FIRST TIME HEARING- Jay-Z - Imaginary Players (REACTION)

[@KingAhmadTv]

Press F for respect for mase in the chat 😂😂😂😂💯

[@ArtisanWindchimes]

F… I always loved Ma$e flow

[@jayc5756]

Mase got at him on that 112 R&B song feature though. Lol 😂 112 - Love Me Song so 🔥, I think I may play it right now tbh. FR. Just Mase verse didn't belong...cause it didn't fit the topic of what they was singing about. Lol 😂

[@jayc5756]

@@camronshean1758 Lol 😂

[@bigloc3442]

Listen to " diary of a madman " by gravediggaz , ( rza group) if u haven't already . U won't be disappointed fam! Trust me !

[@raulgrijalva16]

Whoever hating on this album I think needs to step back and listen again… this was the last album where Jay was top notch lyrically. Yes it has weak points ( girls like, sunshine) mid points (rap game/crack game, Face off) but the highs man they are some of the best of his career

[@stevenmaher2053]

Jay on that lyrical ability! Nobody can flip words like him..all without a pen too!

[@mikdblksheep]

Beside Papoose

[@bigb2494]

Only rapper to rewrite history without a pen

[@thedarksideoftheforce6658]

​@@bigb2494 Jay Z wrote this album on paper. He didn't do that until after he met Big. False. There's a rapper name supernatural that freestyles and never writes ever. Before Jay Z. I can name more.

[@bigb2494]

@@thedarksideoftheforce6658 first I was merely quoting a bar from Death of Auto-Tune. There's dozens of producers and rappers who all say Jay never writes anything down, including No ID who produced that track, which was a skill he picked while being on the street hustling. Even Mr Cee, Big Daddy Kane's dj said when Biggie saw that Jay didn't write down any lyrics that inspired him to do the same. As far as anyone else, it very well may be, but it's not up to me to research a claim that you made. However I did include a link to an interview with DJ Clark Kent who first got Big and Jay together, which he says who did what first. kzbin.info1lTCeQfQeGQ?feature=share

[@bigb2494]

@@thedarksideoftheforce6658 kzbin.info1lTCeQfQeGQ?feature=share

[@nolimitbryan3263]

"Origin-AL Jiggas the future flow digit-AL" just the way he pronunciates his rhymes into his flow pure genius

[@DvNgEr93]

I swea to god my favor rapper

[@yankeewz8377]

That sounds exactly like Noreaga flow on the song "LA LA" in 1995 from 2 years earlier. I'd say maybe he bit that flow a little.

[@Vinnyhiphop732]

Conversational jay is jay at his most lethal

[@DuceVasquez215]

You're so right because he's so intelligent so when he's doing this and dissing someone it's deadly

[@kaykilla1000]

“Ain’t no platinum in those Cartiers switch yo frames” This is the song that really turned Detroit out onto Cartiers. This was 1997.

[@jerryalexander8803]

Not at all.. Plus Detroiters preferred the wood frames

[@mauricewilliams5003]

People make the mistake of not understanding what Jay Z’s talking about because a lot of it goes over their heads. Jay is the most lyrical rapper ever.

[@etotheipi42]

Jay at a graduate degree hip hop level, Lupe Fiasco studied him and Lupe teaches at MIT now.

[@michaelbailey8059]

Thank you for opening the young cats to these classics that you’re doing bruh!

[@ShesMajickal_]

Him and Wayne have the god tier metaphors

[@PrideRoc]

Right! Like that nothing to lose line

[@VinceBond-ky2zt]

@@etotheipi42Even Lupe will laugh at your remark, explain to you why you’re wrong and my guess is you’d both laugh together in the end

[@jaydwalker8024]

Jay is prof that flow is very important in real hip hop.

[@SBTheBully]

Don't follow the flow, be the flow 😎

[@ascension-spiritualawakeni7865]

I’m still waiting for “The Streets Is Watching” and “Where I’m From” reactions my Brother. Two of the realist songs HOV ever did!!!

[@GOILL]

I have the VHS and DVD. On the VHS the main difference is the nudity. The scene with the 2 chicks with the Christión song showed everything.... 😆.

[@arunsiochor8892]

No doubt, "where I'm from" easily one of his realest track.

[@TruBlq]

@@GOILL yeah, that use to be my soft p0rn joint back in the day. 🤣🤣🤣

[@ShesMajickal_]

Allure is dope too

[@deputydan2226]

City is mine, Imaginary player.. shit that whole album was iight

[@clintongray5065]

Man he destroyed Mase in this but Mase said this actually happened he came around Jay and Dame and they laughed at his watch 😂😂😂

[@haydotzero3372]

Mase destroyed him in Do what playas do

[@haydotzero3372]

And he was the first one with bust down rolex

[@mackinshizzaveli4202]

@@haydotzero3372 Those ain’t Rolex diamonds/ wtf you done to that?

