Heartfelt, passionate and slick.'-Kirkus Reviews (starred review). 'Hip-hop's renaissance man drops a classic. The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating.'-Entertainment Weekly. Two hundred and thirty five pages into Decoded, Jay-Z’s book of rhymes and life experiences, Jay-Z explicitly states his goals for writing the book. 'Shawn Carter's most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z. So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism.'-The Boston Globe. 'A riveting exploration of Jay-Z's journey. an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps.'-Los Angeles Times. 'One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own.'-The New Yorker. 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. 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. 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. and b/w., in very good condition (nearly new). 2010 Bound, hc with original dustjacket (protected with removable cellophane),317pp., 19.5x24cm., illustr.

Jay z decoded hardcover