Jadakiss Can't Kiss The Game Goodbye, "There's A Lot Of Artists Scorching Hot Right Now, That Won't Have A 5-Year Career"

The LOX's Jadakiss recently offered his take on having longevity in hip-hop and how being a seasoned rap veteran gives him leverage over some current mainstream sensations.

While Jada feels artists should strive for success, he also pointed out the importance of being content with the simple things in life.

"Longevity is an accomplishment within itself. Sometime people overlook how long you been in the game. This is a game that deals with a lot of bullsh*t, you gotta be happy, take care of your family and bask in the glory of your loved ones. Sometimes the glory you see, the outside world don't see that. You have to use that as motivation to keep going. There's a lot of artists that's scorching hot right now, that won't have a five year career, or 10 years, nothing. At the end of the day I just feel blessed to be here." (XXL Mag)

Chicago rap veteran Twista previously talked to SOHH about maintaining a 20-year hip-hop career.

"I think people forget the art of what rapping and emceeing is. Some of these n*ggas out here can't f*ck with me. So that's when it starts to get crazy to me, when I hear about who is underrated. You can't skip Twista when you see me constantly being relevant in the game since 1991. Here it is, 2011, twenty years and I'm still making jams? How can my name not get brought up? So when you say "Greatest Of All Time," that doesn't disturb me, but when you say, "Most Underrated," that disturbs me. I feel like I'll be most relevant when the chart comes up showing artists with longevity. Like, who was able to keep banging them over their heads with jams? I think when you start looking at longevity, my name will come up." (SOHH Underrated)

Earlier this month, Slaughterhouse's Joe Budden revealed some industry tips Jay-Z instilled on him.

"When I was coming up, I bumped into Jay-Z at the Def Jam offices and I was at the height of my success [around 2003] and he said, 'You're doing great out there. Now go keep it up.' And that stuck with me. Anybody can go out there and score 30 on any given night and never do it again. But the talent is being able to do it on a consistent basis. So that's what I'm trying to see from the younger guys. That's what I'm doing now." ("The Life")

Budden also previously offered his take on maintaining longevity in hip-hop.

"[The key to longevity,] you want to practice, you always want to work on your craft and continue to get better everyday," Budden said during a Hip Hop Nation radio broadcast. "And you want to be as persistent as possible. You will run into a lot of people who are naysayers, people who will be non-believers, people who will tell you you're not fit for this, and you know, it takes a strong-willed individual to be able to block all that out and pursue your dreams." (Hip Hop Nation)