The American Dream: Jay Z And The American Dream

What is the “American Dream" and how does one attain it? It's debatable to say whether American Rapper, Jay Z, has acquired this dream or if his method automatically makes the American Dream nonexistent. Performing illegal actions seems to be an acceptable path to reach major life goals for Jay Z. For a highly intelligent individual, it would be safe to assume that he has the ability to determine right from wrong within society. For one to reach such a dream, legally working towards it would seem like the proper direction to go.

Jay Z is no stranger to intelligence; he has never found himself struggling in a class throughout his school career. The teachers that stood before him in each classroom were stunned yet aware of his "school smart"

He loves the money, fame, and girls; after all, these were huge components of his dream. He broke the law for money, made music for money, and "got away with murder" because he had money. This is who Jay Z is; a money loving, law breaker and he had no problem with that. It's okay to dream of being "filthy rich"; humans depend upon money greatly and that's life, it just matters how humans obtain that money. "His dream was to be the rich guy in the nice car with the big gun, Scarface – 'Say hello to my little friend!' " (358) The American Dream is known to be about equality, freedom, morality, and opportunity. That is why foreigners choose to immigrate to the United States, to experience this "amazing" dream. Breaking the United States laws and dealing illegal drugs on the streets where children meander is not how you accomplish the American Dream, that is dismantling it, giving it a different meaning. But Jay Z was one of those innocent children surrounded by all kinds of people passing cocaine through the halls, streets, homes, etc. He chose to follow these crowds and make money their way which soon became his way, instead of getting a part time, minimum wage job. For many, the American Dream is accomplished by legally working hard and earning all that one may dream of through blood, sweat, and tears. May that be owning a farm on a

As a high school student/graduate, these minimum wage jobs seem like the only way to go, or at least one of the simplest. Jay Z is looked up to by hundreds of thousands of teens throughout the world and America; they are the McDonalds employees who hand early morning office employees a McCafe Coffee and McMuffin in the morning so they can get started on their day, they are the kids who clean up after everyone else's kids in department stores. Working at a place such as McDonald's is usually just a first step. These kids may then save up and purchase their first vehicle which is also more than likely temporary. It may not be a job offering these young adults millions of dollars and fancy clothes in a few months, but it is definitely a job teaching them life skills that they will need in their futures. Everything a person does leads to more experiences and lessons. Jay Z doesn't seem to agree or care about his fans who fit these descriptions; "Kids who put on their orange uniform and walked past the hustlers on the corner to a job at McDonald's were suckers trying to play by the rules. They didn't have a dream." (358) A teenagers first job should not define their lifelong goals. They may have bigger dreams than Jay Z did when he was their age, they're taking a smart and easy path as "beginners" to this world. They will be successful in