollywood, 733 00:34:03,110 --> 00:34:04,594 they're the source of envy 734 00:34:04,594 --> 00:34:07,321 for their ability to keep matters of their private life 735 00:34:07,321 --> 00:34:08,563 private, 736 00:34:08,563 --> 00:34:10,324 especially in the world where celebrity lives 737 00:34:10,324 --> 00:34:13,672 are constantly put under the microscope. 738 00:34:13,672 --> 00:34:15,191 By 2006, 739 00:34:15,191 --> 00:34:16,778 they were voted the most powerful couple in the world 740 00:34:16,778 --> 00:34:18,297 by Time Magazine. 741 00:34:18,297 --> 00:34:22,370 In 2009, they were ranked as Hollywood's top earning couple. 742 00:34:22,370 --> 00:34:24,372 And throughout the 21st century, 743 00:34:24,372 --> 00:34:25,891 they continued to top the charts 744 00:34:25,891 --> 00:34:29,446 with both their individual and collaborative endeavors. 745 00:34:29,446 --> 00:34:33,105 By 2012, they had started a family of their own too, 746 00:34:33,105 --> 00:34:36,350 with the birth of their first daughter, Blue Ivy. 747 00:34:36,350 --> 00:34:38,421 But behind the scenes, tensions were brewing 748 00:34:38,421 --> 00:34:40,733 between the world's most powerful couple, 749 00:34:40,733 --> 00:34:43,460 tension that was thrust into the public domain 750 00:34:43,460 --> 00:34:46,912 following the release of leaked CCTV from an elevator 751 00:34:46,912 --> 00:34:48,500 at the Met Gala. 752 00:34:48,500 --> 00:34:50,226 What happens at the annual gala, 753 00:34:50,226 --> 00:34:51,710 which is widely regarded 754 00:34:51,710 --> 00:34:54,609 as the world's most prestigious and glamorous fashion event, 755 00:34:54,609 --> 00:34:56,611 is shrouded in as much mystery 756 00:34:56,611 --> 00:35:00,926 as the early relationship between Jay-Z and Beyonce. 757 00:35:02,755 --> 00:35:04,895 However, the world finally got a glimpse 758 00:35:04,895 --> 00:35:07,553 behind the scenes of the most famous secret party 759 00:35:07,553 --> 00:35:09,624 of the world's rich and famous. 760 00:35:09,624 --> 00:35:12,351 But it wasn't the glimpse into the glamorous lifestyle 761 00:35:12,351 --> 00:35:14,146 that anyone expected. 762 00:35:14,146 --> 00:35:16,666 Following rumors of Jay-Z's infidelity, 763 00:35:16,666 --> 00:35:20,704 Beyonce's sister Solange Knowles attacked the hip hop mogul 764 00:35:20,704 --> 00:35:21,671 in a lift. 765 00:35:21,671 --> 00:35:24,225 [tense music] 766 00:35:29,196 --> 00:35:31,059 The pristine image of the relationship 767 00:35:31,059 --> 00:35:34,201 between the world's most famous couple had been shattered, 768 00:35:34,201 --> 00:35:37,928 as videos and photos of the incident spread online. 769 00:35:37,928 --> 00:35:40,345 But the two went on to address the issue 770 00:35:40,345 --> 00:35:44,625 in the only way they knew how: through their music. 771 00:35:50,424 --> 00:35:53,047 [gentle music] 772 00:35:59,812 --> 00:36:01,055 - [Narrator] Following the incident, 773 00:36:01,055 --> 00:36:03,195 Jay-Z and Beyonce went back into the studio 774 00:36:03,195 --> 00:36:04,438 at the same time, 775 00:36:04,438 --> 00:36:06,578 recording and producing their own albums, 776 00:36:06,578 --> 00:36:09,512 both individually and collaboratively. 777 00:36:09,512 --> 00:36:10,996 For the couple, 778 00:36:10,996 --> 00:36:12,825 the process was like a therapy session for them, 779 00:36:12,825 --> 00:36:15,794 and you could hear it in the music. 780 00:36:17,451 --> 00:36:22,249 Beyonce's 2016 album Lemonade was lauded by critics 781 00:36:22,249 --> 00:36:23,767 as not only her best, 782 00:36:23,767 --> 00:36:26,563 but the singer's most personal work to date. 783 00:36:26,563 --> 00:36:28,738 The record addresses her emotional journey 784 00:36:28,738 --> 00:36:32,155 after her husband Jay-Z's infidelity 785 00:36:32,155 --> 00:36:35,089 in a generational and racial context. 