During a show, a rapper is truly tested in his ability as an MC, and if they can truly move the crowd.
According to rapper Jay-Z, it was not until his touring with DMX back in 1999 where he began to see the errors in his approach to touring and that he wasn’t a great performer at all.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, the rapper spoke on his early years and his lack of stage presence until Dark Man X stepped in.
“All my early years? Forget it. I was a horrible performer,” Jigga said. “DMX tore me to pieces. I remember being stunned. [DMX] had me really working. But I had to figure this out. If you want to be a headliner, you better put on a headline show.”
Now a seasoned vet and looking at headlining tours as something routine, Jay only looks to broaden the spectrum and soak in what he can from artists from all genres of music
“In hip-hop, there’s not many great performers,” Jay said. “I look outside the genre, measuring myself against others. I look at Madonna’s production and envy that. Daft Punk’s set, I’m like, what the… And I look at the way U2 can command an audience. Bono’s a performer pretty much like I am. He’s not a dancer; he’s not jumping around. He’s having a conversation. He’s using his stillness as movement.”
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