I really just like breaking down the barriers, whether it means doing an album with Linkin Park, an album with R. Kelly, or playing at the Brandenburg Gate with Bono. Jay-Z More Quotes by Jay-Z More Quotes From Jay-Z Artists can have greater access to reality; they can see patterns and details and connections that other people, distracted by the blur of life, might miss. Just sharing that truth can be a very powerful thing. Jay-Z creativity powerful artist [T]he truth is that drug addicts have a disease. It only takes a short time in the streets to realize that out-of-control addiction is a medical problem, not a form of recreational or criminal behavior. And the more society treats drug addiction as a crime, the more money drug dealers will make "relieving" the suffering of the addicts. Jay-Z medical-problems addiction drug When I come back like Jordan, wearing the 4-5. It ain't to play games with you, it's to aim at you, probably maim you. If I owe you I'm blowin' you to smithereens. Jay-Z jordan games play I'm not saying I'm God. But as far as lyrics, I'm God MC. Jay-Z Boxing is a glorious sport to watch and boxers are incredible, heroic athletes, but it's also, to be honest, a stupid game to play. Even the winners can end up with crippling brain damage. In a lot of ways, hustling is the same. But you learn something special from playing the most difficult games, the games where winning is close to impossible and losing is catastrophic: You learn how to compete as if your life depended on it. That's the lesson I brought with me to the so-called "legitimate" world. Jay-Z athlete stupid sports Far from a Harvard student, just had the balls to do it Jay-Z hip-hop insightful motivational I believe excellence is being able to perform at a high level over and over. Jay-Z levels excellence believe I was forced to be an artist and a CEO from the beginning, so I was forced to be like a businessman because when I was trying to get a record deal, it was so hard to get a record deal on my own that it was either give up or create my own company. Jay-Z giving-up artist trying We'll have a baby who stutters repeatedly We'll name him history Jay-Z names baby I think Lil Wayne is extremely talented. I think he's one of the most talented ones out there. Jay-Z wayne thinking I thought I would be more inspired to have all these new feelings to talk about, but I really just want to hang out with my daughter. Jay-Z fathers-day daughter feelings I'm hungry for knowledge. The whole thing is to learn every day, to get brighter and brighter. That's what this world is about. You look at someone like Gandhi, and he glowed. Martin Luther King glowed. Muhammad Ali glows. I think that's from being bright all the time, and trying to be brighter. Jay-Z kings trying thinking I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man! Jay-Z entrepreneur business men In the end, you can't censor the truth, especially when it comes packaged in hot music. Jay-Z ends hot I'm trying to tell the story in the most clear, concise, and truthful way, taking those everyday words and phrases and capturing them in a way that they become something else. Jay-Z phrases everyday trying My tears is tatted, my rag in my pocket / Im just looking for love, I know somebody got it Jay-Z rags pockets tears New York has a thousand universes in it that don't always connect but we do all walk the same streets, hear the same sirens, ride the same subways, see the same headlines in the Post, read the same writings on the walls. That shared landscape gets inside of all of us and, in some small way, unites us, makes us think we know each other even when we don't. Jay-Z wall new-york writing No matter where you go you are what you are player and you can try to change but that's just the top layer man you was who you was before you got here Jay-Z player trying men I jack, I rob, I sin. Aw man, I'm Jackie Robinson 'Cept when I run base, I dodge the pen Jay-Z dodge running men Hip-hop gave a generation a common ground that didn't require either race to lose anything; everyone gained. Jay-Z generations hip-hop race