JAY-Z WANTS TO BE THE TYPE OF FATHER THAT HIS DAD WASN’T

Jay-Z appears on the cover of the newest issue of GQ magazine.  Mr. Carter has been named one of the magazine’s Men Of The Year.  In a very introspective interview Jay digs deep and discusses his thoughts on being a father.  He  talks about the feelings t he had when his father left their home 11 years after his birth.

If your dad died before you were born, yeah, it hurts—but it’s not like you had a connection with something that was real,” Jay says. “Not to say it’s any better—but to have that connection and then have it ripped away was, like, the worst. My dad was such a good dad that when he left, he left a huge scar. He was my superhero.”

Jay says that his father Adnis Reeves turned to alcohol and drugs when his brother was murdered.  The affects of the alcohol and substance abuse is what pulled Reeves away from his family according to Jay.  Jay’s mom  Gloria tried her best to foster a relationship between Adnis and his kids even after he left the home, but he would never live up to his end of the bargain.   Gloria would arrange for meetings between Adnis and the kids but he simply wouldn’t show up to see them.

It wasn’t until after Jay had become a successful rapper and entrepreneur that he was reunited with his father.  In December 2003 Jay and Adnis got together and Jay says that he opened up to his dad about how it felt to grow up in a home without a father.

“[I talked about] what it did to me, what it meant, asked him why. There was no real answer. There was nothing he could say, because there’s no excuse for that. There really isn’t. So there was nothing he could say to satisfy me, except to hear me out. And it was up to me to forgive and let it go.”

Reeves was already sick when he and his son met again. So sick that the two would never see each other again. Adnis Reeves died soon after.

Over the years Jay has always opened up about the subject of growing up without a father.  The article shows that with all of the accolades and accomplishments that Jay-Z  has achieved over the years  he is still a man who is hurting from not having his father in his life.   Not having a father to be there to watch him as he grew up still plays a part in his life at the age of 42 and will also motivate him to be the best father that he can be to his own child.

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