Jay-Z appeared on The Stephen A. Smith Show, on Fox Sports Radio, to talk about Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, the New York Knicks, the New Jersey Nets, and the Boston Celtics. He appeared in the capacity of part-owner of the New Jersey Nets and friend to MVP LeBron James, not as a rapper or record label boss. No mention was made of the New York Knicks, who have expressed their desire to acquire the soon-to-be fee agent MVP. Maybe that was due to Jay and the New Jersey Nets sharing that same desire. When asked about the Cleveland vs Boston series, the Brooklyn rapper said that everybody underestimated Boston as if they weren’t NBA champions two years ago.

“The first thing I would say is never really underestimate the heart of a champion. Like, Boston just won the championship two years ago, and it was a great story for everybody to dismiss them as old and just say this is going to be an easy series. I think LeBron and the Cavs know from the beginning, because they’re basketball players, they’re not into, you know, media sensation. They knew this was going to be a war and a tough series. I think Boston got healthy at the right time, and the fact that a lot of them were out a lot of the year, it helped them, it kind of worked in their favor because a lot of them rested…you know, they’re rested and they’re healthy at the right time. And this is the champion two years, just two ago. So, it’s not like a 16-seed, this is a real team, and Rondo is playing like Nate Archibald, or somebody. [Laughing] Who is this guy, man?”

Stephen A. Smith: “Alright now before I let you get on out of here, Jay-Z, you have got a new Russian owner for the New Jersey Nets. Where does that put you now? Because obviously you’re part-owner and you’ve been intimately involved with the New Jersey Nets organization. What’s gonna be your role in it, because other than the New York Knicks, nobody has more money to offer in free agency than the New Jersey Nets. What’s goin’ on with you?”

Jay-Z: “Well, uh, yeah, I sat down with him and we had a fantastic conversation, and, you know, there were things that I wanted to really make clear, that I wanted to be like an active owner, and this is something that I really care about and it’s not just a name cache for me. You know, it certainly isn’t, at this specific moment, making me any money, so, you know, it’s really just a thing that I love. And you know me, you know I love sports, so, you know, everybody was happy about what I was saying so it looks like I’ll be taking a more active role in, you know, what’s going on, and it should be fun.”

Stephen A. Smith: “Now you know I’m not going to let you get out of here that way…when you say ‘active,’ what exactly does that mean? Does that mean you will be out there recruiting, sir?”

Jay-Z: “Um, well, I won’t say that I wasn’t before, but yeah, just a more active role in, you know, everything that goes on. I was already attending the board meetings, and things like that, and you know, giving my share. But, you know, it looks like the relationship is off to a flying start, and, you know, we sat down, we really clicked, and had a great conversation, and it’s been good.”

Click here to listen to Jay Z talk LeBron and being a minority owner of the NJ Jets