In the upcoming issue of XXL, of which Jay-Z takes the cover, Shawn Carter reveals that he is actually “embarrassed” that he announced his retirement two albums ago.

In an interview with the magazine, Jay-Z addresses the whole situation and how he wishes he could take it back.

“I think I pulled the retirement ripcord too many times. People looking at me like, `Please shut up.’ I was looking at (his retirement movie) `Fade to Black’ the other day. I was embarrassed. I couldn’t watch. I’m not playing with you. I had to turn it off,” he said in the feature. “I was cringing.”

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He also exclaimed how he would “never say that again,” and let nature take its course for the rest of his career.

But how does Jay-Z feel about the new “greatest rapper alive” – Lil Wayne?

“I think Lil Wayne is extremely talented,”Jay says about Weezy as it seems that Wayne is actually featured on the American Gangster album. “I think he’s one of the most talented ones out there. I mean, even more so how his delivery is than what he says. I don’t think some of the things he says sometimes are the greatest things, but the way he delivers it, that’s part of it.”

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While a rumored beef could have ensued a while back during the Jay-Z signing Lil Wayne rumors as well as Wayne‘s public tirade on Jay in Complex magazine(“It’s not your house anymore and I’m better than you.”), it seems that cooler heads have prevailed and Jay is admirable the New Orleans rapper. But does Hov believe that Wayne can hold a candle to him?

“Do I think me and Lil Wayne should be in the same sentence? Me?
No,”
Jay says. “I mean, hopefully one day. He has to accumulate work.
Put some classics under his belt.”