Joey Bada$$ recently spoke on meeting with Jay-Z for the first time at the age of 17. The Brooklyn rapper revealed that the 2012 meeting changed everything for him. He says it managed to instill a newfound sense of confidence in the teenage version of himself. The artist recalled getting an offer to be flown out to meet with Jay-Z. "Get the f*ck outta here," he said at the time. It's clear that at such a young age, capturing the attention of a powerhouse like Jay has a lasting effect on Joey Bada$$.
"Yo, I'm 17, and I already accomplished my wildest dream," he remembers thinking to himself. He then goes on to explain that meeting with the Roc Nation founder was his biggest dream, "besides $1M." "That came the year after," the artist also joked. "I remember going up in that elevator like, 'if I'm meeting with Jay right now, I can do anything," he also reveals.
Read More: Joey Bada$$ Celebrates Serayah With Adorable Montage For National Girlfriends Day
Joey Bada$$ Recalls Thinking "I Can Do Anything"
Though Joey Bada$$ never ended up signing to Roc Nation, he's maintained that Jay-Z is an idol of his. During an appearance on The Breakfast Club, the rapper revealed that Jay-Z's book, Decoded, had a major influence on him. The rapper even says one story in the book inspired him to stay independent. He reflected on his line in his 2000 track, "Make Me Feel," where he raps "I peep game like Jay, that's why he didn't sign."
Joey Bada$$ broke down the line, explaining, "I read his book DECODED and that line was inspired by a piece in DECODED when he said he met with Russell Simmons for the first time." The rapper continued, "He details his experiences like him remembering sitting at that table and looking at them and thinking to himself like 'Damn I don't want to be signed to these n****s, I want to be these n****s.' So that was kind of the inspiration behind that line."
Read More: Joey Bada$$ And Statik Selektah’s Best Songs
