Vault: Interview - Jay-Z

Summary

The Bert Show – Vault: Interview – Jay-Z

Original Air Date: October 31, 2025
Podcast Host: The Bert Show Crew (from Q100 studios, Atlanta)

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Episode Overview

In this throwback "Vault" episode, The Bert Show sits down with iconic rapper and mogul Jay-Z during a visit to Atlanta. The conversation blends reflections on Jay-Z’s upbringing in Brooklyn, his musical legacy, brush with international celebrity culture, and his thoughts on fame, success, and musical evolution. With humor and openness, Jay-Z shares intimate stories about his origins, high-profile friendships, and creative process, making this a standout interview for fans and newcomers alike.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jay-Z’s Connection to Atlanta

[02:35]

• Jay-Z's fondness for Atlanta:
  • "Women, women and more women." (Jay-Z, 02:38)
  • Describes Atlanta as a city he’s visited for years and feels at home in.

Life Growing Up in the Marcy Projects

[03:29]

• Reflection on his roots:
  • “From where I come from... You gotta say, I'm from Marcy Projects. Brooklyn, New York is like the hood... It’s so many different personalities that you gotta attend with every day. And everyone's so close.” (Jay-Z, 03:29–04:35)
  • Vivid description of overcrowding, tension, and daily struggles in his formative environment.
• Motivation to leave:
  • “Every day is a test... That's too much tension for a person to live with their whole life.” (Jay-Z, 03:47)

Returning Home After Success

[04:53]

• Visited his old building for a “60 Minutes” film piece; touched when residents had planted his name in the garden.
  • “They had my name... in the grass. I think that was cool.” (Jay-Z, 04:58)

Principals for a Day and School Ties

[05:07]

• Role Model Moments:
  • In Atlanta as “principal for the day” at a local school: “Now I'm somebody's principal, could you believe that?” (Jay-Z, 05:10)
• High School Connections:
  • Attended school with Biggie and Busta Rhymes: “Me and Big and Busta Rhymes went to the same high school.” (Jay-Z, 05:18)

Career Reflections: Longevity & The “Black Album” Plan

[05:37]

• Thinking about retirement:
  • “Whenever you hear the Black Album is out, that's... when is the last one. I want to rap it out. That's the name of the last album.” (Jay-Z, 05:42)
• Creative vision for his final work:
  • “No artwork, just an album. Just blank... The last one is going to be just because I wanted to make it. Like, if you hear some Sambo in there, some calypso, anything that I want to do, I'm going to just do it. I ain't going to worry about it.” (Jay-Z, 05:52–06:13)

Life at the Top: Vacations, Celebrity Circles, and Surreal Moments

[06:29 – 08:46]

• First-ever vacation:
  • “I needed that one though. I went to south of France. Matter of fact, I landed in Rome. I took a helicopter to Capri... London for Wimbledon... I met Bono over in London, him and Quincy Jones...” (Jay-Z, 06:29–06:44)
• Mind-blowing celebrity encounters:
  • Tells a humorous story about Bono and exclusive parties:
    • “It's a gate to get in his town, into Bonneville. You understand what I'm saying, Bono? Town like... We had to put a thing just to drive down Main Street.” (Jay-Z, 07:17)
• Yacht parties with royalty:
  • On witnessing extreme wealth:
    • “It's the world's biggest bottle of Cristal ever... 300 foot yacht. It had a discotheque on the top... You just start to see different levels. Like, their money is different. They ain't not concerned with rims on the car. Boats. 300 foot yachts, homie.” (Jay-Z, 08:19–08:59)
• Reflecting on surreal experiences:
  • “I actually stayed up the first night... I seen the sun come up. I was just sitting on the back of the boat, drinking wine. Like, what am I doing here?” (Jay-Z, 09:05)

Discussion on Music: The Blueprint Legacy

[09:21 – 11:38]

• Album Release Timing:
  • Discusses the curious timing of the original “Blueprint” album, which released on 9/11:
    • “You're thinking... the last thing on people's minds here is buying CDs. And sure enough, you still sold about a half a million.” (Host, 09:32–09:39)
• Critical Acclaim:
  • Reference to media praise:
    • “With Blueprint, he became arguably the greatest living rapper.” (Host quoting AJC, 09:47; Jay-Z responds, “Wow. Yeah. Appreciate that.” 09:57)
• Jay-Z’s artist mindset:
  • “All rappers believe they're the greatest rapper. We arrogant... You have to be cocky. You need an edge.” (Jay-Z, 10:05)
• Shifts in Musical Style and Experimentation:
  • “I just wanted to go with so many different directions on this one [Blueprint 2]. It's hard to make it cohesive. When you got Lenny Kravitz on one track and Mop on the next one...” (Jay-Z, 11:14)
• Collaborating with Lenny Kravitz:
  • “He does everything. He writes, produces, arranges, and plays every instrument on all his albums. I had to work with him.” (Jay-Z, 10:40)

Dealing With Tough Feedback and Creative Control

[11:38–12:02]

• Jay-Z addresses having “tough love” advisors:
  • “Somebody told me Hard Knock Life was... the worst song he ever heard. Good thing I ain't listened to him.” (Jay-Z, 11:45)
• Host: “What's the harshest...?” Jay-Z: “The worst song he's ever heard?” (12:02)

Episode Wrap

[12:12]

• Host thanks Jay-Z for coming: “Welcome back to Atlanta. Thanks for stopping by... Whenever you're in town, please come on back.”
• Jay-Z: “My man.”
• They end the segment with appreciation and warmth.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On his environment in Marcy Projects:
  “It's so many different personalities that you gotta attend with every day... It's six floors and four families on each floor. And it's three buildings that's connected, and those three buildings is about 100 of them... so many people on top of each other.”
  — Jay-Z (04:35)

• On surreal success:
  “I actually stayed up the first night I got the boat... I seen the sun come up. I was just sitting on the back of the boat drinking wine. Like, what am I doing here?”
  — Jay-Z (09:05)

• On the competitive edge in rap:
  “I think all rappers believe they're the greatest rapper. We arrogant, like, you know, as far as recording, like, you know, in real life, I'm just a cool, regular person. But when I'm recording... you need an edge.”
  — Jay-Z (10:05)

• On advice he ignored:
  “Somebody told me Hard Knock Life was the worst song he ever heard. Good thing I ain’t listened to him.”
  — Jay-Z (11:45)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:16] – Interview with Jay-Z begins
• [03:29] – Jay-Z reflects on life in the Marcy Projects
• [04:53] – On returning home for a “60 Minutes” segment
• [05:10] – Discussing principal-for-a-day role & school days with hip-hop legends
• [05:42] – Talks about “The Black Album” and thoughts on retirement
• [06:29] – Describes his first real vacation, celebrity encounters (Bono, Quincy Jones)
• [08:19] – Yacht party stories and culture shock at extreme wealth
• [09:21] – The challenge of releasing the “Blueprint” album on 9/11
• [10:05] – Jay-Z explains the rapper’s mindset and competitive spirit
• [11:14] – Musical diversity in “Blueprint 2,” collaboration with Lenny Kravitz
• [11:45] – On creative control and ignoring harsh criticism
• [12:12] – Closing thanks and end of the interview

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Tone & Style

The conversation is casual, warm, humorous, and authentic. Jay-Z mixes humility with trademark confidence, sharing self-deprecating stories alongside insightful looks at hip-hop, fame, and resilience. The Bert Show crew keeps a lively back-and-forth while giving Jay-Z plenty of space to reflect and entertain.

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This episode is a revealing window into Jay-Z’s journey from Brooklyn’s projects to global stardom, filled with light-hearted anecdotes, moments of gratitude, and a testament to resilience and artistic vision. Perfect for listeners craving both story and substance from one of hip hop’s greats.

Transcript

[Jeff]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts.

[Zoe]

Jeff Bridges why are you still living above our garage?

[Jeff]

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[Zoe]

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[Jeff]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Jay Z]

Nice.

[Zoe]

J free.

[Interviewer 1]

You heard them.

[Jeff]

T Mobile is the best place to.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

Get the new iPhone 17 Pro on.

[Jeff]

Us with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for lunch?

[Zoe]

Dude, my work here is done.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

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[Jeff]

Hey, the Burch show.

