JAY-Z was named one of “The New York Times’” 30 greatest living American songwriters and used the moment to share advice about staying authentic in music.
He emphasized that artists should tell their own stories, warning, "If you're trying to make young music and you're not young, it's gonna be inauthentic…
You can smell it…So, the best thing anyone can do going through music is to tell their story and keep creating from that space." He praised Clipse and their song “The Birds Don't Sing” as a powerful example of real, emotional storytelling.
“They're telling a story about their mom and dad who just passed away…It's an authentic display, a piece of classic material that could've come out in '96 or 2026.” Other artists like Kendrick Lamar and Missy Elliott were also included on the list.
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