Jay-Z isn’t a fan of rap battles.
The 56-year-old rap star had a notoriously bitter rivalry with fellow New Yorker Nas in the early 2000s, but Jay believes the genre no longer needs to rely on battling in order to spark public interest in rap.
Speaking to GQ, Jay reflected: “It takes up so much oxygen. It’s like trying to tear down people’s lives. I don’t know if it’s worth it at this point.
“I love the idea that we got so much music in such a short period of time. Just everything around it was like, ‘Man, this is taking us a couple steps back.’ We’ve just grown so much that—I guess I’m going to say it—I don’t know if battling needs to be part of the culture anymore.
“We grew from breakdancing. We love graffiti. Before, the MC’s job was to bring attention to the DJ … I want to hear what the rapper is saying.
“Now the last pillar is battling, and these are all the things that come with it. I hate that I have this point of view on it. I do. Because I know what it sounds like. It’s just how I feel about it.”
Jay is one of the most successful rappers of all time, and he’s been able to use his fame to uplift various people in his life.
The chart-topping star reflected: “I got successful the hard way, in spite of the way the system is set up. Everything was against me. My talent pushed against all the headwinds and I got successful that way. And with that success, I’ve done things with my reach that I wanted to do that was helpful for a lot of people.
“And I think that’s most important—the things you believe in, the things you align with. Because a person with more money can do more good. It’s a choice.
“Again, we’re living in the real world. You can be realistic or idealistic. This is the system that we have. And with the system that we have, what are you going to do?”