[@friendswitdadealer]

Yea around that time Jay and not many other people had ever seen a bust down Rolex which is common now with rappers. Ma$e got a Rolex from Puff and covered it in diamonds. Jay saw that and was like “the fuck you done to that?”. Hov is a big watch guy and along with not ever seeing it before probably thought Murda was messing with the integrity of the watch.

[@rickeymickeyii4166]

@@friendswitdadealermakes tons of sense 💯

[@tywayne3]

Jay did put us common folk on platinum. Lol. He also had brothers transition from over sized jerseys and Tall Ts to button up shirts in the clubs.....and he was the first I remembered to have ever really used the word swag. More of an influencer than people give him credit for.

[@bamnjphoto]

Yea we sold our gold for platinum then the price of gold eclipsed platinum

[@tywayne3]

@@bamnjphoto lol...yeah! When I bought my skinny lil wedding band 10 years ago, I was like 'how much'?? 😁

[@MrGeeqTaYou]

His delivery is so polished from the 1st album to the last.

[@shondavidson1436]

Jay z “what more can I say” is one of the greatest songs ever made. It’s on the black album when he retired from rap. Check it out.

[@njnatl09]

Yes please do What more can I say soon..

[@robertmatthews9650]

“Retired”

[@dawb86]

@@robertmatthews9650 lol right. we knew his ass was coming back. just wanted to lay up with Bey for a while... 😂

[@robertmatthews9650]

@@dawb86 😂

[@markyd573]

"It's On" Jay Z ft Beanie Sigel 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Red-zx6cm]

🔥🔥🔥

[@J2Fresh247]

Definitely was another fire one

[@gweah7821]

97 Jay is my favorite version of Jay-Z. This is not his best album but as an MC he was at his zenith. With the Hard Knock Life album and afterwards, he was still sharp, but he dumbed it down.

[@kelrawlins8121]

@@gweah7821 correct that era he was sick wid it they don't like to give Jay his credit

[@djb10]

The "your single was 99 cents, mine, 4 bucks" line always kills me. To put it in context when you'd go to the record store to buy your music, there was a section of "singles". The singles were "the hits" on the radio or had a video for a song. For the most part, they'd range from $2.99 - $4.99, depending on the artist & how many other songs were on the tape or cd. But there were those artists that weren't really big enough to demand that profit margin so, they practically had to give their shit away. LOL

[@jayc5756]

LOL 😂

[@kingday2424]

He was dissing mase as well lol

[@MrRiq29]

@@kingday2424 facts

[@SPLASHGOD575]

In my lifetime volume 1 is fire I don't know why people hate it

[@loyallfc7239]

I think most people rate this album out of the Vol series. Vol 3 for me is one of Hov's weakest albums, never enjoyed the filler on this.

[@Roy_Al_Blak202]

Jay is on the level of Nas and Biggie dude Dig deeper in the catalog You don't have to be philosophical to be lyrical... Jay has all the GOAT attributes

[@mjperkins5400]

Stop it he is not on Nas or Bigs level lyrically.

[@NoCaptivityB]

@@mjperkins5400🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@joshlawill]

​@@mjperkins5400He actually is though. His subject matter is just over people's heads. It's funny how fans say he's not on BIG and Nas level But BIG respected his flow and Nas know how nice Jay is

[@mjperkins5400]

@@joshlawill Jay said he wish he could be on same lyrical sphere as Talib Kweli. But he has to make pop music. Dude is a pop star.

[@joshlawill]

@@mjperkins5400 you need to listen to that verse again 🤣

[@nolimitbryan3263]

It’s crazy Jay didn’t write nun of his songs all off the top 🔥🔥

[@Samsonmanase]

This is like Jordan winning 10 straight Scoring titles …. Just not fair

[@Jimmystarr21]

He’s talking about Mase and yes Jay z IS LYRICAL.

[@humblereacts5274]

Word what makes jay good is his flow and how he be saying his lyrics

[@ezekwu]

and what he says...

[@DesignzRUs]

His wordplay

[@who_is_dis]

It’s a great balance across the board.

[@coreyp9072]

Jay is on ALL of their levels lyrically

[@who_is_dis]

He has a lot of substance to what he says. Always loved Hov. Crazy how so many hate on him.

