On the morning of May 15th 2004 a man awoke with superhuman strength and an untarnished legacy. He roamed the earth with the lure that comic books and fairy tales are made of. Some called this man the greatest athlete of our generation. Others were in awe of his supernatural abilities and donned him as the best pound for pound boxer of our generation. Many more presumed that by nightfall that the man known to the world as Roy Jones Jr. would add another notch under his belt. Another villain defeated and his legacy prevalent amongst boxing purists and commoners alike. But by the evening of May 15th 2004, he was reduced to mere mortal. A man who’s legacy was scarred and instantaneously swept under the rug with one mighty blow. The skeptics clamored, the purists balked, and the commoners wrote their God off with little to no problem whatsoever. How quickly a legacy can die. How suddenly everything that one man has accomplished can be unrecognized. These are the things legacies are made of. Or are they…..
Let’s analyze what has to do with creating a legacy and the parallels it has with our hip hop equivalent of God, Jay-Z. What takes years to build can be destroyed in a matter of minutes. How fair is that? How fair is it that a man who was blessed with God given talent be struck down by his peers in one fell swoop? How fair is it that what no other could fathom in a lifetime to accomplish be reduced with words like “I told you so” and “See I knew this would happen! He should have quit.” We must remember people that Achilles was defeated but his legacy lived on and nobody really remembers who killed him (unless you are a Greek aficionado or just seen the movie). Muhammad Ali lost the biggest battle of his generation and still remains to many as the greatest of all time while his opponent couldn‘t carry his jock strap today. Michael Jordan went out in less than desired fashion but those things are soon forgotten compared to what he has accomplished. But the question is “Why didn’t they quit while they were ahead?” Why? There are so many factors as to why. There are things such as ego, which men thrive off of to the point of death and defeat. There is love, for which nobody could possibly explain except for the person who possesses it. There is also sheer boredom, for which a man with nothing to do with himself can quickly die of. These are the things that motivate Jay-Z. A man who dominated his craft and has seemed to go out on top. Like when #23 hit that game winning shot in a picturesque moment. Like when Ali collapsed the giant Foreman at the rumble in the jungle. Like when Achilles defeated his enemy only to be turned back by those three things: Love…Ego…Boredom. What is a man to do when his whole legacy was built on his biggest strength? Do you dare tell that man that he can’t set foot back into the game that he revolutionized? Do you tell him he can’t do it again? Ali, Achilles, and Jordan didn’t get that memo. Roy Jones damn sure didn’t get that memo and look what happened. Here they are, men who were indestructible, lured back to their stomping grounds only to be decimated by the peers that created these beasts. Those very people who cheered for Achilles, Jordan, Ali, and Jones turned their noses to them for returning and losing a battle or two. They wanted to see them come back and fight for their entertainment. And they were the same people who said “See I told you he should have quit” when their finest warrior went out in less than heroic style. Why come back for this?
That is the questioned poised at none other than Jay-Z. The rumors are swarming that he is planning a return to the game as S. Carter or whatever he is going to call himself. They said he would team up with the greatest producer of our time, Andre Young, to create a classic curtain call. It could be great…couldn’t it? Can you imagine two of the most accomplished artists in music joining forces for a single album? Oooooh, can you feel it? But what does Jay-Z have to gain from all of this as opposed to what he can lose. If the album is a smash then it’s a nonchalant “Great, I knew he could do it.” But if he is to fail by not living up to the godly expectations that we the people have put on him, then let the smear campaign begin. Jay-Z, I know you saw that Roy Jones fight, and I know that it hurt your soul to see a man who was praised be destroyed in a matter of minutes. Imagine how Roy felt waking up the next morning knowing that he is no longer our superman. Imagine if that was you on that proverbial canvas, stumbling to your feet, while people cheered for your demise. But my advice to you is this… Do what you feel is best. Nobody can live your legacy but you. Just make sure you do what makes you happy and satisfy no one else. See… those very people who made you want to see you die. To Roy…Get your ass up and get back in that ring and avenge the only true loss of your illustrious career. The greatest heroes and legacies are defined not by their victories but about how they rise off the canvas from which they fall. And for that you will be remembered. Those are the things that separate Gods from men. Those very losses and letdowns will be forgotten over generations, but your legacy will live on no matter what. But hey, I’m just a critic, who the hell am I?
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