Russell Simmons Blogs About Jay-Z
Looking back at his amazing career, it suddenly dawned on me, that in a hundred years from now, we’re gonna be talking about Jay-Z. When we think of hip-hop, we will think of Jay. But what is even more important than his album sales, is his affect on American popular culture. Let us not forget that all the other “kings” didn’t come from the culture that created the music that they played. Hip-hop is the first cultural phenomenon represented by a face in the community where the culture came from. This wasn’t possible for rock n’ roll or blues or jazz…it was Elvis and Mick Jagger and Benny Goodman who were always considered the best. But, now the king of rap is confirmed black. And that means a lot.
Full Story: Global Grind
Agree with what Russell has to say?
Tags: Jay-Z, Russell Simmons
Suggestion Box
October 21st, 2009 at 6:48 am
roger
October 21st, 2009 at 6:54 am
WOOOOOOOOW!
To answer the question… IDK!
1st off the top Jay IS NOT THE KING! Because he’s the MTV appointed hottest MC doesn’t mean he’s KING!
2nd MANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN this is jus too much! What he said about the other artforms is true but tryin to post Jigga on the pedastal is jus too far! Worse is I under stand why they want people to Idolize this dude who stays in the other mans pocket (not like robin hood either) man I’m glad todays my last day @ work I can’t take too much more of this craziness!!!
RAKIM/PAC
October 21st, 2009 at 7:00 am
fuck HUSSLE SIMMONS
October 21st, 2009 at 7:17 am
I dont listen to bi-sexual negroes that think they are appointed by the masses to represent us. Sound to me like he’s trying to be relevant like Jesse Jackson.Hussle Simmons I respect what you brought to the game and your contribution to the culture. However, you’re the same person that alluded and agreed on anything that gets put out to DUMB DOWN our community. Your walking the line type of mentality will be the same reason of your demise. You forgot where you came from, you forgot who supported you, you forgot the importance of integrity, values and standards of HIP-HOP. You went into the same way like most NEGROES who tasted some wealth and luxury. . .SOLD OUT YOUR SOUL. If you think Jay-Z will be relevant in the future its because of nothing substantial and positive. AND please sont give me that BS that he owns companies and he has a foundation. First of, his Rocawear companies are the same people that uses exploited kids in a foreign countries that they employ for cheap without proper regulation for a humane condition. AS far as the Foundation, if you are deep into the community and how the corporations work. Foundations are entities that are created to get tax breaks and get more money back during tax season. In which the things that these foundation do does not reach all the way to the people that needed it the most, BLACK AND BROWN. why do you think the only time he went back to MARCY PROJECTS was with OPRAH and never before that? He said it himself he moved on, and shitted on his past.
The founders of HIP-HOP will be remembered then, years from now. as far as MC or RAPPERS, PAC and BIGGIE will have more lasting effect on HIP-HOP than JAY-Z. Just to pick one person, iy is TUPAC. why?? well PAC wrote things from the soul and the spirit of the people not from money nor connection with wealthy people. Thats why Tupac called you out JAY-Z a long time ago because he knew exactly who you are and what youre all about, a coon. Yet, people think Pac was crazy for doing that, no he wasnt. Thats why he was a prophet for the people in the bottom. He saw the illuminati before people start putting it on YOUTUBE. Pac is a curriculum in colleges and universities across this country. There will never be a class about Jay-Z. Lets be real, you dont into $500 million dollar club in this white mans world without losing anything i.e. soul, integrity, spirit, your people, family etc.
FUCK HUSSLE SIMMONS and FUCK JAY-Z!!!
October 21st, 2009 at 7:30 am
Chill fam there might be… Lil kim got a class! smh!!! But real talk… brother in arms!!!
October 21st, 2009 at 7:49 am
“Hip Hop is the first cultural phenomenon represented by the community”
I can’t agree with that, he must be talking about by the standards of white people that
“all the other “kings” didn’t come from the culture that created the music that they played”
This is not a good comment. He really believes that there is someone else outside of a Black Man or Woman who is the King/Queen of Jazz, Blues, Soul, and R&B ??? Who are they Russell ?? All of those forms of music came from our culture, the black culture and there is no one outside of a black man or woman that can be considered at the top of those genres. I’m really confused at this part of his comment.
