Inspired by Basquiat

from Jay-Z (Ft. Chris Martin) – Most Kingz Lyrics on Rap Genius

Meaning

Famous 1980’s NYC artist (and onetime Madonna paramour) Jean-Michel Basquiat had a painting called “Charles the First”. It was a tribute to jazz legend Charlie Parker that had written on it “Most young kings get their head cut off”. Jay has said that this was the phrase that inspired this whole rap. The painting is below, with the phrase in the lower left hand corner:

Hov is still “inspired by Basquiat” and would later claim to have “Basquiats in the lobby of my spot” on “Ain’t I”. Basquiat in his studio in 1985, below:

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