This song is about Jay z's experience as a drug dealer in his youth. Apparently he had made it up in status to the point that he could front drugs to lower level runners. He wants us to know that he has not forgotten where he came from despite all of his fame. He remembers the hard times, even while he negotiates his contract record deals.
I would have to know Jay z's feelings about raps early days. I think maybe he feels like the early pioneers where not given a fair shake by the early record labels. Secondly, he could be making an even grander political statement when he says "pay us like you owe us for all the years that you owe us" he could be talking about slavery and slavery reparations in the same way a country would pay war reparations. That was a controversial topic that came up during the time he wrote that song.
This song is about Jay z's experience as a drug dealer in his youth. Apparently he had made it up in status to the point that he could front drugs to lower level runners. He wants us to know that he has not forgotten where he came from despite all of his fame. He remembers the hard times, even while he negotiates his contract record deals.
I would have to know Jay z's feelings about raps early days. I think maybe he feels like the early pioneers where not given a fair shake by the early record labels. Secondly, he could be making an even grander political statement when he says "pay us like you owe us for all the years that you owe us" he could be talking about slavery and slavery reparations in the same way a country would pay war reparations. That was a controversial topic that came up during the time he wrote that song.