[@dawb86]

The "hate" was deeper than his skills, which I think most acknowledge. It was moreso how he went about gaining his success, from both a philosophical and a literal standpoint lol...

[@MaryLou913]

Jay-Z is in my top 5 but he has little substance in his raps. Pretty words fo’ sho. His flow is crazy and he’s very lyrical but substance? Nah.

[@who_is_dis]

@@MaryLou913 I agree with you, I think I was meaning density, he expands on and says a lot in a little. But it's usually pretty trivial / predictable things he's spoke on throughout his career. Money, Business/Street politics. etc.

[@VinceBond-ky2zt]

@@MaryLou913talking about hustling is massive substance

[@samtonnude941]

​@@MaryLou913 common propaganda, he has so many songs with substance,its best you keep quiet.😂

[@dstu1699]

The second verse was for Mase. Good reaction, fam.

[@q-dawwg626]

Of ALL the Jay Z songs, this one is so nostalgic to me. I remember listening 🎶 to this song chillin on the benches on the block back in the days in Shaolin, NYC. Dope Jay Z when he was that Dude.

[@dawb86]

It's something about records like this, Crooklyn Dodgers '95 "Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers" or Pun "You Came Up" that hit you with that feeling for some reason. The vibe in them is just kind of gone in this era now, reminds you of old NYC.....

[@blkschizo]

to me, this right here was PEAK Jay-Z. This funnily enough is my favorite joint of his out of his entire catalog. Vol 1/Streets is Watching Jay-Z was his best work.

[@ArtisanWindchimes]

Vol 1 is one of my favorite Jay albums. Please do You Must Love Me next off this same album

[@Vinnyhiphop732]

For those saying the album trash, there's too many bside bangers on here for that. This album gets a bad rap for really 3 songs: the city is mine, the joint with Kim, and sunshine.

[@shaftpunk84]

I was one of those guys who hated those songs back in the day but now that I’m older the whole album is nostalgic and City Is Mine and Sunshine get bumped too. That Lil Kim joint is still butt though. But yeah, this album has Who You Wit and Where I’m From so can’t skip it.

[@WHG369]

Too many fluffy tracks. But there is some heat on this album. You most love me still makes me reflect

[@ArtisanWindchimes]

@@shaftpunk84 A Million And One, You Must Love Me, Streets Is Watching, Friend Or Fie ‘98, Real Niggas with Too Short

[@tywayne3]

Agree, those were the tracks I didn't like. Still don't really like the Biggie collab, but respect the lyrical quality.

[@mauricerockingham3782]

@@tywayne3 are u talking bout Brooklyns Finest from Reasonable Doubt which is one of the greatest back and forth songs in hip hop?

[@KevLeaux]

He was just flexing real hard on this shit, classic!

[@KtotheG]

He's talking about the whole rap game of fake players. When Jay first got on, he was already rich due to his drug sales past. Him and Dame built Rocafella off of those funds. So when he first started politicking with rappers in the game, he was surprised at how fake a lot of them were, because they weren't flossin' and drippin' with ice and dough like they were on their videos and what not. He would build with them and would be the only one who could afford Cristal or buy out the bar. He said this when he first dropped Reasonable Doubt in an interview once. This was before rappers were getting BIG money like they are today. In the '90s, a lot of rappers got jerked, but you couldn't tell from their songs.

[@thomashester2]

Ma$e responded on 112’s Love Me “niggas saying platinum that and platinum this but ain’t nobody got no Platinum hits” & “if you can’t see my watch that means my sleeves on it” ma$e first album went 4x platinum which was more than both Reasonable Doubt and In My Lifetime Vol 1 sales

[@v2t4g77]

Jay Z lucky me & You must love me

[@4evasmooth]

Jay has always been a witty lyricist. You gotta go beyond the wordplay with him sometime and just connect the dots and decode what he spits

[@mgopaul27]

People love to compare Nas and Jay, and I get why, but they're just two different artists. Nas is undisputed GOAT to me but I'll never take away from how monumentally important Jay's contribution is to hip-hop. This man just raps and brags different. It's different, because you just know it's real.

[@samtonnude941]

Jay >> nas ngl

[@bobbyjohnson540]

This was my favorite song on that album. Highschool yrs

[@nonfictiongaming1233]

As someone who was there, singles were 99cents. And his was 100 percent four bucks. No lies told. A album was $8. His single was half that. Smh

[@fredrick3977]

He was dissing Mase alledgedly but check his song You Must Love Me featuring Kelly Price

[@mikeparker7562]

Jay Z was talking to Mase...he sent several shots at him on that Album. I'm a old head so I was there during the time but you can Google it.

