“We did this club as a hangout, it wasn’t really for commercial use. It’s a place where I would have all of these famous friends and we’d have these debates about sports,” he explains about 40/40’s purpose. “We’d sit in places for hours and [argue] ‘Jerry Rice is the best ever? Shut up! You don’t know what you are talking about.’ We needed somewhere to have this conversation with the TVs and the stats and everything. That’s pretty much how this idea was born. So there’s a truth to it. It wasn’t like we want to make tons of money and make a sports bar. It came out of a natural place.”

It was Cleveland Cavaliers star, LeBron James’, 23rd birthday on the club’s grand opening. When the lights dimmed and James’ highlights were spread across the 84 screens, it was apparent what Jay had in mind.

“The vibe is unlike a nightclub. At its foundation it’s really a sports club. It begs for conversation and it’s this thing that you love especially if you are into sports. If you don’t really like sports then you’ll be learning about it. Then there’s music and fashion – it’s a really weird energy that’s unlike a typical night club.”

From the amount of celebrities conversing in the club about various topics from sports to music on its opening gala, Jay’s idea has seemed to come to fruition.

"I came, I saw, I conquered
From record sales, to sold out concerts"…- “Encore”

Check the stats:

Platinum albums? Ten, with American Gangster closing in on yet another plaque for Hov. Grammy Awards? Six of those. #1 singles? A boatload. Part owner of an NBA franchise? Check. President of a record label? You can check that one off as well. Successful clothing line? Roc-A-Wear has certainly made a dent in the fashion industry. With a sports bar in his back pocket and luxury hotels on the horizon this all begs one question…

“What is Jay-Z not good at?”

“Somebody asked me before what I wasn’t good at and I should have said ‘retiring.’” Jay erupts into laughter like a light bulb just went off in his head when asked what has he failed at. You could see his eyes go up in his head as to really look for something – anything - that he hasn’t succeeded at.

"Forget this rap shit I need a new hustle
A little bit of everything, the new, improved Russell
I say that reluctantly 'cause I do struggle
As you see I can't leave, so I do love you." – “The Prelude”

We all semi-thought it was over with The Black Album. Hell, he made a whole movie about walking away from the game. But the game kept calling him and then Kingdom Come arrived. No sooner than Kingdom Come was being debated in rap circles as to its place in Jay’s catalog, American Gangster was announced. Why oh why can’t he stay away?

“Passion,” he says with his eyes deadlocked into mine as to make a significant point. “This is something that I’ve been doing since I was nine years old. Something that I genuinely have a love for and at times its like ‘Why am I here? Why am I doing this?’ and at the root of it. It’s a love of mine. It’s passion.”

As an added treat, DX presents a teaser from our upcoming Part Two with Jay-Z, focused on music:

...Jay knows that the proverbial elephant in the room is his rumored marriage to R&B diva Beyonce. The ice is broken by an older lady who asks the mis-pointed question…

“What’s the worst pick up line you’ve ever used on someone in a club?”

For the first time during this 20 minute or so interview, Jay’s position shifts in his chair and his posture changes as an uneasy grin crosses his face. He’s trying to find the words for what can be perceived as a lame duck question but there has to be something keeping him from answering it straight edge.

“I’m ma-ummm…I’m not going to..ummm…can you…could you ask another question? You’re going to get me in trouble!”

The proverbial elephant in the room has grown a ten foot beard and wreaks of True Star – Beyonce’s perfume. Eyebrows raise as everyone in the room connects the same thought: “Did he just say he was married?” But before anyone attempts to put one and one together, Jay explodes into a nervous laughter to interrupt our inquisitions and answers the initial question...

Click Here for Part 2!