JAY-Z
Made in America
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
JAY-Z: Made in America - A Lyrical Legacy of Hustling, Politics, and Social Justice
NOW A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY BESTSELLER
"Dyson writes with the affection of a fan but the rigor of an academic. ... Using extensive passages from Jay-Z's lyrics, 'Made in America' examines the rapper's role as a poet, an aesthete, an advocate for racial justice and a business, man, but devotes much of its energy to Hova the Hustler." —Allison Stewart, The Washington Post
"Dyson's incisive analysis of JAY-Z's brilliance not only offers a brief history of hip-hop's critical place in American culture, but also hints at how we can best move forward." —Questlove
JAY-Z: Made in America is the fruit of Michael Eric Dyson's decade of teaching the work of one of the greatest poets this nation has produced. This book wrestles with the biggest themes of JAY-Z's career, including hustling, politics, race, criminal justice, black wealth and social injustice. As JAY-Z enters his fifties, and to mark his thirty years as a recording artist, this is the perfect time to examine his lyrical legacy and role in shaping modern America.
JAY-Z's influence extends beyond music, making him a defining voice in our national conversation. Through his lyrics, we can better understand the complexities of being black in America today. Featuring a Foreword by Pharrell, JAY-Z: Made in America is a celebration of a modern poet and cultural icon.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
We’ve always known Jay-Z was a genius, but even his biggest fans will be struck by the way Michael Eric Dyson elevates the conversation around this hip-hop icon. Dyson, a cultural critic, preacher, and professor, teaches a class on the multitalented rapper and music entrepreneur at Georgetown University, making him an ideal choice to explore why Shawn Carter is an important American artist. Dyson argues that hustling and truth-telling—qualities that basically define Jay-Z’s journey—have always been core to our national identity. He goes deep into how the lyrics of classics like “Dirt off Your Shoulder” extend and redefine those ideas, making a strong case for why Jay-Z should be heralded alongside poets like Rita Dove and Walt Whitman. Bonus: Pharrell wrote the foreword!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this astute cultural biography, Dyson (Tears We Cannot Stop) analyzes the impact of Jay-Z through his music from his hard-knock life as a drug dealer from Brooklyn, to his becoming a billionaire rapper and husband of megastar Beyonc . "The more I pore over his lyrics," writes Dyson, who teaches a course on Jay-Z at Georgetown University, "the more I realize that I am dealing with an extremely intelligent poet whose work matches the poets I've admired since childhood... Tennyson, Hughes, Brooks and Yeats." With lyrics including "I'm not a businessman; I'm a business, man! Let me handle my business, damn," Dyson cites Jay-Z's "use of braggadocio and allusion, signifying and double entendre, metaphor and homophones." Dyson explores how Jay-Z created profound, meaningful art out of bleak urban decay. "When we hear JAY-Z," Dyson writes, "we listen to the incomparable tongue of American democracy expressed by a people too long held underfoot." Dyson compares Jay-Z to Barack Obama ("both tremendously charismatic men... married to strong and brilliant women"), and recalls Jay-Z's campaign ads for Obama and a tongue-in-cheek song he performed on the eve of Obama's inauguration, featuring the line "My president is black/ In fact he's half white/ So even in a racist mind/ He's half right". Dyson's excellent study serves as a succinct blueprint of Jay-Z's artistry and legacy.
