Jay-Z H to the IZZO Review This is a rather presumptuous song. More so, even, than most rap songs. His introduction to the song welcomes the listener to �the eighth wonder of the world, the flow of the century.� Although, for my money, the flow of the century is a toss up between Billy Joel�s �We Didn�t Start the Fire� and REM�s �End of the World as We Know It.� And the Seven Wonders of the World, though often disputed by historians on a regular basis, have a general consensus of monumental and historic greatness. Somehow, a self-aggrandizing rap ditty about rising from drug-dealing poverty doesn�t seem comparable to the Pyramids of Egypt or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. To be sure, I�ve yet to find a historian who has taken any firm stance in support of Mr. Z�s claim. His introduction then goes on to inform listeners that they could be anywhere in the world, but they�re there with him. I don�t quite get this portion of his pre-song monologue. Does he realize that, at the time of his introduction, he was recording an album which could be played, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, anywhere in the world? Does he? Someone should tell him. He also calls his song �timeless,� which, in his favor, is generally true. There are, as far as I can discern, no dated references or material within the lyrics, with the possible exception of the Rocky simile but, isn�t Rocky a timeless work in and of itself? He starts his flow of the century by telling us his early entrepreneurial escapades. He �was herbin� �em in the home of the turbans.� �Herbing,� for those of you who, like myself, aren�t used to the non-existent verb form of that word, means selling them marijuana. Knowing the ins and outs of supply and demand, Jay-Z �got it dirt cheap for them. Plus,� he adds, �if they was short with cheese, I�d work with them.� That�s admirable. Ethics in business is so often forsaken in favor of profit these days. He then tells of his perils. The haters want to clap and chrome him, as haters often do. The cops want to knock him and the DA wants to box him in. Just for doing a little herbing. But never fear, listeners! Our hero, the creator of the eighth wonder of the world, flow of the century, beats their charges like Rocky! (cue Eye of the Tiger). Watch out, though, kids. He who does not feel Jay-Z is not real to him, therefore he does not exist. The Hove (as he refers to himself) admits this in the second chorus. He starts to get sort of contradictory towards the end, when, after claiming innocence (�Not guilty, y�all got to feel me�), he mentions possession with intent to sell narcotics (�Crack�s in my palm, watching the long arm of the law�). On another technical note, towards the end of his song, when he�s waxing philosophic about his life, he mentions �To try and to fail, the two things I hate. Succeed in this rap game, the two things is great.� Now, I can understand being turned off by failure. But I�m not sure why he doesn�t like people trying. It seems as though his anger would better be served by combining the act of trying with the act of failing, and hating that whole package cycle, rather than hating them both individually. But I would just as soon let that slide if not for the second part of that lyric. Despite his poor grammar, he makes it clear that succeeding at the game of rap are �two things� he really likes. However, succeeding at the rap game is, so far as I can tell, only one thing. Perhaps he has a fondness for something else that he just isn�t sharing with us. Perhaps the other thing that�s �great� isn�t real to him, therefore it doesn�t exist. [Back to the Station] Hosted by www.Geocities.ws