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Jay Z – GQ Interview – 2026

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

Jay Z – GQ Interview – 2026

So me and my hubby were smoking a little something and doing one of our favorite stay-at-home weekend rituals, just letting music videos and random clips roll.
Then my algorithm tossed this Jay Z GQ interview right into the timeline, and honestly, it hit exactly the way it was supposed to.
Some things don’t need a big setup.
They just land.
This was one of those.

I have always been one of Jay Z’s biggest fans.
What I love about him is not just the music, the bars, or the business moves.
It is the mind.
The calm.
The way he can sit in a conversation and make you feel like he is still ten steps ahead, but never has to scream it.

In this GQ Video Cover Story with Frazier Tharpe, he felt reflective, sharp, and very much like a man who has nothing left to prove but still understands exactly who he is.
GQ published the interview on March 24, 2026, as part of the 30-year milestone around;
Reasonable Doubt, which was originally released on June 25, 1996.

One of the things that really stood out to me was learning that Roc A Fella was not born out of some clean, polished master plan.
Jay Z told GQ that the label came together after he got rejected by the industry, and that matters.
A lot.
Because people love to rewrite success after the fact and act like greatness always gets welcomed through the front door.
Sometimes the front door stays locked, so you build your own house.
That part right there is one of the reasons I have always respected him.

What also made this interview hit different is that it was not just about legacy and billionaire headlines. It was also about pressure, controversy, public scrutiny, and surviving a season that could have broken a lot of people.

The civil lawsuit filed against Jay Z in late 2024 was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice in February 2025, meaning it cannot be refiled, and in this interview, he talks about how deeply that period affected him.
You could feel that this wasn’t performative damage control. This felt like a man talking about how ugly it is when your name gets dragged through the mud in real time.

I also liked that the conversation was bigger than gossip.
He talked about family, about where hip hop is now, about the Kendrick and Drake situation, about culture moving at internet speed, and about how weird the whole climate can get when everybody is locked into teams instead of truth.

That is part of why Jay has lasted this long.
He understands rap, business, image, and timing, but he also understands human nature.
That is a different kind of intelligence.
The dangerous kind.
The billionaire kind.
The Brooklyn boardroom poet kind.

And that is really why I love Jay Z.
Not because he is perfect.
Not because every era hit me the same.
Not because I agree with every move.

I love Jay because he is one of those artists who reminds you that reinvention is part of survival.

He came into the game with hunger, built something when nobody wanted to hand him a seat, and thirty years later, he still knows how to sit down in front of the camera and make people pay attention. No tricks.
No tap dancing.
Just presence.
Just perspective.
Just Jay.

So yeah. This is why I love Jay Z.
Just watch this video.
Just watch it.

JayZ #ShawnCarter #GQ #ReasonableDoubt #RocAFella #HipHopCulture #TheSoundtrackOfWhoIBecame #WhatImlisteningToRightNow

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Tevin Campbell – Can We Talk – 1993

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

Today was not a great day.

I do not really want to get into it, and honestly, some days do not deserve that much explanation.
Some days just feel off from the minute they start.
When that happens, I do what I have always done. I go to music.

I was listening to a lot of music while I worked today. I started with my Spotify playlist Personal Grind, then drifted over to my Slow Jams playlist, trying to find the song that fit my mood.
Nothing was landing.
Nothing was saying exactly what I needed it to say.
Then I heard somebody on TV mention Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk”, and the second I heard the title, that was it.
I had to play it immediately.

And just like that, my day turned around.
It became my song of the day.

I truly love this song and its whole vibe. It is smooth, honest, and young in the best way.
Tevin’s voice at that point in his life had that perfect balance of polish and innocence.
He did not sound overworked or overproduced. He sounded fresh, emotional, and real.
That is part of what still makes this record hit the way it does.

It was released on September 21, 1993, as the lead single from his second album, I’m Ready, which followed a month later on October 26, 1993.
The song was written by Babyface and Daryl Simmons, and produced by them, too.
Babyface also contributed background vocals, which makes perfect sense once you know it, because his fingerprints are all over the feel of this record.

