Jay-Z said he his “super inspired” by Beyonce.
The 56-year-old rap star has been married to the chart-topping icon since 2008, and has admitted to drawing inspiration from her “fearless” approach to life.
Jay told Extra, “I’m super inspired by her. I think she’s a phenomenal producer and writer. And she’s fearless. She tries all kind of stuff.”
He continued, “Some things she does I’m like, ‘I couldn’t do that.’ She’ll be sitting in the back, like, hollering ad libs and it’s just, you know, I’ll get in the way of myself, you know, I get too self-conscious about it. And she’ll just try anything, anything … she feels in the moment.”
Jay also admitted to being wowed by Beyonce’s willingness to take risks with her music and described the Grammy-winning singer as “very adventurous” and an “amazing producer.”
“You don’t have to keep it, but she tries things. She’s very adventurous and her recall is amazing,” he told the outlet, adding, “She’s an amazing producer. I think, you know, because she’s such an extraordinary singer, people underrate the producer that she is. She’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
Additionally, Jay also talked about growing up in a public housing complex known as Marcy Houses in Brooklyn, New York.
The rap star believes the humble surrounds and the community spirit have helped to shape his character.
Jay, who released his acclaimed debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996, explained, “Marcy’s given me so much self-worth and integrity, you know, when you grow up in those type of environments, the way you carry yourself is life or death, you know? So, those lessons I’ve taken, you know, with me this whole journey.”
“I’m grateful to grow up in such a magical place. It was tough and it was hard, but the lessons were there and you know, just growing up around people with so much pride and so much, again integrity and loyalty, like all those little gems that I got super early and then you know by the time my first album came out I was 26 years old,” Jay-Z said of how people around you can influence your work.
