The new rapper Jay-Z called “the smartest”

Jay-Z is one of hip-hop’s most prominent moguls and knows the music industry inside out. As well as being an emcee, the Brooklyn legend is also a label executive with an ear for good music. As the figure behind rappers such as Kanye West and J Cole, one has to be exceptional for the tycoon to shout you out.

However, in an interview with B. Dot and Elliott Wilson of the Rap Radar podcast, it was unveiled that Jay-Z is a fan of Vince Staples and believes he is one of the most prolific hip-hop artists he sees. During their conversation, B.Dot revealed to Staples that Jay-Z was a fan of his. Furthermore, he unveiled that Hov considered Vince’s album, Ramona Park Broke My Heart, a modern classic. 

B.Dot began the podcast by stating, “To be honest with you, full disclosure, JAY-Z was the one who told me and put me on to your album. [He] said it was ‘beautiful.’ And he was like calling you one of the smartest, most creative rappers out there in the game right now.”

However, as much as he admired Jay-Z, Staples strangely disclosed that he doesn’t pay much attention to what industry figures think about his music, whether that be an icon like Hov praising him or fans on social media bashing him.

Elaborating on his stance, the Long Beach artist explained, “If I’m indifferent to if people like it, I’m for sure indifferent if you don’t like it. I feel like everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Once you put something out into the universe and you selling something, it’s okay for people to say if they like it or don’t like it.”

Respectfully, the West Coast emcee divulged that he doesn’t record projects with the intention for people to love his output, clarifying, “That’s not really why I make music. I don’t really care how nobody feel about nothing, to be 100 percent honest. I appreciate them listening and that’s as far as it goes like how people feel.”

The 29-year-old Long Beach artist is often overlooked concerning new-generation rappers as, akin to artists such as Earl Sweatshirt and Isaiah Rashad, he tends to make abstract music with no intention of appealing to the mainstream trap-oriented hip-hop audience of today. You can listen to Staples’ Rap radar interview below.