And let me clear up one of those music rumors that has floated around forever.
There have been long-running stories that “Can We Talk” was meant for Usher first.
Babyface himself has shut that down and said the song was written specifically for Tevin Campbell, at the request of Quincy Jones. That matters because, honestly, this song fits Tevin like tailored silk.
I cannot hear anybody else singing it.

Now Babyface is a whole problem in the best possible way.
That man dominated the 80s and 90s as a writer and producer, and his catalog is ridiculous.

A dozen artists tied to his songwriting and production legacy include Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men, Bobby Brown, TLC, Madonna, Pebbles, Johnny Gill, Tevin Campbell, Mary J. Blige, Karyn White, and Brandy.
That is not even the full roll call.
That is just enough to make the point.
The man was not just outside looking in.
He was the architect in the room.

And that is another reason this song lands so hard.
You have Tevin Campbell, one of the best young male voices of that era, and then you have Babyface, one of the coldest writers and producers to ever touch R&B, building the framework around him.
That is not luck. That is chemistry.

Also, I have said this before and I will say it again: I’m Ready and T.E.V.I.N. are my favorite Tevin Campbell albums.
I have tried to pick one over the other, and I really cannot do it.
Both of them are classics to me.
Both deserve way more appreciation than they get.
If you want a good afternoon or evening listen, put on both and let them ride.
That is grown, real-deal, quality R&B right there.

So yeah, today may not have been a great day.
But somehow “Can We Talk” found me anyway.
And changed my day.

Sometimes that is what music does.
djz7

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Ready for the World – Gently – 1988

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

Ready for the World – “Gently” (1988, from the album Ruff ‘n’ Ready)

One of my favorite groups from the 80s was Ready for the World. I always felt like they never got the full credit they deserved. They had their moment on the R&B charts, but crossover success never really chased them the way it should have.

And for me, it was never really about their upbeat records.
It was always the slow cuts. I 100% love all their slow cuts.

Tonight
Love You down
Slide Over
Deep Inside Your Love
Can He Do It Like This
And then there’s Gently… yeah, that one right there.
It’s my favorite.

That song came off their third album Ruff ‘n’ Ready in 1988, and it was written and produced by the group’s core genius, Melvin Riley. His voice had that softness to it, but it still carried weight. That balance is not easy.
Either you croon too light or you over-sing it. He sat right in the pocket for this one.
It just seemed very personal for him.

“Gently” wasn’t built to be loud. It was built to sit close.

Late night.
Lights low.
Tape deck humming.
No distractions.

That’s the kind of record this is.

It didn’t explode on the pop charts, but on the R&B side, it found its audience. Quiet storm energy all the way through. The kind of song DJs knew to reach for when the room needed to slow down and breathe a little.

And I’m gonna be honest, this stayed in my rotation.

Tonight, Love You down, Slide Over, Deep Inside Your Love, Can He Do It Like This and Gently were always on my slow jams mixtapes. No question. Those were staples. You couldn’t make a proper set without them. They weren’t optional; they were required.

That’s the difference between hits and feeling.

Some songs chart.
Some songs stay.

This one stayed with me.

No hype.
No overproduction.
Just emotion, melody, and that unmistakable 80s R&B texture that we don’t hear the same way anymore.

Everybody has those records that don’t need an explanation.
This is one of mine.

#ReadyForTheWorld #Gently #80sRNB #SlowJams #QuietStorm #MelvinRiley #SoundtrackOfWhoIBecame

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Switch – I Call Your Name – 1979

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

There’s something about this song that just feels… honest. No gimmicks. No overproduction. Just pure emotion riding on top of that groove. And then that voice comes in…

Bobby DeBarge.

Man… the first time I heard his falsetto, I had to stop whatever I was doing. I’m serious. I wasn’t ready for it. That tone was so clean, so effortless, it almost didn’t feel real. And if you know, you know… it hits you the same way El DeBarge’s voice does. That family DNA was something different. Special. Rare.

What’s wild is… I actually learned about DeBarge before I really dug into Switch. So when I circled back and heard this, it felt like discovering the origin story. Like… ohhh… this is where that magic started.