786 00:36:35,089 --> 00:36:37,195 The fifth track, Daddy's Lessons, 787 00:36:37,195 --> 00:36:39,266 is a turning point for the album, 788 00:36:39,266 --> 00:36:42,441 with Beyonce linking Jay-Z cheating on her 789 00:36:42,441 --> 00:36:47,308 with the experience of her father Matthew Knowles' adultery. 790 00:36:47,308 --> 00:36:51,485 Tellingly, in an interview with Elle Magazine, Beyonce said, 791 00:36:51,485 --> 00:36:55,005 "I hope I can create art that helps people heal. 792 00:36:55,005 --> 00:36:57,801 Art that makes people feel proud of their struggle. 793 00:36:57,801 --> 00:37:00,010 Everyone experiences pain, 794 00:37:00,010 --> 00:37:04,739 but sometimes you need to be uncomfortable to transform." 795 00:37:05,740 --> 00:37:08,881 ♪ You are my sunlight 796 00:37:08,881 --> 00:37:12,057 Beyonce explained the concept of the Lemonade album 797 00:37:12,057 --> 00:37:13,886 to Melinda Matsoukas, 798 00:37:13,886 --> 00:37:16,751 the director of the Formation music video. 799 00:37:16,751 --> 00:37:19,340 She wanted to show the historical impact of slavery 800 00:37:19,340 --> 00:37:22,792 on Black love, and what it has done to the Black family, 801 00:37:22,792 --> 00:37:24,656 and Black men and women, 802 00:37:24,656 --> 00:37:28,694 "How we're almost socialized not to be together." 803 00:37:28,694 --> 00:37:31,352 ["Beyonce - Formation"] 804 00:37:31,352 --> 00:37:33,872 ♪ With that Creole make a Texas bama ♪ 805 00:37:33,872 --> 00:37:37,393 ♪ I like my baby heir with baby hair and Afros ♪ 806 00:37:37,393 --> 00:37:42,398 ♪ I like my Negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils ♪ 807 00:37:43,088 --> 00:37:44,123 - This is history. 808 00:37:45,263 --> 00:37:49,232 Thank you so much for being here tonight. 809 00:37:49,232 --> 00:37:52,753 ♪ Okay ladies, now let's get in formation, I slay ♪ 810 00:37:52,753 --> 00:37:56,619 ♪ Okay ladies, now let's get in formation, I slay ♪ 811 00:37:56,619 --> 00:37:59,415 ♪ I slay, I slay, I slay 812 00:37:59,415 --> 00:38:03,350 ♪ I slay, I slay, I slay 813 00:38:03,350 --> 00:38:07,285 ♪ Slay, or you get eliminated. 814 00:38:07,285 --> 00:38:11,012 ♪ Okay ladies, now let's get in formation, I slay ♪ 815 00:38:11,012 --> 00:38:16,052 ♪ Okay ladies, now let's get in formation ♪ 816 00:38:18,123 --> 00:38:20,574 ♪ You are my sunlight 817 00:38:20,574 --> 00:38:24,129 - [Narrator] In 2017, Jay-Z released 4:44, 818 00:38:25,579 --> 00:38:29,168 which was his response to the rumors in Lemonade. 819 00:38:29,168 --> 00:38:31,481 The album was Jay's most personal yet, 820 00:38:31,481 --> 00:38:33,966 and much like his wife's album, 821 00:38:33,966 --> 00:38:37,073 garnered universal acclaim from music critics. 822 00:38:37,073 --> 00:38:41,249 Hear how personal he becomes on the titular track. 823 00:38:41,249 --> 00:38:42,492 ♪ Apologize 824 00:38:42,492 --> 00:38:43,597 ♪ I seen the innocence leave your eyes ♪ 825 00:38:43,597 --> 00:38:45,495 ♪ I still mourn this death 826 00:38:45,495 --> 00:38:47,877 ♪ I apologize for the stillborns ♪ 827 00:38:47,877 --> 00:38:50,604 ♪ 'Cause I wasn't present, your body wouldn't accept ♪ 828 00:38:50,604 --> 00:38:52,916 ♪ I apologize to all the women 829 00:38:52,916 --> 00:38:54,055 ♪ Whom I toyed with your emotions ♪ 830 00:38:54,055 --> 00:38:55,574 ♪ 'Cause I was emotionless 831 00:38:55,574 --> 00:38:58,543 ♪ And I apologize 'cause at your best ♪ 832 00:38:58,543 --> 00:39:00,924 ♪ You are love and because 833 00:39:00,924 --> 00:39:03,168 ♪ I fall short of what I say I'm all about ♪ 834 00:39:03,168 --> 00:39:04,272 ♪ Your eyes leave with the soul ♪ 835 00:39:04,272 --> 00:39:06,067 ♪ That your body once housed 836 00:39:06,067 --> 00:39:07,724 ♪ And you stare blankly in the space ♪ 837 00:39:07,724 --> 00:39:09,588 ♪ Thinking of all the time you wasted ♪ 838 00:39:09,588 --> 00:39:12,764 ♪ On all this basic shit 839 00:39:12,764 --> 00:39:15,353 - [Narrator] Just as he had used music during the 1990s 840 00:39:15,353 --> 00:39:17,527 to talk about his troubled upbringing, 841 00:39:17,527 --> 00:39:21,945 Jay-Z used 4:44 to get candid about his current life. 842 00:39:23,361 --> 00:39:27,330 The album covers a wide array of topics: his family life, 843 00:39:27,330 --> 00:39:30,126 relationships, ongoing hip hop culture, 844 00:39:30,126 --> 00:39:32,887 stereotypes and racism. 