No one hustles like Jay Z, Mr. “I just signed a new deal”, and since his entry into the rap game in 1994, his success is unparalleled.  He is on everyone’s Great list, rappers and business men alike mold their efforts after his.  He is one of the most respected business men in the game today, and it’s not by coincidence.  One listen to his songs you learn so much about life, relationships and hustling.  Here at EMC, we’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of some of the most memorable song quotes from Jay, and our interpretation of what he was saying.

Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section below and play along.

The Lessons:

1. “…just remind yourself, nobody built like you, you designed yourself” –

Our interpretation:  At the end of the day, there is no one on this earth like you.  The decisions you make influence the life you have – good, bad, or indifferent – your fate is in your hands.

2. “…I can’t help the poor if I’m one of them” – 

Our interpretation: It’s cool to have your ideals and dreams, but you have to  be willing to implement them, and once you reach a certain level, it’s your responsibility to help those less fortunate that you, and you can’t do that if you’re poor yourself.  Bottom line – it’s okay to sell out for the right price.

 3.“Love me or leave me alone”  – 

Our interpretation:  Either respect what I’m doing, where I’m going and who I am, or leave me alone.  It’s simple, really.  If you can’t get on his level, then just leave him alone.
4. “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business…man” - 

Our interpretation:  You’re a brand.  Anyone can be a business man, but you have to build a business, man. Brand yourself and watch the deals come in.

5. “Everybody can tell you how to do it, but they never did it” - 

Our interpretation: In life, there are always going to be those people who offer unsolicited advice.  You’ll recognize these people by their “I would never…” judgments on your decisions – but until a person has walked in your shoes, or is attempting to attain the things you are attempting to attain, who are they to speak in your life? This goes for your career, relationship and business.

 6. “I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.” - 

Our interpretation: Life is short, indulge.

7. “I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of not trying” - 

Our interpretation: There are a lot of things that are certain in life, but none as certain as – One day, you’re going to die.  Morbid, we know, but absolutely true.  Would you rather live a life afraid to take risks, or one in which you tried most of the things you conceived?

 8. “I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned so that evens it up for me” – 

Our  interpretation: Failure is essential for success. To succeed at a dream you must fail at it, learn from the failure, and grow.   The best lessons are the ones that are discovered through a difficult loss. Success is guaranteed if you can bounce back from failure and learn from it.

9.  ”Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week.” – 

Our interpretation:  Nothing is impossible. Why put limitations on what  can be done? God destroys the concept of “impossible” on a daily basis. The only thing that makes a dream  impossible to achieve is when you believe it cannot happen

10. “Far from a Harvard student, just had the balls to do it”  - 

Our interpretation:  You don’t have to be a genius to obtain  the life you want. The people who “make it” in this world are the ones who make it happen. Don’t worry if you don’t know   everything. The answers will present themselves through the work. There is no such thing as a perfect moment.  Start now. It is  the only option if you want to reach your dream.

 11. “Tried to teach people how to be Kings and all they ever wanted to be was soldiers.  So the love is gone until blood is drawn  because we no longer wear the same uniform…And truth be told, after all is said, I still have love for you” - 

Our interpretation:  There will come a point, in business or relationships, where the parties involved will have  to part ways – you can’t be afraid to make difficult decisions or part ways with people when your visions no longer mesh.  In doing so, understand, there are no easy roads to success – it may mean losing friends and relationships that you’ve cultivated for years. The departure may be forever, or it may be temporary in order for you to move into your new season. But, one thing is certain – successful people learn to make the difficult decisions when it matters most.

What are some things you’ve learned from Jay Z or his Musical counterparts?