And Bobby… he wasn’t just singing. He was feeling. You can hear it all over this record. There’s a vulnerability in his voice that you don’t get from everybody. It’s almost like he’s telling you something personal without saying it directly.

Now let’s be real for a second. Bobby’s story didn’t end the way it should have. Talented. Gifted. Beautiful voice. But life… life wasn’t kind to him.

There were struggles. Addiction. Pain behind the scenes that most people didn’t see until it was too late.

And yeah… there were rumors about him. About who he was, who he loved. And honestly? That never mattered to me. Not then, not now. If anything, it adds another layer to that voice. Because sometimes the people carrying the most inside of them… sing the deepest.

Now here’s the part that makes this song mine.
I got a cousin… Shorty. Old soul. Loves the oldies. And years ago, I put him on to this track. Just casually like, “Hey… listen to this.”

Big mistake. 😄

Because now… every single time he hears it, my phone goes off.

“Yo… this your song!”

And the funny part? He literally just texted me about it a few days ago.

I’m not even joking. Same song. Same energy. Same connection.
And that’s when it hit me

I’ve been doing this my whole life. Sharing music. Passing songs around like memories. Like little pieces of myself. Because for me, music has always been personal.

There are songs for certain people.
Songs for certain moments.
Songs that mark chapters in your life whether you realize it or not.

And this right here… this is one of those songs.
Not just because of how it sounds.
But because of who it connects me to.

That’s the real soundtrack.

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Ne-Yo – Champagne Life Extended Version – 2010

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

This right here… this is one of my favorite Ne-Yo songs.
Champagne Life – Extended version. The video still hits hard every single time. 🥂

This wasn’t just a random video either. It was part of a 3-part video series from The Libra Scale era.
Back when artists actually told a story instead of just chasing streams.
Ne-Yo was in his grown, reflective, cinematic bag.

A little trivia for my fellow music heads 🎶:

Ne-Yo co-wrote this with Stargate, and if you love songwriting the way I do, you can hear it in every line. This one wasn’t about flexing — it was about perspective.

The video was directed by Hype Williams, which explains the luxury visuals, the mood, and that quiet loneliness behind the shine.

And yeah, it charted well, but this song was never really about numbers.
It’s about feeling like you made it… and still questioning what it cost you.

Ne-Yo has always been a (great) writer first, and that’s why I’ve always respected him.
Songs like this age well because they’re honest.

No rush.
No gimmicks.
Just Grown R&B.

This one stays in my gym and gaming rotation.

t.

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John Legend & Brandy – Quickly – 2008

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

I haven’t posted in a minute. Not because I couldn’t, but because I didn’t want to.
And honestly, I was in my feelings. I kinda needed some empty.

Then today happened, and it hit me… why not post exactly what I’m doing right now?

So here’s the scene:

I’m playing NBA 2K26…
Watching The Crown (season one) with my husband…
And listening to one of my MyFavz playlists on Spotify.

That’s how my brain operates when I’m vaping—three lanes open, all flowing at once.

And then this jam just slid into the moment.
John Legend & Brandy – “Quickly.”

A smooth, late-night groove from a combo I didn’t see coming but clearly needed.
It’s definitely one of those “Grown Folks, Let It Ride” joints.
It’s really a great song.

Do yourself a favor and check this one out.

— t

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Angie Stone – Wish I Didn’t Miss You – 2001

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

New Year’s Day, 2026.

There’s something about the first day of the year. It’s quiet in a different way.
Not empty, just reflective.
Like everything you’ve been through is sitting with you, but it’s not weighing you down.

I’m starting this year with Angie Stone – Wish I Didn’t Miss You.
She passed away on March 1, 2025, and she is truly missed. And that title… it lands a little deeper today.
Wish I didn’t miss you.

This one came on while I was out walking Loki this morning, and I didn’t skip it.
I didn’t reach for anything else.
I just let it play.
The air felt different.
The moment felt different, and the song just fit.

