It has been years since Jay-Z sat down for an interview to lay everything on the table. Just three months into the new year, the Brooklyn-bred rap icon is stepping back into the spotlight with major moments, from headlining festivals like the Roots Picnic in May to hosting concerts at Yankee Stadium in July in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint. In a rare interview with GQ, Hov addressed it all — his influence on the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show, the Kendrick-Drake rap feud, the sexual assault allegations and lawsuit he continues to fight, and more.
Inside Jay’s business career, including his NFL partnership
GQ senior associate editor Frazier Tharpe had a lengthy conversation with Jay about various topics, revealing that the rapper, billionaire and businessman had much to say on a wide range of subjects. Throughout his nearly 40-year rap career, Jay has had several hiatuses and a fake retirement before stepping away to focus on building his business portfolio. He co-owns the luxury Champagne brand Armand de Brignac, has an ownership stake in the premium cognac brand D’Usse, and ventured into sports with Roc Nation’s Sports management agency and his and Roc Nation’s entertainment partnership with the NFL.
Jay assumed the role in 2019, aiming to diversify the type of artists and music showcased on one of the largest stages in sports each year. According to him, only white male artists and bands were the top favorites to perform during the Super Bowl halftime show — until he arrived.
“I think everyone should experience music in its totality. For a lot of years, it was only one side of music that was being represented for whatever reason,” Jay explained. “We got the opportunity to create a more balanced idea of what popular music is today. I’m not going out on a limb. These are the most famous people in the world. I didn’t pick the indie artist that I really like from Portland. [This was] the number one streamed artist in the world. ‘I got an idea, let’s let him [Bad Bunny] play.’ [Laughs.] It’s Rihanna!”
Tharpe also asked Jay’s thoughts on Lamar’s halftime performance and if he enjoyed watching the rapper perform some of his top hits to millions of people who watched the event.
“Yeah, for sure. He could have made it a little easier on himself. The artistic choice to play the new album was brave in front of that big of an audience. Because even if 10 million people know some of these songs, there’s 120 million people that’re like, ‘What is he doing?’ As an artist, to stand up there and do it and complete your vision—I had to tip my hat. I had high respect for him already, but, like, even more my respect was like: He’s really about what he says he’s about,” Jay said.
What did Jay-Z say about the Kendrick Lamar-Drake feud?
The conversation then shifted to Lamar’s widely publicized 2024 feud with fellow rapper Drake. Having been part of one of hip-hop’s most notorious rivalries with Nas, Jay knows firsthand what it’s like to be in a rap feud while the public takes sides. When asked about his thoughts on Lamar and Drake, Jay shared his take on it.
“I’m going to have an answer you’re not going to like. Well, I don’t know if you’re going to like it. That’s presumptuous. There are four pillars of hip-hop. There’s breakdancing, graffiti, there’s DJ’ing and battling. Breakdance is not at the forefront of rap anymore. It’s actually an Olympic sport. So that’s dead [laughs]. Graffiti, beautiful in certain places. It’s not part of hip-hop. The DJ was in the forefront. It was Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Eric B. and Rakim. You don’t even know the DJ for half of the artists anymore. And the last pillar is battling. We love the excitement and I love the sparring, but in this day and age there’s so much negative stuff that comes with it that you almost wish it didn’t happen,” Jay said.
He continued, “Now, people that like Kendrick hate Drake, no matter what he makes. It’s like an attack on his character. I don’t know if I love that. I don’t know if it’s helpful to our growth where the fallout lands, especially on social media.”
Jay, 56, stated that rap battles have changed compared to the past. “It’s too far. It’s bringing people’s kids in it. I don’t like that. I sound like the old guy wagging his finger, but I think we can achieve the same thing, as far as sparring with music, with collaborations more so than breaking the whole thing apart. It could stand it before because there was no social media. You had the battle and it was fun and then you moved on. Right now, I don’t know if it could stand it with the technology that we have.”
While Jay appreciated the music released from the Lamar-Drake feud, he insists that the last pillar of hip-hop, battling, has lost its true meaning, and that rappers should move away from it. He also clarified the situation after many stated that he chose Lamar during the feud, particularly after selecting him for the Super Bowl halftime show.
“I chose the guy that was having a monster year. I think it was the right choice. What do I care about them two guys battling? What’s that got to do with me? Have at it. They drag everybody in it, like everyone’s part of this conspiracy to undermine Drake, I guess. But, it’s like, what the fuck? I’m fucking Jay-Z! [Laughs.] All due respect to him. I’m fucking Hov. Respectfully. It doesn’t make any sense,” Jay said.
Jay-Z opened up about sexual assault allegations, lawsuit and why he chooses to fight it
Tharpe kicked off the interview by asking how Jay would rate 2025. His response was a deep-dive discussion about the sexual assault lawsuit and how it has affected his family.
“It was hard. Really hard. I was heartbroken. I’m glad we got right to that so we could just get that out the way. Like I was really heartbroken by everything that occurred. We’re in a space now where it’s almost like consequence is not thought about enough. Because everything is so instant, you know what I’m saying?” Jay said.
He continued, “That whole [lawsuit thing], that shit took a lot out of me. I was angry. I haven’t been that angry in a long time, uncontrollable anger. You don’t put that on someone—that’s a thing that you better be super sure. It used to be like that. You had to be super sure before you put those kind of things on a person. Especially a person like me. Even when we were doing the worst things, we had those kind of rules. There was a line: no women, no kids. You hear those sayings, but those are the things that I took from the street. We lived and died by that. So it’s strict for me, like it meant a lot to me.”
“I took that really hard. I knew that we were going to walk through that because, first of all, it’s not true. And the truth, at the end of the day, still reigns supreme.”
When the topic was brought back up again, Jay talked about how he refused to take a settlement, and instead, wanted to continue fighting it and maintaining his innocence.
“I can’t take a settlement—it ain’t in my DNA. First of all, first I had to tell my wife. Let’s back up. I know the weight that this is going to bring on our family. I can’t do it. I would die,” he said.
“If I settled—make that thing go away. And for me, it would’ve been cheaper? Yes. Cheaper, quicker, move on with your life. I knew what was coming. I wasn’t naive. I called—again, after my family—my partners. They were like, ‘What do you need to help? Don’t even worry.’ In a phone call. Not even a: ‘I got to go to the board with this.’ It was like a testament because people know me. Like: ‘I know who you are and that’s impossible. Not only are we standing by you, but what do you need?’” he continued.
Jay said the allegations and lawsuit were revealed on the day Blue Ivy had her Lion King premiere. While he considered not attending the event since it was “her moment,” he said he ended up going to support her since “our family, we are a tight unit.”