Jay-Z thought he would be "more inspired" by the birth of his daughter

The rapper became father for the first time in January to baby Blue Ivy with wife Beyonce Knowles, and although he thought the experience would have him locked in the studio with new ideas, he has preferred to simply spend time with his newborn.

16 May 2012
He told MTV: "After my daughter was born I thought I would be more inspired with all the new feelings and everything that I'd have to write about, but it really happened the other way.

"I just really wanna hang out with her. I just wanna enjoy those moments for a bit and I'm sure that feeling of music will come back to me."

Days after Blue's birth Jay released the track 'Glory' in tribute, which included a sample of the baby's cries. While many presumed this was a new direction for a rapper known for his tough lyrics, he claims he has shown his tender side since the early part of his career, with tracks such as 'Regrets' on his debut, 'Reasonable Doubt'.

He added: "My music has always been like that, if you listen to 'Glory' and you listen to 'Regrets' side by side, it's exploring the same sort of emotions.

"It's just one deals with my mom, one deals with my daughter. My music has always been filled with those sort of emotions."

Jay has this week launched his Made in America festival, which will take place in Philadelphia on September 1 and 2.

© 2013 Bang Showbiz, NZCity