Tracey Lee has pointed that the connection between JAY-Z‘s 2003 single “What More Can I Say” and his own 1997 hit “Keep Your Hands High” has never been properly acknowledged.
Hip Hop fans familiar with the older track — which features an early posthumous appearance by The Notorious B.I.G. — are likely already aware that the two songs share a very recognizable horn sample from MFSB’s “Something For Nothing,” which was released in 1973.
More astute listeners are also aware that Hov’s lyrical homage to Biggie on his song — “So them rings and things you sing about, bring ’em out/ It’s hard to yell when the barrel’s in your mouth” — is also from Tracey Lee’s song.
Yet JAY-Z fans might be surprised to learn that, despite those similarities and Hov first hearing the collaboration before it was even released, T.Lee has not gotten any formal credit.
In an upcoming interview with Doggie Diamonds No Filter Podcast, the rapper turned entertainment attorney revealed he doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that JAY-Z ended up using the line from “Keep Your Hands High” over the same sample.
“I got an interesting story about the the JAY situation,” Tracey Lee says in a preview clip. “I walk in the studio, Big is already there. Jay’s in there too, choppin’ it up with Big. This the first time I meet Jay, but he’s across the hall doing Streets Is Watching. I find it interesting that he’s there. Cuz the beat is still playing, you know how Big do. You how he formulates his rhymes, everything is in his head but he’s still kinda piecing it together, writing as he’s talking, all this other stuff.”
“But I find it interesting that, couple years later,” he adds, “he [was] in our session, and he takes a piece of what was in our session, and the sample, and does that.”
Neither the Notorious B.I.G., who died two weeks before “Keep Your Hands High” was released, nor Tracey Lee are listed as songwriters on “What More Can I Say,” which is customary when a song — or part of one — is used to create another.
And while Tracey Lee does acknowledge that he should have gotten credit for his contribution to The Black Album track, he doesn’t seem too pressed about it, telling Doggie Diamonds that he “hasn’t knocked on any doors yet.”
“What More Can I Say” was one of seven songs from The Black Album to be released as single and remains a standout track on what was meant to be JAY-Z’s swan song project.
As for “Keep Your Hands High,” on the 15th anniversary of Big’s death, Tracey Lee told The Urban Daily about one move that might have prevented the song from reaching more fans.
“We didn’t get rights to actually advertise that B.I.G. was on the record,” he explained at the time. “And I’ma go out there and say it ’cause this is what I heard … Puff really didn’t give us the rights to advertise. We didn’t have sticker rights, we couldn’t say “featuring B.I.G.” nowhere on the cover, nowhere on the back, so people basically just had to find that shit. They had to go get my album and just figure it out that B.I.G. was on the record. And I think that’s the reason why it was never put out there like it was supposed to be.”
Tracey Lee went on to share that there had been plans for him to open for Biggie on the Life After Death Tour, which, sadly, never came to fruition due to Big’s untimely death.
So this no name Tracy Lee wants credit for a sample that isn’t his, and for lyrics that Biggie spit? That he claims Jay-Z jacked from him, 7 years later lol
Guru needs to be the mediator between these two and unleash the flutes.
And this is the problem with y’all youngins!! Tracey Lee is not a “no name” rapper, who just happens to have a story about Jay Z!
Whole generation be claiming y’all came up with something, never actually doing the research to see who came before you, better year who y’all copying! Learn your history
To the rap world he’s virtually a 1 hit wonder. MIMS. NELLY can’t save him.
He is a no name rapper regardless of how old you are, if you do research you’ll find out that the old heads back then thought he was a no name rapper too cause they’ll say who??
What More Can I Say is forever a garbage song if u ask me.
Thank God we never asked you…respectfully..
Yet you still took the time to put on your cape and respond to me. You’re fucking slow LMAO…Respectfully.
😂 facts
Jay literally throws his notebook in the trash (where it belongs) on the outro and asks What More Can I Say. I always thought he sounded defeated on that song. Never got the appeal.
Legal action i guess if he has a case. Borderline pirate. i certainly ain’t telling them anything. you would just think people will be straight up with one another but stupid people have stupid ideas.
What more can I say is a diss track to Shine Steeler Shine Steeler is an American rapper also known as TT the fastest, Jay Z, scared of him becoming a great artist and buried his music. Then this is him on. What more can I say and H to the Izzo Shine Steeler is one of the most Benhoff artist in the world. Everyone from Drake, Kanye, and more have taken his lyrics yet no one knows him.
for real he might see some money but i think there is a good chance jay z his homeys his people and the record companys might just resort to murder. i ain’t bullshitting you.
I bought that album. It was okay. The Biggie song wasn’t all that memorable to me. Jay is known for subtly taking from people around him though. Nothing new.
Jay-Z literally says, “I’m not a biter, I’m a writer for myself and others
I say a B.I.G. verse, I’m only biggin’ up my brother
Biggin’ up my borough, I’m big enough to do it” right before saying the mentioned bars.
Don’t disagree with him wanting his credit but there’s resentment in his tone.
Truth be told, Jay did a lot of the same shit that Master P got slammed for. They put their own twist on other people’s work.
I guess lyrics must come with citations just as samples are mentioned in the song credits.
Feels like this is almost the same situation as Ice T feeling a type of way for not being mentioned or accredited for Justify My Thug.
“I do this for my culture, to let ’em know
What a nigga look like when a nigga in a roadster
Show ’em how to move in a room full of vultures
Industry shady, it need to be taken over
Label owners hate me, I’m raisin’ the status quo up
I’m overcharging niggas for what they did to the Cold Crush
Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you hoed us
We can talk, but money talks, so talk more bucks”
Irony.
It was actually from the song Ice T did with Brother Marquis from 2 Live Crew. The statement “99 problems but a B ain’t one” was jacked by JAY-Z…along with numerous Biggie slogans. In writing, credit is due to be given to the original author or its plagiarism.
Why jay z doesnt write he just uses other peoples rhymes and ideas.
If your “not so pressed” why are we having this conversation? If you didn’t speak on it then, then why now? Carry on!!