Jay's reference to Bill Cosby's son on the Dynasty intro

[Drew Wonder]

Knowing I can go, just switching a spare
On the highway of life, nikka it's sharp in my sight
Oh! Keen senses ever since I was a teen on the benches
Every time somebody like Ennis was mentioned
I would turn green, me, being in the trenches
Him, living adventureous, not worrying about expenditures

Jay wants to be successful and nothing will deter him from reaching it; ever since he was a kid sitting on the project benches, observing the dealers around him he knew he wanted to make it big.

As Jay revealed in Decoded, the “Ennis” here is Ennis Cosby, son of comedian Bill. When Hova was younger he would turn green from envy thinking that that kid had everything while he struggled every day.

However, despite his good fortune, Ennis was murdered in 1997 by the side of a Los Angeles freeway.

Ennis’s death…reminded us of life’s frailty even for people with money and status. Money can’t protect you from fate

• (Decoded, 229)

Ennis was killed while changing his tire, which ties into the earlier line about “switching a spare”.

as a dude who used to hate on him back in the day it took awhile for me to realize it and admit it, but dude really is one of the greatest lyricists of all time.

 

[ajnapoleon]

yeah he is kinda good....

 

[FreshAIG]

as a dude who used to hate on him back in the day it took awhile for me to realize it and admit it, but dude really is one of the greatest lyricists of all time.

Been saying it. Jay is probably top 5 lyricist I ever heard when he cares to get in depth.

 

[Drew Wonder]

Been saying it. Jay is probably top 5 lyricist I ever heard when he cares to get in depth.

he doesn't hit you with a thousand multis and his references are never obvious, so it's easy for the typical rappity rap hip hop head to miss it

 

[Goatpoacher]

How the fukk would you not know this was an Ennis Cosby reference?

"Knowing I can go, just switching a spare
On the highway of life, nikka it's sharp in my sight"

Those words gave away the reference right away.

Jay z spits the most obvious shyt and stans act like it's profound.

 

[Dixon Cider]

I mean listen we all know jigga man got spit but the camel just ain't my style but he do got bars but he a camel

 

[904]

That damn Dynasty Intro

It just keeps surprising me

 

[ProfessionallyTrill]

fukking amazing.

 

[the cac mamba]

that adventurous/expenditures line

 

[NoHalfWay]

nikkas say it's the Don/dawn, but I'm supersticious
shyt is as dark as it's been, nothing's going as you predicted

the entendres & Nas subliminal

 

[mobbinfms]

How the fukk would you not know this was an Ennis Cosby reference?

"Knowing I can go, just switching a spare
On the highway of life, nikka it's sharp in my sight"

Those words gave away the reference right away.

Jay z spits the most obvious shyt and stans act like it's profound.

I don't think it's obvious at all. He never makes a direct link between Ennis and knowing he can go switching a spare. So to catch the reference - you have to know who Ennis is and you have to know the details of how he was murdered. You also have to think back to the previous line about switching a spare after Ennis is mentioned.

 

[Ineedmoney504]

I mean listen we all know jigga man got spit but the camel just ain't my style but he do got bars but he a camel

u trying way to hard corny muthaucka

 

[Cloud McFly]

This type of lyricism is my fav, because you have to really listen to decide a lot of it, and Jay is the master of it. So many Easter eggs to find over the years off RD alone.

Lupe is great at it, but it seems forced most of the time (especially after F & L), while Jay is the complete opposite.

Hov is the best lyricist I've ever heard.

 

[Brandon M.]

wtf we all knew this was about ennis . yall slow or something

 

[Sonic Boom of the South]

was that a deep verse