Been having a flow
Before Bin Laden got Manhattan to blow
Before Ronald Reagan got Manhattan the blow

from Jay-Z – Beware (Jay-Z Remix) Lyrics on Rap Genius

Jay’s been able to rap (“flow”) since before 9/11. In fact, as far back as the early 1980’s when Ronald Reagan was president and cocaine was hugely popular. He is specifically referencing journalist Gary Webb’s story of how the CIA under Reagan’s administration created the North American crack cocaine trade in order to help fund the Contra armies in Nicaragua

Also, these two historical context clues also reference his two classic albums — Reasonable Doubt which was set during the crack epidemic and Blueprint, which of course came out on 9/11/2001. Young Hov is capable of dropping a political statement while at the same time giving shout outs to his own legacy! As Kanye West might say, “Malibooyow!”

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