The New York Times Magazine polled more than 250 music insiders and gathered six Times critics to choose the 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters. One of the artists who made the list was Jay-Z. The critic Jody Rosen met with ‪Jay-Z in Los Angeles to talk about his approach to rhythm, the stories behind his famous songs, the writing challenges he sets for himself, and how he has sustained a hip hop career for more than three decades.