This may be a funny story, but it made their careers skyrocket, cementing their status in the music industry.
In the 1990s, two locales hailing from New York City attempted to enter the music industry. One of them was Jay-Z, who later rose to fame as one of the greatest rappers ever. The other was Mary J. Blige, who also later became one of the greatest R&B singers ever.
But prior to their success, they were struggling artists attempting to establish their reputations and make a name for themselves in their respective genres.
A record named “Can’t Knock the Hustle” from Jay-Z’s 1996 debut album “Reasonable Doubt” exposed the world to the Brooklyn rapper’s way of life. Blige, on the other hand, had already achieved recognition and been labeled the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” as a result of her albums “What’s the 411?” and “My Life.”
Jay-Z was excited to work with Blige at the time since she was one of the top vocalists around. After some hesitation, Blige finally decided to collaborate with the young rapper, which resulted in the creation of “Can’t Knock the Hustle.”
Blige revealed some fascinating information on the song’s recording process during an appearance on Hot 97’s “Ebro in the Morning” program. She remembered being in a difficult situation at the time and battling drug and alcohol addiction while making her own album, “My Life.”
Still, she took a massive leap of courage and decided to meet with Jay-Z and Roc-a-Fella co-founder Dame Dash despite her difficulties because she was anxious to collaborate with him.
“I got a call from my girlfriend, who knew [Roc-a-Fella co-founder] Dame Dash, and Dame Dash wanted to try to get in touch with me,” she laughed as she recalled the event. “She said he has this artist by the name of Jay-Z who wants you on a record. And I said, ‘O.K. Let me go see what’s up.’”
And here comes the surprising detail, Jay-Z and Dash allegedly handed Mary J. Blige a brown paper bag containing $10,000 in cash as soon as she arrived. She entered the studio and finished singing her verse before stepping outside.
She disclosed, “I went. They had the money in a brown paper bag, 10 grand. I said, ‘Thank you very much.’ Went into the booth, sang the song, and was out.”
Blige chuckled retrospectively at the “raggedy process,” as she described it, but seeing how far she and Jay-Z have gone is fantastic. With a billion-dollar business that includes champagne and marijuana products in addition to his music, Jay-Z has become one of the best-selling rappers in history.
On the other hand, Blige has solidified her place in music history and is still a significant music icon. She even performed in the Super Bowl halftime show in 2022 alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem, demonstrating that she still deserved the title “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.”
Looking back on the collaboration, “Can’t Knock the Hustle” is still regarded as a classic hip-hop song that launched Jay-Z’s way of life into the public eye. The $10,000 brown paper bag transaction’s story only sweetens the legacy of two of the most recognizable musicians in music history.