I would say “my daddy loves me and he’ll never go away”
Bull****, do you even remember December’s my birthday?Jay-Z, Where Have You Been
Today is December 6, but for one more day this site will remain stuck on December 4. But it’s my site so I can do whatever I want. Plus, my boy Marty has a fly DeLorean that helps when there’s too much awesome to cram into one day.
December 4 just gets crowded. Elli’s birthday. Last year Oregon was playing Oregon State for a birth in the Natty. And every year since the day in 1969 that Fred Hampton was murdered, it’s been Shawn Corey Carter’s birthday.
Not that I often celebrate or care about celebrity birthdays, but Jay-Z has so woven the date into his lyrics that it’s hard to forget. That, and depending on your opinion of Jeff Bridges, he is the most famous person to share a birthday with my daughter. So the whole thing is highlighted in my brain.
My feelings on Jay-Z regarding his place in my pantheon of favorite rappers are a mixed bag. On the one hand, he’s at his best when he’s articulating what it was like to grow up without a father. To me, it’s one of his greatest contributions to the rap game, because few do it as well as he does. And with his broad appeal, there’s a lot of value in his ability and willingness to really dig into the emotions of growing up without an active father.
I had to lace up my boots even harder. Father is too far away to father.
–Jay-Z, So Ambitious
From a sociological standpoint, the issue of fatherlessness in the urban core amongst African Americans was one of the most pressing issues. That was one of my biggest takeaways from my time in urban ministry. There are certainly a lot of issues to address in urban ministry, but when you strengthen families it makes it a lot easier to chip away at the other problems*. I appreciate how Jay-Z digs into that issue, and hope that hie lyrics serve as a kind of advocacy for the problem of fatherlessness in America.
*The other most pressing issues on my list: education, safety and both economic/racial segregation. The third is especially of concern for me when looking at church demographics and housing patterns.
On a personal level, they do just that. They remind me that my duties as a father to former orphans are important. They serve as a cautionary warning that when I don’t handle my parenting responsibility with the utmost intentionality and seriousness that the repercussions can be incredibly damaging. They are the constant whisper that of all of the titles I might accumulate over the years, “Dad” is one of the most important.
Not that there aren’t opportunities to critique Jay-Z’s body of work. I agree with Chuck D’s assessment that Watch the Throne was incredibly disappointing on a lyrical in that it was little more than a swag album. While it realized it’s commercial and ear-candy potential, it fell flat when it came to the opportunity to make a statement. And therein lies the fundamental weakness with Jay-Z’s body of work. Much like the American Church, Jay-Z masterfully outlines problems with this life, but leans too much on themes of self-destructive themes of over-indulgence to cement his stature and place in society. Unlike the American Church however, he’s unapologetically self-aware.
Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense (But I did five mil) I ain’t been rhymin like Common since.
–Jay-Z, Moment of Clarity
Renew and Restore
