Celebrities often help to bring new talent to the industry. Kanye West was also one such talent, and Jay-Z helped to bring out his musical talents to the world. Despite their current equation, they shared a mutual respect for each other’s skill set. In fact, the story of Ye’s celebrity journey began big time with their first meet.

During an interview with the singer in his old days, he spoke of what happened when he performed for Jay-Z for the first time.

What did Jay-Z do when Kanye West performed?

Jay-Z and Kanye West go way back, and they were both fans of each other’s music. But it was Ye’s raw performance that surprised Jay-Z leading to them making several songs in the future. During a 2002 interview with MTV, a young Kanye West spoke about his first meeting with the rapper and his agent. Ye’s agent asked him to play some of his music for Jay-Z. The Empire State of Mind singer surprisingly enjoyed and showered praises on a young Ye. “I would never forget none of these words..” recalled West. One of these songs was Ain’t No Love in the Heart of The City, with West giving it his own twist. 

The Clique singer asked Ye to leave his work on a CD, and weeks later, a blueprint of the album was ready. Half of the album had the Gold Digger singer’s music in it, and it later went on to become a massive success.

They have not only made music but performed several times together over the years. Here is a look into their musical partnership.

How Jay-Z and Ye made a successful collaboration

N*ggas in Paris, which was released in 2011, remains one of their top hit songs. It even won the nomination for the BET Hip Hop Best Track of The Year Award. Other pieces included Never-Change, The Bounce, Otis, etc. Ye was Hov’s go-to producer back in the day for producing music.

Their relationship was not always smooth, but everyone, including fans, was aware of their musical potential. Since the beginning, the duo enriched each other’s musical careers.

What did you think of Kanye West’s story about Jay-Z’s reaction to his music? Comment your thoughts.