“They say a midget standing on a giant's shoulders can see much further than the giant. So I got the whole rap world on my shoulders, they tryin' to see further than I am”
— Jay Z
Simplified Meaning:
When someone small stands on the shoulders of someone tall, they can see more because they have the tall person's height plus their own. This means that using what others before us have accomplished can help us achieve even more than they did. For example, in science, new discoveries are made because researchers build on what others have already found out. This way of progressing is common in many fields. In the quote, the person is comparing himself to a giant carrying many people on his shoulders. He feels responsible for leading them and helping them see further. It's like an experienced teacher who has many students looking up to them to learn and succeed. This person is saying that they have a lot of weight on their shoulders because they are paving the way for others to go beyond what they've achieved. This teaches us that by building on the knowledge and progress made by those before us, we can achieve even greater things and help others do the same.