Shiiit Russ, we even had a Black Man go and take over what white music was popular… ever heard of a guy named Michael Jackson, he was the King of Pop. Again I understand Pop didn’t come from Black Music but just to set the record that we took over that shit too.
Someone please tell me the white, latino, native american, armenian etc etc who is considered the King/Queens of these genres – Jazz, Blues, Soul, and R&B ???
Fuck Outta Here Russ.
flyakite
7 City, VA
October 21st, 2009 at 7:51 am
btw… Russ mus be on that dust again talkin this b.s.! They tryin to put jay out there to be that IDOL but there’s enough folks who use all their senses and know what it is…
WHY WOULD THEY RATHER US LOOK UP TO J vs. say P.E., P.R.T., PAC, etc? Cause jay brings you to them while the others and those alike attempt to bring you truth!
October 21st, 2009 at 7:55 am
All u niggaz are dumb as fuck without Jayz alot of shit woudnt be the same… he is the perfect example of how a nigga from nothing can rise up be himself and succeed in life, he got money, got smarter, and know hes showing us how to do it! niggaz aint even think about dressing up til hov showed niggaz the way, aint think about owning thier own shit til hov showed the way, listen to his interviews, the way he speaks! hov is hands down the best representer for hiphop and for us, He took the game to new levels changed our options on how to behave and shit! put yal fag ass hate to the side and be real with yaself. he did all of this shit without a blemish to his name or reputation! he also showed u fucks how to treat a women the right way, put a ring on her finger and keep there private biz out of the media WHO THE FUCK U KNOW LIKE HOV? NAME A BETTER ROLE MODEL?…. RAPPING, BUSINESS, WHATEVA…HE IS THE KING! thats REALTALKNY!
October 21st, 2009 at 8:31 am
@6
You gotta give the proper quote man.
He said, “Hip-hop is the first cultural phenomenon represented by a face in the community where the culture came from.”
He’s saying the blues and rock and roll come from our culture, but ppl still go Elvis’ house and treat it as some memorial instead of B.B. King. People wait in airport for days to see the Beatles….not Jimi Hendrix. He’s saying that those musical genres are ours, but the person who represents it is not one us. The only case in which this is true is in Hip-hop.
Even if you dont agree wit Jay being that face…..that statement is true.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:31 am
bull$%^& jay aint the king of hiphop.
elvis ,mick jagger, & good man were always considered cultural thiefs in the black community. dumbazz russ.
jimi hendrix is the king of rock
king of jazz is coltrane, dizzy, or miles davis.
king of hiphop is rakim, then krs.
dumbazz russ sniffs to much coke to talk always prostituting for the jews.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:38 am
JAY-Z and DAMON DASH made money of rap and selling clothes to niggaz. JayIz is continuing making money about braggin about how much money he did doing that in a hot way with good beats lol…that’s sad, that legendary. He broke records nobody gives a fuck about breaking. There is no competition because he and others pay for that. When he did have some he lost. That’s what’s up he beat Elvis’s racist ass but he hasn’t did anything but help his self. No positive messages but to not be like the old him and wear what he’s into at that time. He has to step it up to be considered a legend.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:54 am
lol me and my sis were talkin about this yesterday. people dont like him for his music they like his style. he is just as much a package as drake is. he is a popular music icon because most people like him because everyone else likes him. youve got a ton of his “hardcore” fans who cant name 15 songs by him or can even name something as easy as all of his cds he put out. the thing that seperates jay z from the crowd is the fact that he started so long before everyone in the game now. he also started with so much more. if someone were to level the playing field would jay z be jay z?
October 21st, 2009 at 10:03 am
JAY – Z is the KING OF ALL KINGS!! THE BEST IN HIP-HOP!!
“i dont know what life would be in H-I-P, H-O-P, without that boy, H-O-V”
October 21st, 2009 at 11:00 am
he’s talking a lot of shit!! Jay-Z aint the greatest….fuck outta here
October 21st, 2009 at 11:01 am
Yup, I agree… but that’s because I Know Music. I’m not like these young bloggers with loud mouths. And if anybody says Lil’ Wayne is better, go ‘F’ yourself.
