Though Hip-Hop legend JAY-Z recently settled the viral debate over whether it would be more worthwhile to take $500k or a meal with him -- "Take the money" -- his pal Rick Ross still thinks the wisdom one would receive could reap much greater rewards.
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Given his epic rise to fame as one of the world's greatest rappers, the knowledge, stories, and advice that an aspiring artist would no-doubt discuss during just one sit-down with JAY-Z could be life-changing. But HOV himself has finally answered the viral question that has been around since 2021: "Would you rather have $500,000 or lunch with JAY-Z?"
JAY told CBS Mornings' Gayle King this week, "You gotta take the money,” flat out, while also adding his own humble question: "What I'mma say [at lunch]?"
"Take the $500,000, go buy some albums and listen to the albums. It’s all there," he said of his massive catalog chock full of the same wise words he would give while wiping away tuna sandwich crumbs. "Really listen to the music for the words," JAY explained. "Everything I said was gonna happen, happened. Everything I said I wanted to do, I’ve done... The blueprint to me, to my life and my journey, is already there."
HOV's friend and fellow rapper Rick Ross, however, disagrees. In a recent IG Story, Ross explained why he would take the meal instead. "I’mma take the dinner, and I’mma tell you why," Ross began. "In ’08, before I turned in my second album, I had a meeting with Hov. We went to lunch. He said, ‘Rozay, versus writing to every beat you like, write to every record you could make work.'"
Rick's songwriting process completely changed after that. "I went from writing one record to every 80 beats I liked, to writing 40 records out of every 80 beats I could make work," he revealed. "It took me to another level as a writer, another level as a artist."
Of course, it's all up to the person on the other side of the table to take the advice and make it part of their own journey. "You gotta ask yourself," says Ross. "Are you ready to digest the knowledge, or you just wanna look at his watch at the table?"
After JAY's response, Rozay followed up with another IG Story adding, "I get it. Y’all know Hov. He’s humble... I would tell you get the money too, but if you ready to digest the knowledge that he gon’ give you... It's priceless."