[Interviewer 2]

This guy has been hailed the newest, greatest rap star in America. It's Jay Z. And he stopped by the Q100 studios to hang out with the Burch show for a little while. Jay Z, good to have you in studio, man.

[Jay Z]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Interviewer 2]

Well, welcome to Atlanta. This is obviously not your first time here.

[Jay Z]

Nah, I love Atlanta.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Jay Z]

Been coming in for years.

[Interviewer 2]

What is it about Atlanta specifically that you dig so much?

[Jay Z]

Women, women and more women.

[Interviewer 2]

Now, you can't be talking about women, women, women if you got Beyonce on one arm.

[Jay Z]

Now I'm grown man. Yeah.

[Interviewer 1]

Last time, was it the last time you were here, you were doing the big old roller skating thing for the birthday party or something?

[Jay Z]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I did a couple of things that night in Waffle House. You come from Waffle House? The Waffle House thing is in People magazine.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 1]

It was a big deal that Jay Z and Beyonce went to Waffle House. You're not allowed to be normal. You're a celebrity. You can't go to Waffle House like every other drunk person in Atlanta.

[Interviewer 2]

Do you find, like, if you weren't the rap star, you know, the way that you have to live your life right now and the way that. I mean, your success has brought you so many new and different and great things that money brings. Do you ever look at it and just go, I just can't believe this is my life. This isn't me.

[Jay Z]

It's amazing, like, from where I come from, you know what I'm saying? You gotta say, I'm from Marcy Projects. Brooklyn, New York is like the hood.

[Interviewer 1]

The hood of the hood.

[Jay Z]

The hood, yeah, exactly. The hood of the hood.

[Interviewer 2]

What is the one thing, I guess I should ask you where you said, I have got to get away from this. I have got to build a life so I never have to come back here again.

[Jay Z]

So many things. And then when you're in that situation, every day is a test. You know what I'm saying? It's almost like you walking on eggshells. Like, you know, anything can happen at any given time every day. That's too much tension as to. For a person to live with their whole life. I mean, it's great days and it's, you know, it's fun out there. And it's, you know, the Johnny Pump open. We call it Johnny Pump, the hydrant when you wet People and jump rope and basket. It's fun days. But overall, it's just tough situation because everybody. You gotta figure out this is how you live. You have a person next to you, on top of you, on the side of you. It's like a box. Like, there's so many different personalities that you gotta attend with every day. And everyone's so close that they on top of each other all the time. It's so many. It's six floors and four families on each floor. And it's three buildings that's connected, and those three buildings is about 100 of them. You know what I'm saying? There's so many people on top of each other.

[Interviewer 1]

When was the last time you were back in your building?

[Jay Z]

I did a 60 Minutes piece, so I was over there like maybe two, three weeks ago.

[Interviewer 1]

So you walk in there and are you just, like, blown away? What you have now, what you had then? And you gotta.

[Jay Z]

They had my name in like, the swan planted a garden and they had my name in the grass. I think that was cool.

[Interviewer 2]

Wow, that is really awesome.

[Jay Z]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

You're in Atlanta doing the principal for the day thing here today.

[Jay Z]

Yeah. Now I'm somebody's principal. Could you believe that?

[Interviewer 2]

Do you ever talk to any of the people that you went to high school with?

[Jay Z]

Yeah, I mean, you know, me and Big and Busta Rhymes went to the same high school.

[Interviewer 2]

Oh, is that right? All at the same time?

[Interviewer 1]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Oh, wow.

[Jay Z]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Did you. Were you guys doing music together in high school?

[Jay Z]

Nah, we didn't really. We just was like passing friends. Like, you know, we knew each other and we knew each. You know, we all knew that we rapped. Mm. But we ain't really know each other like that.

[Interviewer 1]

How long are you gonna do music for? Like, if you picked a date, where you gonna say, you know what? I made my money.

[Jay Z]

Whenever you hear the Black album is out, that's. When is the last one. I want to rap it out. That's the name of the last album.

[Interviewer 2]

You already know that.

[Jay Z]

The Black album? Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

You seriously already know that?

[Jay Z]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Why that name?

