As the world is grieving the death of star O.J. Simpson, his legacy keeps reminding us of the indelible mark he left on popular culture. One example of Simpson’s influence while he was alive is Jay-Z‘s powerful 2017 song and video inspired by him, titled ‘The Story of O.J.’
A Grammy-nominated piece, the song is an exceptional piece of work by Jay-Z who talks about Jay-racism, classism, and generational wealth while paying tribute to O.J. Though it was first released in 2017, the song resurfaced after Simpson’s recent death at 76 due to cancer.
In ‘The Story of O.J.‘, Jay-Z draws parallels between Simpson’s infamous trial and broader issues of racial inequality in America. The song’s lyrics and visuals earned critical acclaim, with three Grammy nominations and widespread recognition for its bold storytelling.
The song stood out for a thought-provoking message of racial identity, which Jay-Z delivered with crystal clear lyrics. With lyrics like, “O.J. like, ‘I’m not black, I’m O.J.’…okay,” Jay-Z proposed in the song that success as huge as even O.J.’s is not enough to shield people from racial prejudice in a world where systemic racism still largely prevails.
Further lyrics like “Light n—a, dark n—a, faux n—a, real n—a/ Rich n—a, poor n—a, house n—a, field n—a/ Still n—a, still n—a,” Jay-Z made the racial undertones even in the entertainment and sports industry quite clear through his song.
‘The Story of O.J.’ Was No Exception To Controversy
The rapper also advocated for financial literacy and generational wealth through the song. “Financial freedom my only hope/ F–k livin’ rich and dyin’ broke… I can’t wait to give this s–t to my children/ Y’all think it’s bougie, I’m like, it’s fine/ But I’m tryin’ to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99,” the lyrics of the song said.
Despite its critical acclaim, the song also faced criticism for a controversial lyric about Jewish property ownership. As he rapped in the song, Jay said, “You ever wonder why Jewish people own all the property in America?/ This how they did it.” As many deemed these lyrics anti-semitic, Jay-Z defended his artistic intent.
Other than Jay-Z himself, the song also had collaboration from No I.D., Gene Redd, and Jimmy Crosby. While Jay-Z crafted a compelling narrative of the song, he got Nina Simone’s music sampled and incorporated themes of cultural empowerment and social justice in the project. Jay-Z also directed the animated video of the song, and Mark Romanek further amplified its message. The aforementioned people, therefore, were also credited for the song.
‘The Story of O.J.’ still continues to contribute to a broader cultural conversation about Simpson’s legacy and his infamous trial for the murder of his own wife. Though he was later acquitted of the crime, the ordeal he faced had sparked discussions about him being accused of such animosity because of his skin color. Simpson’s story has also been told through documentary series like ‘The People vs. O.J. Simpson‘ and ‘O.J.: Made in America‘.
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