For the clueless few, Jay-Z and the Diplomats have had friction between them even when the group leader Cam’ron and company were signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. The tension had settled under the surface, dormant for many years. Furthermore, when
Cam’ron issued his own lyrical barrage at the Def Jam president last year…it was basically ignored. Things have changed in the last year and Jay-Z has put on his rapper cap in addition to his presidential duties. In full MC mode, he’s taken up a festering beef with Jim Jones who has prodded Jay for some time, an effort that culminated in the diss track “Kingdom Done.”
Both men have generated their share of electricity with their albums, Jim’s Hustler’s P.O.M.E and Jay-Z’s Kingdom Come. Jim Jones reacts to Jay-Z latest Jab, "Brooklyn High," his own diss that’s all the rage on the internet and radio. But, Jim Jones, a certified star, appears unfazed and even confident in the face of a lyrical assault by one of Hip-Hop’s dominant forces. Filled with belly-laughs and animated barbs, Jim Jones describes the fun autumn he’s having.
AllHipHop.com: Let’s cut to the chase. What do you think of Jay’s answer ["Brooklyn High"] ?
Jim Jones: Personally? It’s a couple feelings. To get Jay-Z to bite the bullet was a hell of a chess game, ‘cause he thinks he’s always playin’ chess. So right now, [I got a] check for his ass, ‘cause he sold for the bait. He said Jim Jones’ name a couple weeks ago on HOT 97, that was his first mistake, nobody ever thought he’d do that – If I’m supposedly not on his level, when he’s supposed to be this rich dude and such this gangsta. [laughs] That was his first mistake. And then he bit the bullet and did the remix to “We Fly High” [titled “Brooklyn High”], which I appreciate. He did two verses, and that registers as BDS, ‘cause it’s over two minutes. [Editor’s Note: BDS is Broadcast System Data, which records the frequency of a song’s play on a radio station] So what I’m gonna do is, I’m gonna put my verse to it, then we got the official Jim Jones [and] Jay-Z remix [listen to the new remix called "We Fly High (Beef Mix)"]. He ain’t even spittin’ right on that joint, so he kinda disappointed me ‘cause I thought he would’ve came harder. But for the people, I’m gonna put my verse on it tonight, so we gonna have the official Jay-Z [and] Jim Jones remix, and I’m gonna have it tomorrow. The BDS is already runnin’, so I appreciate you Jay, givin’ me extra BDS. That’ll probably take me up another thousand spins or something like that.
I look at it like I must’ve really gotten under his skin and all that, man. I appreciate the love from baby bro, nahmean? Since he can’t f**k with me in no way around the board, I listened to his [Kingdom Come] album, I’d say there was about two songs on there that was decent. It really wasn’t there for my n***as that be in the hood, hustlin’, tryin’ to get money, for the fly girls, them independent ladies, it wasn’t there for them, man. I was really disappointed in the album, man. You know? He says men lie, women lie, numbers don’t, and I don’t know if people understand what I’ve done this week, by shipping 300,000 units, I did 108,000 units – that ratio is incredible, understand? For me to be on an independent and to do 108,000 units in the first week is outta hand – not to mention that we do get seven [dollars and some change] a record, understand? So I just recouped and made a few dollars the first week, and next week, I’ll make all seven dollars off my records. It’s a big game goin’ on now, that I’m not mad at. I came in number one rap album, number one indie album, number six overall. I was lookin’ at the charts today… it’s funny though, ‘cause I was listenin’ to him on HOT 97, [and] he was sayin’ how [I’m] not in the top five rappers. Now, I’m on these things, which I’m gonna fax you so you can put ‘em up on the computer tomorrow. [Reading:] This is a BDS from HOT 97’s playlist, it says “We Fly High” is the number one record, getting played 98 times, and “Kingdom Come” is the number 11 record, getting played 38 times, “Show Me What You Got” is the number 14 record, getting played 34 times. [Laughs] The number two record is Snoop, what’s up Snoop?
Then I was lookin’ at the BET playlist, tryin’ to see what’s up with the video, and it says “We Fly High” is number one on BET also. “Show Me What You Got” is number three. I’m glad that he knows I’m not in no one’s top five, I ain’t, I’m number one, b***h! It ain’t in no more room up here. [laughs] I got this old n***a. His jump shot is weak, his knees is bad, his swagger is gone.
AllHipHop.com: Where does this all come from? Where does the beef start?
Jim Jones: Um, it’s a little bit personal, man. We’ve been in a couple situations, back and forth. We also had a deal with [Roc-A-Fella], and been in a lot of spots with him. We recorded at Baseline [Studios]. There’s been a lot of things; we always had the upper-hand. There were a few aggressive situations where we had to put our hands on a few people. It wasn’t… there’s just a lot of things that we choose not to expose, but these n***as really know what’s going on. We leave the music to music, and hold all that gangsta s**t for when we see each other, but they don’t want no parts of that, man. These n***as is young bols, I don’t care how old he is. And he talk about 30 is the new 20, but he’s 40. I’m 30, so who’s 20? Shorty? [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: Aside from the remix, are you gonna do a reply?
Jim Jones: He didn’t really spit. I’m just gonna spit, I’m not gonna reply to him. Like, he didn’t really say nothin’ to me that was harsh. He didn’t even insult me. I thought Jay was gonna try to get at me! That s**t bounced off me, that s**t was weak! He just helped my song out. He got me on the hook and all that, talkin’ ‘bout “Brooklyn!” – so I’m just gonna go “Harlem!” He wanna say “ballin’!” but he said, “Brooklyn!” – you see how he sounds? You coulda said “ballin’!” baby, if you wanted to do the remix, you could’ve done it for New York with me, we coulda did the New York thing. I wouldn’t have been mad, I understand what’s goin’ on around the world: New York gotta come back, but he went about it wrong. You can’t divide Brooklyn and Harlem, ‘cause I’ve got more n***as in Brooklyn than you. Shouts to Bed Stuy, shouts to Marcy, shouts to Marcus Garvey, shouts to Jefferson, shouts to Lincoln. Come on, don’t play with us, man! We out there, man.
AllHipHop.com: For years Cam seemed like he was in the front, and that it’s changed positions, but you’ve really come into your own…
Jim Jones: I don’t want nobody…let me set this record straight: I don’t got no beef with nobody but the devil, I keep tellin’ people that. If anybody’s got a problem with that, they can go meet him, by all means. This game is built on aggressive competition. By all means, I am an aggressive competitor, smell me? Whatever devil gotta come off the top for me to be there. That’s why I never say I want to be king. That’s why I say I’mma kill these [guys] in total game, and I mean that for sure. I’m that soldier that’ll tear down everything, I don’t matter. But you know, we just havin’ fun out here, so shouts to Hoova, I mean Hova, I mean whatever the n***a’s name is, smell me? I appreciate the love, big baby. ‘Cause he’s not accomplishin’ nothin’. It’s a bigger battle for me to win than him. What is he accomplishin’? What is he gonna say he’s accomplishin’ by dissin’ Jim Jones? He’s supposed to be this multi-platinum artist who’s sold so many millions, and he’s G5’in, and I can’t follow. So what does he need, somebody more street level, or am I part of your marketing strategy? If I’m part of your marketing strategy, I’m a bad n***a. [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: At the same time, you pressed up flyers saying, “Who’s Jim Jones? Ask Jay-Z”, is he a part of your strategy?
Jim Jones: No, that’s what he said on HOT 97. When Flex asked him, he said, “Jim Jones? Who is Jim Jones? Jim Jones who?” So I just put it on flyers. “Who is Jim Jones? Ask Jay-Z” That came out his own mouth. He used himself as his own publicity stunt for me. I don’t do that, smell me? Anything I do is pure fact, and I’m just havin’ fun. That’s the funny part. He’s really upset, and I’m just havin’ fun…and I’m gettin’ my money. The people are lovin’ it right now, ‘cause they know where I come from. I’m the underdog right now, people love the underdog. I’mma keep riding and keep riding, and when I’m no longer the underdog, then my days in this game is over. That’s what Jay shoulda did, he shoulda learned that he’s not the underdog no more, and bow out like the king he was, smell me? [laughs] He f**ked up. Freddie Kruger, n***a, I’m your worst nightmare. I’m young, I’m pretty, I’m Black, and I’m rich, and I’m ready for war, whatever you wanna do, ‘cause I got my money. [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: Is Juelz messed up, being that he’s signed to Jay-Z through Def Jam?
Jim Jones: He’s not signed to Jay. LA Reid handles all Juelz’ business, not Jay.
AllHipHop.com: He can’t get shelved?
Jim Jones: He can’t get shelved. Told ya, LA Reid is the boss over there. He even bigger than Jay. Juelz Santana is straight, and anytime he don’t like the Def Jam situation, he will be off of it in days.
AllHipHop.com: Dipset has a Christmas album. What’s that all about?
Jim Jones: It’s Christmas, man, I love Christmas. For the last 10 years, I been watchin’ how Christmas is declinin’ with the decorations in the street and all that, the whole Christmas spirit is dead, man. I look at my son, man, and I want him to really feel Christmas at least until he’s eight [years old], and knows what’s goin’ on. The whole spirit of the city, just everything when it comes to Christmas is wrong, man. There’s no soul. I need that unity. I need to feel that eggnog flowin’ and things like that, so [the album] is just my contribution to make it an old school Christmas this year, man. I got special things I’ma do for Harlem, just to make it old school Christmas. I can’t save the world, but I know I’ma try to give back to where I came from, ‘cause I love Christmas to death, I swear to God.