JAY-Z has rubbished reports that he is retiring from the music business.
The rapper said he has no intention of giving up and is looking forward to the forthcoming release of his 11th studio album The Blueprint 3.
Speaking to Billboard, he said: "I hear it all the time: 'Yo, he should let the young guys, the new generation of guys come in'. But you don't become the frontrunner in music because someone lets you. You have to claim your shoes."
"If you grow up listening to hip-hop, you love hip-hop and that's the end of it. But if you're a 30-year-old rapper still trying to make music like you're 15, then you're making it narrow.
"At my age, I can't relate to a 15-year-old. I deal with mature and relevant topics for my age group - it has to all be based on true emotions. The more diversity and the more mature we make hip-hop, the bigger the net you cast."