October 21st, 2009 at 11:37 am
Soulja Boy is the King of Hip Hop Period YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
October 21st, 2009 at 11:44 am
damn, the boi hov got more haters than he does dollars….lol. thats alot of haters
October 21st, 2009 at 11:48 am
Jay Z is the best representation of hip hop he conduct himself in a respectable manner at all time. You know he not going to let us look dumb when he speaks. he speaks intelligently no fucking Ebonics. He can hold a conversation with present and past president. while still street.
He took hip hop where hip hop was not welcome. we as black ppl don’t celebrate our own until they’re gone then we talk shit
October 21st, 2009 at 12:02 pm
JAY-Z THE KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 21st, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Like Chris Rock said: The biggest rapper is white and the best golfer is black.
Shady!
October 21st, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Who gives a fuck about “speaking intelligently” to white, ppl, president NIGGA PLEASE. Dats y tha world in love wit tha souf and tha west coast finna kum back around kuz we aint sellin out to a group of ppl who gone look at jay-z n whateva otha rapper as “Just anotha NiGGER” we keep it real with our own PPL fuck a jay-z n fuck u softass corny NY jokes who dnt keep it 100 n wonder y ur music is striving to see tha spotligt, quit bein faggets n lettin squareass bloggers opinions who live in da suburbs n attend private schools amale a affect in hip hop…pre-teens, college kids, n suburban residents should have NO say so in what real hip hop iz PERIOD
October 21st, 2009 at 12:14 pm
@ #9 donblaq
Would you like to address the rest of the genres I listed? Notice how I never brought up Rock N Roll, I and everyone else knows that Russ’ point holds correct there and that’s b/c it has been argued for decades. So Russ is not educating anyone in respect to Rock N Roll. As far as Blues, nobody and I mean nobody goes to Elvis as a Blues singer.
Elvis – King of Blues.. lol.. Riiiiiiggghhhht !!
Again, please address these genres – Jazz, Blues (re address), Soul, and R&B ???
These are all born from the black culture and they are all “cultural phenomenons represented by a face in the community where the culture came from”
The great things is that those genres are actually represented by a collection of black faces and black interpretations which is acutally better for a culture.
So I say Again, Fuck Outta Here Russ.
flyakite
7 City, VA
October 21st, 2009 at 12:26 pm
“love me or leave me alone”
jay-z is the king or rap music, king of hip hop, king of raw lyrics, etc…..
“i don’t run rap no more i run the map”
October 21st, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Jay is the king …point blank…no other rapper can measure all the things he has accomplished …please dont even mention biggie and pac…careers were too short…How can biggie drop 3 albums…and be labeled the best….of all time..yeah he probably was the best at the time when he was alive but…thats like saying…if someone dropped 1 amazing album then died…they the best of all time??? C’mon son…….and pac talks from the soul and gives messages…i love tupac but tupac is not the best rapper…DEEP Does Not equal Lyrical…and pac had a ton of those useless tracks on his cds…..a deep poet tryin to help the community blah blah…..and yet at the same time he makes tracks about wantin to kill Biggie…i find him to be a hypocrite…You can hear an uplifting song about yeah how black people got to stand together then…next track its like “fUCK NIGGAZ..I HATE Biggie …I hate jay-z…i hate mobb deep..fuck nas “…Jay-z takes it to an all new level…he basically represents hip hop…and hip hop is not only music….its MOREEEE than music….there are more lyrical rappers…but at the end of the day …no one has the complete package like jay does
October 21st, 2009 at 12:42 pm
I dont think that Jayz is the king of hip hop. He is one of the best tho but not the king, but i do agree that years from now we will still be talking about him.
October 21st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
russle is right .. i don’t know whats up with this black people .. you guys just don’t have a respect for nothing… this is a bad culture we came from .. jay is way bigger than your mind can think.. but that is sad that all of you are saying he aint noting wht maks u somting to say that .. mr nobody
October 21st, 2009 at 12:54 pm
NUMBER 8,,,STOP TEABAGGING GAY Z AND WORRY ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE YOU B*TCH A$$ N*GGA.