845 00:39:32,887 --> 00:39:36,477 He directly references lines from Lemonade on the album. 846 00:39:36,477 --> 00:39:40,032 On Beyonce's song Sorry, she sings, 847 00:39:40,032 --> 00:39:42,449 "You better call Becky with the good hair." 848 00:39:42,449 --> 00:39:46,004 Jay responds on the track Family Feud by rapping, 849 00:39:46,004 --> 00:39:48,075 "Leave me alone, Becky." 850 00:39:49,628 --> 00:39:53,563 The Story of OJ references racism, stereotypes, 851 00:39:53,563 --> 00:39:58,223 and the experience of being a Black person in America. 852 00:39:58,223 --> 00:40:01,295 Smile discusses his mother being a lesbian, 853 00:40:01,295 --> 00:40:03,504 featuring a poem from her. 854 00:40:09,027 --> 00:40:11,167 Pitchfork reviewer Sheldon Pierce 855 00:40:11,167 --> 00:40:14,791 concluded that, "The most crafty and evasive MC 856 00:40:14,791 --> 00:40:17,449 lays bare his complicated life. 857 00:40:17,449 --> 00:40:20,797 This late career gem is personal and diamond sharp, 858 00:40:20,797 --> 00:40:23,662 confronting the failings and legacy of Sean Carter 859 00:40:23,662 --> 00:40:24,939 and America." 860 00:40:24,939 --> 00:40:28,978 He also called the album an historical artifact. 861 00:40:33,638 --> 00:40:35,640 For the world's most powerful couple, 862 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:37,538 producing dual albums in response 863 00:40:37,538 --> 00:40:39,022 to their troubled love life 864 00:40:39,022 --> 00:40:41,508 would prove to be incredibly important, 865 00:40:41,508 --> 00:40:43,579 and by the end of 2017, 866 00:40:43,579 --> 00:40:46,789 their life was back on track as they welcomed twins, 867 00:40:46,789 --> 00:40:50,275 a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir. 868 00:40:51,932 --> 00:40:54,037 Any memory of the Met Gala incident 869 00:40:54,037 --> 00:40:56,592 was quickly washed away in 2022, 870 00:40:56,592 --> 00:40:58,628 and their status as the king and queen of music 871 00:40:58,628 --> 00:41:00,975 was secured, as Beyonce tied Jay-Z 872 00:41:00,975 --> 00:41:04,289 for the most Grammy nominations of all time. 873 00:41:04,289 --> 00:41:06,291 With 88 nominations each, 874 00:41:06,291 --> 00:41:11,054 the couple took their rightful place on the music throne. 875 00:41:17,751 --> 00:41:18,993 From humble beginnings, 876 00:41:18,993 --> 00:41:21,617 Jay-Z was spurred on to become something more, 877 00:41:21,617 --> 00:41:22,963 and to fight the status quo 878 00:41:22,963 --> 00:41:26,587 associated with growing up in the Projects. 879 00:41:29,279 --> 00:41:31,972 He was determined to give himself and the people around him 880 00:41:31,972 --> 00:41:34,353 the best life that he could. 881 00:41:36,701 --> 00:41:39,013 Through genuine talent, self-determination, 882 00:41:39,013 --> 00:41:41,499 and an ability to connect with people through music 883 00:41:41,499 --> 00:41:44,812 and lyrics, Jay-Z became a global superstar, 884 00:41:44,812 --> 00:41:46,365 taking hip hop to an audience 885 00:41:46,365 --> 00:41:49,817 far wider than anyone could have imagined. 886 00:41:52,475 --> 00:41:54,270 And when his reach was global, 887 00:41:54,270 --> 00:41:56,617 and he put his mind to using his platform for good 888 00:41:56,617 --> 00:41:59,309 to promote causes he cared about, 889 00:41:59,309 --> 00:42:01,277 the boy who grew up in the Brooklyn Projects 890 00:42:01,277 --> 00:42:04,625 cemented his legacy as more than a musician, 891 00:42:04,625 --> 00:42:07,525 but as a powerful voice for change. 892 00:42:07,525 --> 00:42:10,182 [mellow music] 893 00:42:51,189 --> 00:42:53,743 [gentle music]