Below is a list of 10 inspiring Jay-Z quotes. It was hard to whittle it down to just ten as there are so many and these are in no particular order.
It’s a new year and as I often do I look for motivation in songs. So I was trying to think up some inspiring Jay-Z songs when this post came about.
Check out the List of Inspiring Jay-Z quotes after the jump.
Top 10 Inspiring Jay-Z Quotes
1. “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business… man.”- Diamonds from Sierra Leone Remix.
How could you not like this line. Jay-Z highlights the fact that he is a walking business. His carefully crafted name, brand and image makes money and thats just by being himself.
2. “One million, two million, three million, four, In just five years, forty million more, you are now lookin at the forty million boy, I’m rapin Def Jam ’til I’m the hundred million man” – You Don’t Know.
Jay counts up his short rise to success with this line and his ambition to keep going til he reaches 100million. Needless to say he hit his target. Moral – Set targets and keep striving for more .
3. “I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.” – Can I Live.
From Jay-Z’s first album “Reasonable Doubt”. This line shows Jigga’s ambition to live life to the fullest even at the risk of death. Moral – Don’t sit back and let life fly by. Take massive action with all your effort.
4. “I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell, I am a hustler baby, I’ll sell water to a well” – You Don’t know.
So many quotables in this one song. Highlights Jay’s self confidence and hustler mentality. Moral – Have self belief.
5. “Everything evens up, you just wait, Even a garbage can gets a steak, You ain’t even a garbage can, you have faith!” – Guns & Roses.
From Blueprint 2 with Lenny Kravitz. Everyone gets a break once in a while and you are far from garbage as you have faith.
6. “I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me.” – Blueprint 2.
Moral – Learn from your mistakes and never give up.
7. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with the aim, just gotta change the target.” – American Dreamin’.
Jay-Z started out as a drug dealer and was aiming for success at selling drugs. This line highlights his realisation that he needs another target like music.
8. “Remind yourself. Nobody built like you, you design yourself.” – A Dream.
Moral – You make the the decisions which dictate your life. You’re responsible for your own success.
9. “I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of not trying” – Beach Chair.
Moral – It’s better to try and fail than not to try at all.
10. “I believe excellence is being able to perform at a high level over and over” – Oprah Masterclass Documentary.
Not a lyric but a quote from an interview with Oprah. Jay-Z has realized that consistency is key to success and you have to give it all every time.
This is my list of inspiring Jay-Z quotes. In the process of writing this post I thought of so many other quotes and was chopping and changing the list constantly.
Of course please drop your favourite inspirational Jay-Z quote in the comments and let me know what you think. Will start writing more list posts soon.