Music

Jay-Z Discusses "Smells like Teen Spirit" & the Histories of Grunge & Hip-Hop

Hov says "grunge stopped [hip-hop] for one second."

Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original
Complex Original

Jay-Z donned his music theorist/historian hat recently to share his thoughts on the grunge movement. Pharrell spoke with Hov for his upcoming book, Pharrell: The Spaces and Places I’ve Been, and the two got to talking about Nirvana and the genre of grunge as a whole.

Pharrell asks Jay where he was the first time he heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and he gets a pretty insightful take on the intertwined histories of grunge and hip-hop in response. Check out the passage below and pick up the book October 16.

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App