CUZ IF YOUR MESSAGE AIN’T SH*T, F*CK THE RECORDS YOU SOLD, BECAUSE IF YOU GO PLATINUM, IT’S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH LUCK IT JUST MEANS THAT A MILLION PEOPLE ARE STUPID AS F*CK–IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE
SO TELL ME WHAT IS GAY Z MESSAGE
AND DON’T GIVE ME THAT FROM SOMETHING TO NOTHING BULLCRAP
I’VE NOTICE OVER THE YEARS THAT MALES ARE DEVELOPING FEMALE TRAITS AND FEMALES DEVELOPING MALE TRAITS. IT’S DISCUSTING.
MAN LAW: 101
NO MALE SHOULD CARE ABOUT WHAT A RAPPER SOLD
NO MALE SHOULD CARE ABOUT WHAT A RAPPER MAKES
NO MALE SHOULD CARE ABOUT WHO ANOTHER MALE IS PHUCKING UNLESS THATS HIS GIRL
NO MALE SHOULD GOSSIP
NO MALE SHOULD CARE THAT A RAPPER SOLD OUT THE STADIUM (JIGGA WARRIORS)
THESE RAPPERS ARE NOT GOD……… SO DO NOT WORSHIP THEM (THOU SHALL NOT WORSHIP IDOLS)
NO MALE SHOULD FOLLOW A RAPPER PERSONAL LIFE
THATS WHY IT IS MY DUTY TO EXPOSE THESE B.A.N. (B*TCH A$$ N*GGAS)
TO ALL THE REAL N*GGAS OUT THERE WE NEED TO DESTROY AND REBUILD
GET THESE B.A.N. MANS OUT AND BRING THE REAL N*GGAS IN
I’M TIRED OF THESE TEA BAGGING F*GGOTS TALKING ABOUT RAPPER PERSONAL LIFE
GET OFF THEIR NUTZ
YOU SHOULD ONLY LISTEN TO THEIR MUSIC AND THAT’S IT.
October 21st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Lol@ the haters, y’all will NEVER WIN!
HOV- I will NOT LOSE
October 21st, 2009 at 2:00 pm
i wish people would stop with the jay z quotes. ur just hurting your argument this guy is very simple and has a 14 year olds vocabulary. these are not things that no one before him has said there is nothing special about any of this. simple lyrics for simple people
October 21st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
yes Jay is the king.
if you dont agree thats fine, b/c the upcomin generation will think so.
October 21st, 2009 at 3:00 pm
@ 29, Why so mad? I can quote whoever I want to, deal with it.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:33 pm
@29 For real listen Reasonable Doubt and tell me if a 14 year can paint a more vivid picture of drug dealing and the effects it has on your emotions . Maybe you just don’t get what sounds simple really has two meanings a double entendre.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
It’s funny how Jay-Z gets overlooked so much… He’s done more than any other rapper. Has a charity concert and all proceeds went to the families of the victims of 9/11, donated money to the Columbine shootings, Hurricane katrina, etc… No other rappers have been a philanthropist like he has and still so many HATE on him, I don’t get it. Whether you like him or not, give credit when it is deserved. He’s a GREAT rapper and seems to be a good person. The guy has 11 number 1 albums and someone on here had the nerve to say that’s a record that no one cares about(but you took time to blog about it). Why don’t you try making 11 number 1 albums? I love Biggie and Pac but due to their untimely death, they did not have a career like Jay-Z. To say that he isn’t the king/face of Hip Hop, is basically exposing the hate that lives inside of you. You might not like him, but respect what he’s done for the culture…
October 21st, 2009 at 6:44 pm
#21 you is stupid. Majority of the souf and west coast music is based on hustle and makin money. You know these big labels love all this shit that’s out right now cause these mothafuckas will do anything for the money and sell out. No soul in music. just gettin money. majority of the south music(besides Scarface and a few rappers) are eager to just sell out for the money cause they all hustle. basically the industry can pimp all these Gucci Mane’s and Plies rappers. they soft targets homie. Remember the big labels still got the money to blow up the artist no matter how stupid the artist be rapping. Jay-Z and Nas and them love this music, while yall other corny rappers stay true to that money and will sell out and do anything just to get it. basically most that south shit is striving cause they easier to turnover and sell out. scramblin for that industry budget and still have to follow A&R’s who don’t know shit but a rapper lookin stupid and being a hoe to the industry by just following what they say “for the $” you probably just don’t have enough swag to get Jay-Z and Nas’s clever shit. you just stupid.
