If you are a loyal reader of The Project, you probably remember that I did a highly read blog post series in 2012 called “Rap Lyrics That Shaped My Leadership Style“.  There were actually 25 weekly posts I did, and to this day, those posts are still some of the most read posts on the site, plus I now have this funny following on Twitter of a bunch of rap and music folks who send me links to their new stuff!  Funny how this whole social media thing works!  Average HR guy from Michigan, not even Detroit, to Rap Music critic in 25 leadership posts!

Anyway, this funny thing happens with music — they keep making it!  So, I have a new Rap Lyric that is shaping my leadership style and I wanted to share, because if there is one thing that I know for certain, it’s that HR ladies from the Midwest love my Rap Lyric Posts!

Today’s lyric comes from the song “Holy Grail” by one of my all-time favorite rappers, and Beyonce’s husband, JayZ and, signing the hook, Justin Timberlake.  I actually struggled in putting this one up for a while now because Jay uses the ‘n word’ 9 times in the unedited version of this song!  And by ‘n word’ I don’t mean ‘ninja’!   Now I know I’ll have some folks tell me that he isn’t really using the ‘n word’, because he doesn’t end it with ‘er’, he ends it with ‘a’, but who are we really kidding? That all being said, I love the song! Now, you are all my ninjas on the inside of my thoughts.

Here’s the lyric:

“This sh*t ain’t work, This light work,

Cameras snapping, my eyes hurt.”

Here’s the context of what Jay is saying; He referring to how celebrities are always complaining about how hard their life is and how hard the work they do is, when in reality he knows the truth.  While being a celebrity is annoying at times with paparazzi following them constantly, it is well worth it, for all the other riches he has afforded to him in his life.  He remembers back to days when he had nothing and given the choice, he wouldn’t go back.  This isn’t hard in comparison, it’s actually easy.  Stop complaining, most have it way worse.

It’s a great lesson for most of us.  If you’re reading this today it’s because you have a computer, or tablet, or a smartphone with an internet connection.  You have enough time to casually decide I want to read about rap lyrics from a 5’7″ middle-aged red headed white guy from Lansing, MI.  You have choices, and probably right about now you’re questioning those choices!  Way too many people in our world today have one choice, the choice of how they will react to having nothing, once again, when they wake up.

Everyday when I have the luxury to coming to my nice office, that is well lite and well heated.  I have tools to do my job. I have a great group of people that I work with.  I have clients who want us to do work for them.  I don’t have hard work, I have ‘light’ work.

Here’s the full song and video: