Jay-Z Decoded (0812981154)
Decoded is a book like no other: a collection of lyrics and their meanings that together tell the story of a culture, an art form, a moment in history, and one of the most provocative and successful artists of our time.
Praise for Decoded 'Compelling . . . provocative, evocative . . . Part autobiography, part lavishly illustrated commentary on the author's own work,
Decoded gives the reader a harrowing portrait of the rough worlds Jay-Z navigated in his youth, while at the same time deconstructing his lyrics.'
--Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times 'One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own.'
--The New Yorker 'Elegantly designed, incisively written . . . an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps.'
--Los Angeles Times 'A riveting exploration of Jay-Z's journey . . . So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism.'
--The Boston Globe 'Shawn Carter's most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z . . . The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating.'
--Entertainment Weekly
'Hip-hop's renaissance man drops a classic. . . . Heartfelt, passionate and slick.'
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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