Jay-Z

Jay-Z is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and record executive widely ranked among the greatest lyricists in hip-hop and, per Forbes, the wealthiest musician in history. Born Shawn Carter in Brooklyn’s Marcy projects, he turned a rags-to-riches story into a business empire spanning music, spirits, and sports representation. His book Decoded is part memoir, part annotated lyric anthology, unpacking the wordplay and hidden meanings in his songs alongside the life and neighborhoods that produced them, making a case for rap as literature.