Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesHe’s not a businessman…he’s a business, man. JAY Z may be a multi-platinum, chart-topping rap legend, but at the annual Clive Davis pre-Grammy party Saturday night in New York City — where Jay was the honoree — his fellow stars praised his business smarts as much as his artistic talent.
No less an authority than Martha Stewart told ABC Radio of Jay, who’s going into tonight’s Grammys with the most nominations, “Oh, he’s the greatest entrepreneur, he is so smart. He doesn’t forget a thing, he’s brilliant, I love him!”
Faith Evans was equally impressed by Jay’s business acumen. “He went from being a rapper to a real hip hop movement to a mogul and I think that’s awesome,” she told ABC Radio. “He’s so intelligent. I love it!
But Jay’s music was praised as well. Asked who deserves the Album of the Year — Jay or fellow nominee Kendrick Lamar — hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash went for Hova.
“His records have had the versatility of fun, love, hate, being vulnerable, being masculine,” Flash told ABC Radio. “But this last record, he took a right turn, and it’s like, all of it was straight up serious serious, knowledge.”
After receiving the The Recording Academy President’s Merit Award, Jay told the crowd that he’d boycotted the Grammys for six years, because he was upset that DMX didn’t receive any nominations in 1998. He returned in 2004 because “the beautiful Miss Beyonce” was nominated for her album Crazy In Love, and then realized that boycotting the awards wasn’t the answer.
“Art is super subjective…and The Academy, they’re human like we are and they’re voting on things that they like,” he explained. “We can pretend that we don’t care but we really care…’cause we see the most incredible artists stand on that stage and we aspire to be that, so I was like, ‘I have to be here.'”
“That is the idea, for all of us to get involved and to push this thing further,” he added.
At the event, Jay teamed with Alicia Keys to performed a medley of his hits, including “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” “Hard Knock Life,” “Encore,” “Run This Town” and “Empire State of Mind.” Other performers included Migos, Khalid, Jennifer Hudson, Luis Fonsi, Logic and Gladys Knight.
Tune into the 60th Grammy Awards on CBS tonight at 7:30 p.m. to see if Jay can finally capture the long-elusive Album of the Year trophy.
Tune into the 60th Grammy Awards on CBS tonight at 7:30 p.m. to see if Jay can finally capture the long-elusive Album of the Year trophy.
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