A HHDX Exclusive Report By Brian Sims

First the Fat Boys break up/Now ery’ day I wake up/Somebody got a problem with Hov…-Jay-Z

If you’ve heard it, you’re probably in one or two camps when it comes to all things Jay-Z…you either love it and feel a bit of vindication or hate it as just another attempt to soil the rep of the man who is the self-proclaimed king of New York rap.

But, this time their may be a challenge to the legitimacy of the throne. In the age of plagiarism by the Jayson Blairs of the world and the ever-present accusations in Hip Hop regarding shady A&R’s, labels, artists and producers “jackin’” beats, tracks and concepts from up and comers AND accusations of outright theft see HHDX’s exclusive, Who Wrote Lean Back?

So, gentle readers I present for your examination, analysis and judgment;

IS JAY-Z A WRITER OR A BITER? Audio Link

If you’re listening to the mix as you read this…then you know ya boy Hov’ is at the center of a brewing controversy concerning (of all things) the originality of his lyrics. The now notorious “Writer Or Biter fire was apparently sparked by a mysterious mix which features Jay-Z backing up some rap classics with Roc-versions of his own.

The mix has generated a considerable buzz…L.A.’s Power 106 FM ran an exhaustive list of the allegedly bitten lyrics on their website, and also solicited on-air feedback from listeners. The track has been getting crazy airtime in several major markets, including Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami.

I took it to the streets to see what’s good with public opinion. One major on-air radio personality in Detroit took issue with the sheer number of verses that Jay used for his own personal benefit. “This type of thing happens all the time… rappers are always recycling rhymes, beats, styles, etc…I was just surprised at how much of (Jay-Z’s) classic shit ain’t really his classic shit. You know?”

Biting is the Hip-Hop version of plagiarism. According to Webster, to plagiarize: is to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own: to use (another's production) without crediting the source.

By this definition, Jay-Z is a biter. UNLESS you consider the fact that mainstream commercialization of Hip-Hop music has made it difficult to “steal” anything anymore. And it certainly could be argued that Jay-Z fails to credit the sources of select rhymes, but then again he’s not the first (or the last) MC to tailor others’ rhymes for his own purposes.

What’s at issue here is not Jay-Z’s credibility as an artist, but his flagrant use of other artists’ material as tributes to rap Greats whom he obviously has a great deal of respect and admiration for. Continued on page 2 »