[Jay Z]

I just, like. I just wanted to be. No artwork, just an album. Just blank. Like. No, I just want to make music to make it. The last one is going to be just because I wanted to make it. Like, if you hear some Sambo in there, some calypso, anything that I want to do, I'm going to just do it. I ain't going to worry about it.

[Interviewer 2]

It's just going to be Jay Z, bluegrass, whatever.

[Jay Z]

There you go. And music from. What's that? Mov.

[Interviewer 1]

The George Clooney movie.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer 1]

Jay Z rapping over that.

[Interviewer 2]

You've put out, like, seven albums since 1999.

[Jay Z]

96.

[Interviewer 2]

96.

[Jay Z]

Whoa. 99. Sheesh.

[Interviewer 2]

And you're still not burned out?

[Jay Z]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Although I heard you just took your first vacation ever.

[Jay Z]

Yeah, I needed that one, though.

[Interviewer 1]

Where'd you go?

[Jay Z]

I went to south of France. Matter of fact, I landed in Rome. I took a helicopter to Capri. I stayed in Capri four days. I went to London for Wimbledon. I came back, I met Bono over in London. Him and Quincy Jones, they called my room, told me, come downstairs, have drinks.

[Interviewer 1]

How does Bono call your room? How does Bono register?

[Jay Z]

Bono? That's Bono. They gonna give him the name? It don't even matter. I want that guy. He give him your room, he give him the key to your room.

[Interviewer 2]

Anything Bono wants, man. Yeah, so that wasn't the only stuff. Okay, so you're hanging out with Quincy Jones, you're having drinks with Bono. What else?

[Jay Z]

Yeah, Bono says, you know, oh, we going back to Nice. I got a house out there. Come to my house. He actually wanted me to come on a plane with him, but I had a couple people with me, so I was like, I'm not gonna crowd the plane up. You got your. I'll call you when I get there. I get there, I pick up a boat. I take a boat to his house, the guy's house, we go. It's a gate to get in his town, into Bonneville. You understand what I'm saying, Bono? Town like to get in the province. It's a gate. Like, we had to put a thing just to drive down Main Street. So we put the code. He called, get the code. He go down. We go over to his house. We had lunch.

[Interviewer 1]

You're really killing my buzz. For the road trip to Nashville I was gonna take.

[Jay Z]

Then for the next two weeks, he gave. He was like my concierge service. Like, he gave me the layout for every place in the south of France. Where to go, where to eat. What, the nightlife. So every day, I woke up in a new place. I sleep in Sardinia. And I woke up, I was in Corsica. Go to sleep. I woke up, I was in San Tropez. I was in San Tropez, and I was giving Portofino.

[Interviewer 2]

Unreal, man.

[Jay Z]

I needed it.

[Interviewer 2]

I bet. I heard that you were hanging out with the Williams sisters, too, over at Wimbledon.

[Jay Z]

Yeah, I was at Wimbledon, yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

I mean, what a trip, man. There was one report that you and A bunch of your friends were down in like $20,000 bottles of Cristal.

[Jay Z]

Now that was. The prince was one of them princes from. He had a bottle of champagne that might have been up to that sign right there. It's the world's biggest bottle of Cristal ever. They came on a boat. It was 300 foot yacht. It had a discotheque on the top.

[Interviewer 2]

I mean, sometimes this is just too large. Even if you're like, I can't. This is too much.

[Jay Z]

Yeah. I ain't want to go over there by that table. Then he goes over there and he.

[Interviewer 1]

Looks around that he goes, okay, now this really. Money ain't a thing here.

[Jay Z]

Yeah, yeah. It's different levels. Exactly. Like, you just start to see different levels. Like, their money is different. They ain't not concerned with rims on the car boats. 300 foot yachts, homie.

[Interviewer 2]

Man, you just must look at this and just. I mean, there must be times you're like, this is. This can't be.

[Jay Z]

Yeah. I actually stayed up the first night I got the boat. I stayed up that night. Like, I stayed up to the morning. I seen the sun come up. I was just sitting on the back of the boat drinking wine. Like, what am I doing here?

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Jay Z]

You know what I'm saying?

[Interviewer 2]

Sure.

[Jay Z]

Wow.

[Interviewer 2]

Well, I don't know what you're saying, but I can live it.

[Jay Z]

They call my number, man.

