Jay-Z Forgot the Barbershop? Who Is He Talking to Now?

Jay-Z is revisiting his music and legacy, but Ern and Iso have one question: who is he actually doing it for? In this episode, the guys react to the opening chapters of Jay-Z's documentary and debate whether its stripped-down format with Rick Rubin actually serves the story.

Can you revisit Jay-Z's classic years without Dame Dash, Biggs and the rest of the people who helped build the Roc-A-Fella era? That leads to a much bigger conversation about Jay-Z's place in hip-hop today.

Ern and Iso argue that while Jay has reached extraordinary levels of success, his musical foundation remains the barbershop audience that followed him long before the billionaire status, Beyoncé and the corporate world. They also compare Jay's approach with Nas and Kanye West, discuss whether older artists should chase younger audiences or embrace their core fanbase, revisit the “Brooklyn's Finest”/Tupac story, and talk about Jay-Z's response to Cristal distancing itself from hip-hop.

Is Jay-Z trying to reintroduce himself to people who don't care—or reconnect with people who never stopped listening?