October 21st, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I read a lot of ya’ll comments, and still cant address what made him king of our culture and community? all i hear are numbers of cd and clothes he sold. Please like I said you cannot get to $500 million dollar club in a white man’s world without properly signing your soul on the dotted line. The charity for 9/11 are fucking serious?! 9/11 is a ritual for freemasons, and what Jay-Z did was to honor that ritual like a nigger like he is. I asked you if the money that came from the government did not properly got into the pipeline to the victims’ families.how will the money from a concert will go straight to the same victims’ families of 9/11??
Go ahead and ponder on that cuz i have all day with facts and not bunch of quotations from Jay-Z. Remember any man that calls himself God i.e. JAY-HOVA(JEHOVA) is an anti-god. And thats what you want your kids to listen to???
Go to youtube and check out JAY-Z DECEPTION and while youre on there check out OBAMA DECEPTION. Research after all the information that they are giving you.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:56 pm
like he said 100 hundred years from now he will be talked about.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:40 am
He’s not the best, but he is the face of hip-hop. Face it (No pun intended).
Although I feel that there are a lot better MC’s out there, the fact that he has sold a bunch of records, went #1 eleven times, and can rap very well, shows he is the face of this genre to everyone outside of it. To everyone who isn’t actually a hip hop fan, when they think hip hop, they think Jay-Z. Hip hop fans see people like, Nas, Pac, Krs1, Rakim, and Biggie as the faces of hip hop. But the fact that Jay-Z is the biggest name in hip hop makes other people think otherwise.
If he wasn’t here, the face of hip-hop would be Eminem. I don’t mean to sound racist, but that ain’t happening. He appeals to TOO many Caucasian teeny-boppers who live in Suburban America. If he were the face of it, hip-hop would be dead…REALLY DEAD. It would turn into pop and stop being black music, and the roots would be lost forever cuz the Vanilla Ice’s will start rising up again thinking that can take control of it. He’s very talented, but nah, that ain’t flyin. Only a select few white folks can join the community, like Em and MC Serch.
I have to admit it…Jay-Z is holdin it down for us.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
@35, You’re one those guys that believe a stupid ass youtube video that some bitter hater like you created from a bunch of masonic symbols and pictures of Jay-Z. He signed his soul to the white man?…please! Let go of that ignorance and so-called self righteousness. Does it bother you to see a black man doing very well for himself, a rapper who is allowed to perform at the inauguration ball and is opening doors for the culture everyday. The money he’s earned came from non stop work, it’s not like it came out of the sky. And enough with the freemason whoo-rah, they are not anti-christ/satanic, each member is entitled to their own belief but cannot involved it in their gatherings.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
These blogs kill me. All real hip hop fans know that Jay is not and will never be the King of Hip Hop. To everyone who brings up Reasonable Doubt, be honest with yourselves, this was Jay’s only album in which he gave the world the real Jay-Z. After that, make your analysis….I’m still waiting. And even upon Reasonable Doubt, your greatest rappers killed Jay because real recognize real. And to all these internet thugster bloggers who talkin bout Jay put hard work in to get where he at…..Once again I say and I get tired of saying this shit, what hard work is it to go steal the lyrics of other great artists and use them as your own. I speak facts…..that Camron diss on Jay “I’m Not a Biter” is real. To be honest, the only reason why people label Jay as the face of hip hop is he co-owns a NBA team which is not good, jay supported Obama during his campaign but is Jay support of Obama bigger than my support for Obama because my support came from a NIGGA who really wanted to see change or from Jay, a dude who knew by using money to show support it would open doors because to be honest, Obama would vouch for him. Yall need to wake the fuck up and stop livin in that fake ass reality tv. 100 years from now, hell yeah Jay will be talked about, but he will still not get talked about more than Pac, B.I.G., Rakim, KRS One, Run DMC, and I can keep going but this shit already too damn long. To sum all this bs up…the outlets that are present in today’s era was not present 5-20 years ago and this is the only reason why Jay is where he is. Now ask yourselves this question….if the real hip hop spitters were still alive, where would they be today and where would Jay Z be?