No overthinking.
No heavy backstory.
Just that smooth, grown groove that settles your shoulders and clears your head.

That’s what New Year’s Day feels like to me now.
Not pressure.
Not resolutions.
Just alignment.
Just being present with where I am.
What I’ve been through, and what I’m carrying forward.

Angie had a way of making reflection feel good instead of heavy.
She could take something emotional and wrap it in a groove that lets you breathe through it instead of breaking under it.
That’s rare.

And maybe that’s the energy for this year.
Not running from the past.
Not drowning in it either.
Just letting it walk beside you, like background music to the next chapter.

Sometimes a song doesn’t need a reason.
It just meets you where you are and walks with you for a few minutes.
Or a lifetime.

Today, on the first day of a brand new year, this was that song.

Miss You, Angie!

t.

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Divine Sounds – What People Do For Money – 1984

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

Some records don’t age. They just wait.

What People Do for Money has been living in my head as 2025 closes out, because if this year had a theme song… this would be uncomfortably close.

The title says it all. What people do for money.
Compromises.
Corners cut.
Truth bent into origami shapes.

Watching the country argue with itself while the cost of living went up, and the value of people somehow went down. Hustle culture turned predatory.
Everybody is chasing something; not everyone is proud of how they’re chasing it.

This song never judged.
It observed.

And that’s what 2025 felt like: one long observation of who we become when pressure stays high, and patience runs low.
Who we step on?
Who we forget?
What we justify when survival gets expensive.

For me, The Soundtrack of Who I Became has always been about moments like this.
Music acts as a mirror.
This record doesn’t preach.
It documents.
And sometimes that’s more honest than hope wrapped in a slogan.

So this is my last post of 2025.

Still here.
Still listening.
Still choosing to remember who I am.
Even when the world makes it tempting to forget.

On to 2026.

Eyes open.
Ears sharper.
Soul intact.

t.

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Babyface – We’ve Got Love – 2015

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.
Mine was… Ok.

Today wasn’t really landing right for me.

But then “We Got Love” by Babyface came on while I was walking Loki around the lake, and just like that, my mood shifted.
No warning.
No buildup.
Just truth hitting me mid-stride.
That song is grown-folk love in its purest form. The lyrics don’t pretend love is always pretty.
They acknowledge the wear and tear of the arguments, the scars, the ugly.

But the message is simple and unshakeable.
We stayed.
We endured.
We chose each other anyway.

And standing there thinking about my husband… everything we’ve been through—the good, the bad, and yeah, the ugly.
I realized something all over again.
We’re still here.
Because we got love.

Babyface always had that gift. He didn’t write fantasy; he wrote emotional accuracy.
And that’s why, since the ’80s, nobody can touch him.
He’s my…
Favorite artist.
Favorite songwriter.
Favorite producer.
Period.

Let’s be clear about the résume. He has shaped careers and soundtracks for Whitney Houston (“Exhale”), Boyz II Men (“End of the Road”), Toni Braxton (“Breathe Again”), Mary J. Blige (“Not Gon’ Cry”), Madonna (“Take a Bow”), Brandy (“Sittin’ Up in My Room”), Usher, TLC, The Whispers, Pebbles, Tevin Campbell…
And that’s no way near the full list.

Trivia: “We Got Love” came later in his solo catalog, but it feels like the distilled wisdom of everything he’d lived and written before it. No theatrics. No over-singing. Just seasoned truth.
Some songs don’t just play in your ears they realign your spirit.

This was one of those moments.
Just Press Play.

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Adele – Set Fire To The Rain (Live at The Royal Albert Hall) – 2011

by djzyonseven
written by djzyonseven

Every now and then, a song comes along that understands you a little too well.
Set Fire to the Rain is one of those records for me.

It’s about loving someone you know you shouldn’t… seeing the red flags, feeling the heat anyway, and still walking straight into the storm.
That push and pull between heart and head.
Adele put words and pain to it flawlessly.

This isn’t just a breakup song.
It’s a realization song.
That moment when love burns, truth pours down, and you finally see things clearly — even if it hurts like hell.

Still hits.
Everytime!

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