[@chadbuchanan842]

One of my favorite hov songs Such an underrated jam.

[@gerardlawlor513]

“Them Shit’s Even Got Leathers!?”🔥😆🤣😂🔥

[@ERob1987]

"If it's no manicures on board, switch ya plane" 👏🏽

[@WTF-zs8cvWT]

bro sorry to tell you but as a lyrical miracle rap fan... JAY-Z is more more moreeee lyrical than NAS. NAS is a story teller. JAY-Z is LYRICAL...

[@VinceBond-ky2zt]

Dont blame the youth His just repeating what he sees online

[@nonfictiongaming1233]

STREETS IS WATCHIN MOVIE!!

[@Brooklyn-y8w]

Story about the platinum is he was wearing platinum before rappers new what it was. They also thought is was silver

[@HillofTheHigh]

This my wife’s ringtone!!! He’s the GOAT

[@cmag864]

He was talking about the rapper Mase…And mase responded on the 112 song “Love Me”

[@raulgrijalva16]

Jay is a conversationalist when he raps, it’s just different then a Nas. Jay can’t really personify, or delve as deep as Nas but he is number 1 at what he does and he is another Genius.

[@garyshane]

One of my favourite songs

[@tywayne3]

Dope, think this was one of the first tracks on the album. Was a good tone setter for the album and transition from Reasonable Doubt. Told you Jay 'version 1.5' was dope. Lol.

[@Vinnyhiphop732]

Off top I think it's track 4

[@tywayne3]

@@Vinnyhiphop732 probably so, I probably thought it was earlier because I'm sure I skipped to it quite often. Lol

[@anonymousapocalypse247]

1.5 is accurate

[@quezimoto]

"aint no manicures on board? switch ya plane" 🥶

[@jamarvenable4277]

This Is One My Favorite Songs From Jay. The 2nd Verse Was At Mase and The 5 Series Is The Benz 500 Drove Smooth

[@jskee2002]

That 4.0 and 4.6 I believe are range rovers with the 4.6 being the fully loaded. Jay Z is a hustler period. What he did with crack he did with rap, sold units. The man told u “I dummed down for my audience to double my dollars” always been business minded. It’s not a coincidence that he is where he is today

[@juelz3451]

no no what he ACTUALLY did was drink devil urine and sacrifice aaliyah to the klingons in exhange for riches!! /s

[@kaykilla1000]

Facts

[@ArtisanWindchimes]

@@juelz3451 Nas literally raps about drinking his own s*men and ur!ne in his song You Da Man (Original) Edit: but I did catch the satire in your comment tho

[@vickthashredder]

This whole album smacks

[@sportsagent718]

He was talking about Camron.Czmron did a interview recently saying he had some color diamonds in his watch and Jay saw it and thought it was wack lol

[@swugaddies3420]

He talking bout mase. And all the fake rappers acting like drug dealers. He really was … second it was Jay that made platinum popular… why he said it. He was wearing it before he even blew up. Mind u this album is from 97

[@derr3alex]

About to hit play, I know you are going to love this. Enjoy!!!

[@cibida1]

Fam you HAVE to do “Where I’m From” if you haven’t already by Jay. Same album. Audio not video.

[@grandmasterciphersupreme7751]

What people don't know, he wrote that song about himself. Kareem Biggs Burke interview was removed from You Tube about how he showed Jay his first platinum Rollie, Rolls-Royce and Crystal in California and Dame was there to confirm it. Next thing I know, You Tube went through and removed a lot of videos detailing people real life stories and replaced them with people lying in interviews. 🤷

[@VinceBond-ky2zt]

Maybe the old videos were lying to your small brain

[@tywayne3]

Can't remember if you've done Dear Summer, Where I'm From, or La La La. Also, Volume III and Roc La Familia full album reviews.

[@garyshane]

When you get a chance, check out the Streets is Watching movie by Jay Z. There is a video for this tune.

[@Thatsthewholething]

A good Jay z song nobody mentions is some people hate off the blueprint 2 produced by Kanye

[@letstalkfreedom5360]

People don’t react to these type of jayz songs. Great job

[@courtneywilburn5031]

Jay z - dear summer

[@demarioqc]

Jay saw Mase out somewhere one time back when he was just getting started, and saw his Rolex flooded with diamonds and thought it was fake !! But what Jay didn’t realize is that Puff & Mase was the first in the game to take they shit to the jeweler and get it bust down !!

[@PHILLYBIRDDAWG]

He was talking bout Mase in this song

[@enosone]

At around 4:26 you asked who he was talking about; Imaginary Players is a diss track aimed at Mase.