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I have to address this.
@ #33 Anti-blogger
Are you fuckin serious that Jay has done more than any other rapper. Dudes, all rappers do charity concerts throughout the year and you know why just so people like you can be like that was some good shit that he did. Hell Game done gave over a million sneakers away, but I bet you will be quick to say the nigga is bi-polar.
Too me, everything in life is done for a reason. The rapper that I think who does more than most is Snoop. Just alone, that Snoop football league is the greatest shit ever because that shit is real and not just for the moment. When Anti-blogger did his research to see what all Jay has done, I’m quite he saw other rappers who did the same thing but just wanted to manifest Jay because Jay is all he listens to. I bet you think Jay did more for Katrina than the rappers who actually from there and lost their own shit in the process….and be honest with yourself. And a record like selling the most albums is a bullshit record. Didn’t Kingdom Come be a #1 album, be honest with yourself, that was a weak ass album and everybody on this blog knows it. Everybody nigga in the game does the same thing just to save face. Perfect example, T.I. has to do community service as part of his plea deal. I bet anti-blogger thinks that T.I. did it because he was somewhat obligated to do it….just because it wasn’t stated for Jay to do kind acts….Jay would be first to say that he was obligated to do it so that we can be on a blog talkin bout how Jay is or is not the king/face of hip hop. Stop watching reality tv…even that shit is staged homie.
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
@anti-blogger
First of all, like I said research it after you watch something or read something. Youre just another person that loves to reiterate what the pundits and same ol’ rap heads that never really realized what’s going on around him. Just like you stating that Jay-Z made more contribution to the community than any rappers. if thats the case, show me he factual paperworks of all these activities and i will give you all my information and i will check it myself. the problem is youre the same person as the one seating right next to you. A bunch of followers that has no opinion but what theyve heard from the media. Ive studied and had help from Egyptologist regarding the symbols as the language of MDR NTR. how much you want to bet you dont even know what im talking about now?? there’s a book which is a dictionary of symbols that explains things that your mind cannot comprehend because youve been condition to be reactionary and to be just like everybody else. I can go on and on, but if you cant even see the other side of the spectrum of a meer human being like Jay-Z how can you overstand the spiritual realm and the elevation of our divine being. Enough said.
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:44 pm
@antiblogger
why would it bother me that a black man is doing good for himself? thats the word that bothers me “FOR HIMSELF”. Do you know that there’s a group called the BOULE? well figure who they are and what theyve done to suppress the elevation of my community. Thats exactly what Jay-Z is doing, “I” “me” “my”, the same rhetoric that sell outs have been conditioning our people to act like white folks, INDIVIDUALISTIC WITHOUT REGARDS TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY. I dont think you really overstand the extinction of black men in this country.Well, I dont even know if youre black or white, black or nigger, man or boy, and king or metrosexual. Ill assume youre all the latter.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
At the end of the day, we are talking about Hip Hop and the culture of Hip Hop. No matter what you think, Jay-Z is the GREATEST hip hop ARTIST, I’m not saying MC. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but if we’re looking at facts within hip hop, he’s the king. And @GuttaQue and blackmindblacksoul save all that BS I got more knowledge/wisdom I think I’m an activist/black leader crap for another website. What does the GAME being bi-polar have to do with anything?? I would say he’s bi-polar cause one day he’s bashing the whole Aftermath camp and the next day is apologizing for it, but I’ll still give him his credit for helping the poor. I love 2pac don’t get me wrong, but he wasn’t a spitter like Jay-Z. He made some great songs but wasn’t a better mc than BIG or Jay. You really don’t make sense, Nelly co-owns an NBA team and is he the face of Hip Hop? Let’s agree to disagree…
October 25th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
smh… but this is the world today!