Jay Z Can't Sell-Out Stadiums

BUT HE KNOWS HOW TO STAY ON TOP

I was in New York the first time I became aware of the Hard Knock Life tour. This was the first successfully curated (multiple acts) rap-only arena tour in history that didn’t also feature another genre on the bill.

This was 1999 so I was still in my early days of high school. Back then, rap was still seen as too dangerous and not organized enough to sell out arenas across the country. In 1997-1998, Puff Daddy took his label on the Bad Boy tour, but that featured Faith Evans and 112, two big R&B stars at the time. Rap needed to play second fiddle to another genre in order for concert promoters to take the chance.

The Hard Knock Life tour changed all that. Method Man and Redman opened up, DMX performed next, and Jay Z headlined, which makes sense since the tour was named after his Hard Knock Life album.

I didn’t see any of the performances live, but I saw the documentary they put out afterwards. I was at a basketball tournament in New York and our coach took us to watch the Hard Knock Life tour at a nearby theater.

Here’s something interesting about that tour: Jay Z wasn’t the biggest act at the time. DMX was selling more albums. It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, DMX’s first two albums, outsold any of the albums Jay Z had put out at the time. X was a rap superstar, but Jay had no problem sharing the stage with him.

This becomes a pattern that Jay Z revisits time and time again. Jay Z’s next major tour, major meaning selling out arenas, was with R. Kelly. Now, that name is triggering because R. Kelly is rightfully serving time in jail for the sexual acts he committed to so many young women. But from a music perspective, R. Kelly was literally the biggest R&B star in the world in the 90s. He sang the biggest songs and wrote even bigger songs for other stars.

That’s who Jay Z chose to go on tour with.

Later on in his career, Jay does the Legends of the Summer tour. Guess who his touring mate was? Justin freaking Timberlake. Wanna talk about superstars. JT was part of the most popular boy-bands of all time and then branched out on his own to become an even bigger solo star.

This was a stadium tour.

If that wasn’t big enough, Jay was about to outdo himself again. For his next two stadium tours, he pairs up with Kanye West for the Watch The Throne tour, and then turns on his cheat-code by teaming up with his wife Beyonce for the On The Run stadium tour.

Why am I telling you this?

Because Jay Z is considered by most to be if not the best rapper ever, certainly the most influential. But even with that status, Jay Z can not sellout stadiums. Not on his own. Don’t believe me? On the list of 10 highest grossing rap tours ever, Kendrick Lamar’s Big Steppers tour tops the list and the only time Jay Z makes the cut is with Kanye or Beyonce.

You may think this is a knock on Jay Z. I actually think it’s brilliant, and here’s where writers can learn.

Throughout his entire career, Jay Z understood two things: First, he’s shown a keen intuition for who he is and how much attention he can garner on his own. Second, he understands that the spotlight shines bigger and brighter if there’s someone else standing next to him.

Writers, we’re on a platform right now (Substack) where you are exposed to so many incredibly talented writers. Many of the writers on this platform have established a solid following. But you also bring something to the table. What you need to do is figure out your strength (awareness of who you are) and find those writers that match well with what you are trying to accomplish (stand under that spotlight).

And you definitely don’t need to limit yourself to Substack. Connect with visual artists, musicians, photographers, journalists, and other creators outside of this platform who are building their own fanbases. Demonstrate your value and explain how both of you can be better together.

If the most influential rapper in the world can’t do it on his own, why do you think you need to? You don’t. The blueprint has been set (if you know Jay Z, you know why that line is a pun).

Pop culture is there to teach us everything we need to know to succeed in our craft. Writers Are Superstars is here to transcribe those lessons.