I honestly could care less about Jay-Z's music, but there's no denying his impact on rap. He came out with some real anthems you could only avoid by living under a rock, including but not limited to: Hard Knock Life, Big Pimpin, and 99 Problems.
As a Phillies fan, I hated myself for listening to the song "Empire State of Mind" (featuring Alicia Keys) during the World Series, but I did it anyway. The song is that good. Alicia really belts out that chorus line.
I also appreciate Jay-Z's story. Here's a guy whose response to being repeatedly shunned by the big-time labels was to create his own, with his own money, which he made not by selling drugs but by selling LPs of his own music on street corners.
