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sodrewrites 's review for:
JAY-Z: Made in America
by Michael Eric Dyson
"The Michael Corleone of the microphone | The Michaelangelo of flow, I paint pictures with poems."
- Jay-Z
"Jay can protect the complex and coded conversations he has in his music, for instance, with folk who are still hustling or with those whose racial struggles tie them to him. And then, at his discretion, he can, as the title of his memoir suggests, decode his work, both for those who are new to his lyrics and for those who wonder just what he may have had in mind as they pour over his secular scriptures."
-Michael Eric Dyson, Jay-Z: Made in America
I am a fan of both Michael Eric Dyson and Jay-Z, so it's no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to read this book as soon as possible. And I'm glad that I did. Jay-Z: Made in America is an in-depth look at the rapper's definition of the hustle, with images of his life and lyrics to reflect that. Not only does Dyson share well-researched facts to support his claims, he also dissects Jay's lyrics bar-for-bar to mirror them. An ode to the artist, or as Dyson often refers to as "poet," this book illuminates the way Jay's music paints pictures in a way that the streets feel acknowledged and the rest of society gets a bird's eye view of a lifestyle far removed from them. Parallels to the lives of basketball star Lebron James and late great musician Nipsey Hussle are also surprisingly noted here. Jay-Z: Made in America gives readers a glimpse of Jay's transition from street hustler to high-profile celebrity by way of his rhymes in a way I could appreciate.
However, if you are a big fan of Jay-Z or have listened to his albums over the last 20+ years, you may not find anything new in this book. While this is no biography on Jay, I did expect to see more of his life experiences and how they were reflected in his music noted. But since Jay's hustle and lyricism was the main subject matter, I will give that a pass. Seeing Jay for the poet that he is and going back to listen to his catalog with a renewed perspective makes up for it. I encourage anyone who appreciates the art of Jay-Z's hustle to check out this book, for sure!
*3.5 Stars*
Special thank you to Dyson, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of Jay-Z: Made in America in exchange for an honest review.
- Jay-Z
"Jay can protect the complex and coded conversations he has in his music, for instance, with folk who are still hustling or with those whose racial struggles tie them to him. And then, at his discretion, he can, as the title of his memoir suggests, decode his work, both for those who are new to his lyrics and for those who wonder just what he may have had in mind as they pour over his secular scriptures."
-Michael Eric Dyson, Jay-Z: Made in America
I am a fan of both Michael Eric Dyson and Jay-Z, so it's no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to read this book as soon as possible. And I'm glad that I did. Jay-Z: Made in America is an in-depth look at the rapper's definition of the hustle, with images of his life and lyrics to reflect that. Not only does Dyson share well-researched facts to support his claims, he also dissects Jay's lyrics bar-for-bar to mirror them. An ode to the artist, or as Dyson often refers to as "poet," this book illuminates the way Jay's music paints pictures in a way that the streets feel acknowledged and the rest of society gets a bird's eye view of a lifestyle far removed from them. Parallels to the lives of basketball star Lebron James and late great musician Nipsey Hussle are also surprisingly noted here. Jay-Z: Made in America gives readers a glimpse of Jay's transition from street hustler to high-profile celebrity by way of his rhymes in a way I could appreciate.
However, if you are a big fan of Jay-Z or have listened to his albums over the last 20+ years, you may not find anything new in this book. While this is no biography on Jay, I did expect to see more of his life experiences and how they were reflected in his music noted. But since Jay's hustle and lyricism was the main subject matter, I will give that a pass. Seeing Jay for the poet that he is and going back to listen to his catalog with a renewed perspective makes up for it. I encourage anyone who appreciates the art of Jay-Z's hustle to check out this book, for sure!
*3.5 Stars*
Special thank you to Dyson, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of Jay-Z: Made in America in exchange for an honest review.