[Interviewer 2]

Tell us about Blueprint, too. Because, I mean, you talk about just unbelievably unfortunate bad timing with the first blueprint coming out on 9 11.

[Jay Z]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Because you're thinking there's the last thing on people's minds here is buying CDs.

[Interviewer 1]

Right.

[Interviewer 2]

And sure enough, you still sold about a half a million.

[Jay Z]

Yeah. Amazing.

[Interviewer 2]

That's just. And how about blueprint 2 now numbers.

[Jay Z]

Come out next week, but it looks good. Like, I'm number one CD in America.

[Interviewer 2]

The AJC has some incredible things to say about it. The first thing here says, with Blueprint, he became arguably the greatest living rapper.

[Jay Z]

Wow. Yeah. Appreciate that.

[Interviewer 2]

That's something else, huh?

[Jay Z]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Do you look at your life and say, yeah, that's probably accurate? I probably am.

[Jay Z]

I mean, I'm a rapper. I think all rappers believe they're the greatest rapper. We arrogant, like, you know, as far as recording, like, you know, in real life, I'm just a cool, regular person. But when I'm recording, it's, you know, it's rap, it's competitive. You have to be cocky. You need an edge, you know, the.

[Interviewer 2]

Recently released follow UP, the Blueprint 2, the Gift and the Curse doesn't just pick up where the last album left off. It suggests new directions for Jay Z's music and largely pleasing results.

[Jay Z]

Wow.

[Interviewer 2]

Many tracks, it says, have a live feeling. It's great. They go on to talk about how you work with Lenny Kravitz on this CD also. That's pretty cool.

[Jay Z]

Yeah, yeah. The guy, he does everything. He writes, produces, arranges, and plays every instrument on all his albums. I had to work with him.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah. That guy, to me, is the coolest guy ever. I mean, he can say anything and do anything and people are just like, whatever. He says the coolest thing ever.

[Jay Z]

I don't understand it, but I better. You feel like you missing something if you don't understand what Lenny Kravitz is doing, right?

[Interviewer 2]

But despite offering a flurry of great songs, Blueprint 2 isn't as cohesive as the predecessor. Nevertheless, the set's musical diversity suggests great things for the future.

[Jay Z]

I believe that, too. I said that in the beginning. I said that. It's not your typical Jay Z album, because, you know, a Jay Z album is a theme. Like, you could just play it and just let it go. Like, with the Blueprint, you just knew just soul music, you know what I'm saying? But I just wanted to go with so many different directions on this one. It's hard to make it cohesive. When you go and you got Lenny Kravitz on one track and Mop on.

[Interviewer 2]

The next one, is there somebody that says to you, looking over your shoulder, going, okay, this isn't working, or this is working, or you have complete 100% control?

[Jay Z]

Yeah, my friends. I have friends. You know what I'm saying? We need tough love. They offer their opinion. They say anything to me. Somebody told me Hard Knock Life was Leo. Told me that I'm telling on him. Told me that Hard Knock Life was the worst song he ever heard. Good thing I ain't listened to him. That would have been right. Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

What's the harshest? I mean, is that the harshest thing anybody's ever heard?

[Jay Z]

The worst song he's ever heard?

[Interviewer 2]

It gets no worse than that, man.

[Interviewer 1]

It can't get much harder than that.

[Jay Z]

I laughed at him. I said, watch this one work.

[Interviewer 2]

Well, welcome back to Atlanta. Thanks for stopping by. Q100. Whenever you're in town, please come on back.

[Jay Z]

My man.

[Interviewer 2]

All right, J.C. thanks, man.

[Jay Z]

Cool.

[Jeff]

Hey, the Bird Show. Morning, Zoe. Got donuts.

[Zoe]

Jeff Bridges. Why are you still living above our garage?

[Jeff]

Well, I dig the mattress, and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me.

[Zoe]

So Dana oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Jeff]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Hers Medication Advertiser]

Nice.

[Zoe]

Jeffrey, you heard them.

[Jeff]

T Mobile is the best place to.

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Get the new iPhone 17 Pro on.

[Jeff]

Us with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for lunch?

[Zoe]

Dude, my work here is done.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

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[Jay Z]

Meet Russell.

[Interviewer 2]

Hey.

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