Let me start by saying Decoded
was a fantastic read. You're doing yourself a grave disservice if you haven't read it by now, Jay-Z fan or not. Aside from being insightful and, for me, inspirational and empowering, the book also turned me on to some old rarities like the video (up top) for Big Daddy Kane's early 90s record "Show N Prove". It features raw, low-budget footage of some heavy-weight Brooklynites catching wreck in the park; definitely one of the more organic captures in Hip Hop music videos. Anyway, as the story goes, Shyheim, the then 16 year old rapper featured on the song and in the video, was originally intended for Jay's classic Reasonable Doubt record, "Coming Of Age." Check the excerpt and a recent interview with a now much older Shyheim after the jump.
Hmm... I wonder if Shyheim would be nothing more than the hype man Memphis Bleek is for Jay today had the story been different.
was a fantastic read. You're doing yourself a grave disservice if you haven't read it by now, Jay-Z fan or not. Aside from being insightful and, for me, inspirational and empowering, the book also turned me on to some old rarities like the video (up top) for Big Daddy Kane's early 90s record "Show N Prove". It features raw, low-budget footage of some heavy-weight Brooklynites catching wreck in the park; definitely one of the more organic captures in Hip Hop music videos. Anyway, as the story goes, Shyheim, the then 16 year old rapper featured on the song and in the video, was originally intended for Jay's classic Reasonable Doubt record, "Coming Of Age." Check the excerpt and a recent interview with a now much older Shyheim after the jump."When I wrote a song for my first album inspired by the tension between older guys and new recruits in the streets, I called Kane and told him, 'Man, I wrote this song and I really want Shyheim on it." We tracked down Shyheim's people and in the end they said he couldn't do it for whatever reason-- and at this point, I hadn't even made an album yet, so they weren't feeling pressed to let him do the song. But even though Shyheim is the one I was thinking about for the record, it didn't really matter that he said no. It was still a record I felt like I needed to make, I just needed someon who could represent what I thought I saw in Shyheim.- Jay-Z (Excerpt from Decoded).
The next day I saw this kid I knew walking across Marcy. He looked like a little star already-- the swagger in his bop, the clean gear. I knew his older brother, Andre, a little better, but Andre was a kid to me, too. I had this verse that needed a younger voice on it, but a young voice that was rough and full of ambition, and I just got a feeling from this kid. His name was Malik, but he'd soon rename himself Memphis Bleek"
Hmm... I wonder if Shyheim would be nothing more than the hype man Memphis Bleek is for Jay today had the story been different.
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