This is pretty dope timeline of Jays life, from the people around him to his preferred drink, favorite shirts he likes to wear , all that good stuff and more.
Adnis Reeves:
“My pops got a liver disorder/My whole living’s disordered/And I just got his living room ordered” – “If I Can’t (Freestyle)”
Adnis Reeves (or, as it’s confusingly spelled in Decoded, “Abnis Reid”), known as AJ, was Jay’s father—the missing presence in contrast to his beloved, doting mother Gloria. Adnis abandoned the family when young Shawn Carter was only 11. Adnis’ brother, Jay’s Uncle Ray, was murdered. As Jay explained in his memoir, “My dad swore revenge and became obsessed with hunting down Uncle Ray’s killer. The tragedy—compounded by the injustice—drove him crazy, sent him to the bottle, and ultimately became a factor in the unraveling of my parents’ marriage.”
Father and son would reconnect in 2003. By that time, years of alcohol abuse had taken their toll, and Reeves would survive only a few more months before dying of a bad liver. But Jay at least got to purchase an apartment for his no-longer-estranged father, and the rap star seemed a different person afterwards—more trusting and less guarded. It’s not a coincidence that Hov’s relationship with Beyoncé grew more serious after Reeves passed away. So perhaps Reeves managed to teach his precocious son a little something after all.
Tidal released a brief snippet of a song called “Adnis” in the run-up to 4:44, which feature the line “letter to my dad, that I never wrote.” But the track didn’t make the final, released album. Maybe we can hope for a Jay Z Lost Tapes?
Armand de Brignac
Jay’s fancy beverage of choice in the early aughts was Cristal, but all of that changed in 2006, when Frederic Rouzaud, managing director of Cristal makers Louis Roederer, gave an interview with the Economist where he badmouthedrappers buying his product. “[W]hat can we do? We can’t forbid people from buying it,” he said. “I’m sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business.”
Blue Ivy
The firstborn offspring of Jay Z and Beyoncé. Known for fierce side-eyes, impeccable fashion sense, and having more money than you and everyone you’ve ever known.
Source: Provided by Beyonce.com
Button Ups
A type of open-front shirt identified by a fold down collar and a row of vertical buttons used to keep it closed. Also used to replace throwback jerseys as the top of choice for mature men of a certain age.
“Can I Get Open”
A 1993 underground classic by the now-defunct rap group Original Flavor that featured a rapid-fire, song-stealing verse from Jay Z and played a key role in his early come-up. It marked the beginning of fruitful partnerships with two of Jay’s most important collaborators: Dame Dash, who managed Original Flavor, and Ski, the group’s producer and lead MC who would go on to produce the bulk of Jay’s debut album Reasonable Doubt.
Carmen Bryan
The mother of Nas’ daughter, Destiny, who also had a brief romantic relationship with Jay Z, which fueled a rift between the rival MCs that culminated with the release of Jay’s “The Takeover” and Nas’ “Ether” in 2001. In response, Hov dropped “Super Ugly,” which was critically panned for its low blows aimed directly at Bryan and her then adolescent daughter. Jay later apologized.
Chancletas
Spanish slang for open-toe flip-flops, as seen on Jay Z’s feet in the south of France in 2005—prompting Cam’ron and half the internet (including us) to clown his burgeoning dad style.
Chris Martin
Lead singer from the group Coldplay, one of Jay’s good friends, and further proof that rappers have horrible taste in rock music. Also provided us with the greatest GIF of Jay to date.
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