[@akeemMagic01]

Jay literally introduced Crystal and Platinum jewelry to hip hop Bentleys and much more.

[@robertramirez8402]

When he’s says what’s the difference between a 4.0 and 4.6 he’s talking about the top of the line Range Rover which was an insane vehicle black then that not many could afford, the 4.0 was the basic model

[@antlove8723]

Peace King. Peace to the Family. This my shit!💯🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@ThunyMusic]

You have to review that whole album “in my life time”

[@TheIcemanthomas]

I’ll never understand the jay z haters. HOV is HARD.

[@KlikQuot]

Mase is who he talking about it’s a low key diss about Artists in the the industry

[@michaelbatts3691]

He really was popping shit on Show You How “This particular watch be a one of one. That means none before it and none to come. The homie thats rapping be the only one that has it

[@derr3alex]

Yo King. After you review this album. React to his mini movie Streets is Watching. Brings alot of these tracks to life.

[@lifeisagambletv]

"whats the difference between a 4.0 and a 4.6???" The range rover is what he's referring to lol Jigga was talkin that shit on this song.. he made you feel like a broke ass nigga listening to this lmaooo " yall can't go wit me.. nope.... flow wit me... bet 50! not dollars either i brought some dough wit me...."

[@richietorresmma]

one of my favorite jay tracks but this album as a whole is probably a 7/10

[@blamethebx1075]

"Do them shits even got leather" 😅

[@JamesNight-te4yg]

The fact that he laughing when this all we old heads was listening to is sooo crazy real rap young man

[@laneiware1498]

Also can you React To Jay-Z-Can I Live ll ft Memphis Bleek next too?

[@freddie5ive]

jayz way better writer than biggie and nas

[@CoolOutSessions910]

Congrats on hearing this classic

[@latkokilla]

Im loco with dough papo

[@theimpeccable1069]

From what I heard.. This was addressed to Ma$e Bethea 😆 Research: (Conspiracy Theory 😄) Ma$e came out with "Lookin' At Me" 10/28/97 & Jay had an response.. 11/4/97 "Imaginary Players" 💯 (Conspiracy Theories 😂) 97's Range Rover's.. The 4.0 vs The 4.6 HSE (the time.. 40k vs 130k Range.. Do THEM shit come in leather?!? 😂)

[@seang4464]

He was dissing Mase on this. Him and Mase had a lil back and forth in 97-98.

[@jofoto612]

The Rolex line was for Mase

[@kc-zf1jp]

Did you say Jay not on Nas and Big level???? 😅🤣😅🤣. He was speaking to Mase. Mase confirmed it

[@Landon_J07]

Im pretty sure the start of verse 2 “now you got these young cats talkin bout how the slung caps when I see you in the streets I don’t see nun of that” he is talking about Nas. And the rest of the verse is directed at Mase.

[@Vinnyhiphop732]

Poor mase lol. But yea this is my favorite version, that vol 1/clue tape era jay. All kinds of problems.

[@im_Just_A_Vibe]

You have to watch The Steets Is Watching soundtrack album with the videos

[@THATBOIYUNG]

I love this album bro do the review….. I think this was a Mase diss

[@Trylz76]

You want lyrical, I DARE you to review Jay's Lyrical Exercise...and hold on to your seat

[@coreymason7748]

Outside of Black Album and American Dreamin....I play this album more than ANY other Jay Z album.....nigga only had 3 "skips" on the whole album...and "City is mine" was dope lyrically I just wasn't fucking with that commercial sample track

[@MoeIceberg]

He rhymed CRITICAL WITH SIT IT DOWN…come on man! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Yoloslides]

what makes this even crazier is the roc crew literally got their buzz by shitting on rappers for real. They were buying out bars when no one knew who they were, embarrassing rappers who were talking about money in their songs....to their faces

[@markbay6775]

He was talking about Mase from bad boy

[@AK-4nill]

Although I prefer nas to say jay-z isn’t lyrical is crazy. Some say #1

[@DrNuce007]

Glad somebody reacted to my all time favorite Jay-Z track I subscribed ASAP just for that bro.

[@AmoreKing]

Jay is 100% on the same level of lyrical ability. Arguably better. Wait until you get deeper into his catalog. 💯

[@Mrprez1054]

Mase admitted he was talkin' about him. He knew it at the time.

[@coreymason7748]

This 2nd favorite Jay album ....he had 2 blaah songs ...... the rest was FIRE 🔥

[@thanobodies2803]

Ma$e watch wasn’t fake he was just the first to bust down his watch and use aftermarket diamonds which is what every rapper is doing right now