“The story of the rapper and the story of the hustler are like rap itself, two kinds of rhythm working together, having a conversation with each other, doing more together than they could do apart"

Decoded, Jay-Z


That's right. I read a novel about rap, hustling (slang for drug dealing), and the rise from poverty from the perspective of an African American male.  Maybe I don't look like the typical audience for this type of novel, but let me explain....

To me, Oprah is the end- all, be-all. I am a HUGE Oprah fan to say the least. So, when I watched her annual "Favorite Things" episode and she endorsed Jay-Z's new novel, Decoded, I was a bit surprised.  I have watched countless other shows where she denounced the genre of rap for its use of misogynistic, violent, and racist lyrics, and here she was (the queen of the anti "n word") telling the world to go out and read the book of one of the most notorious rappers of our time.  It certainly piqued my interest.

Coming from a visual person, this novel was one of the most eye-pleasing books I've seen in a long time. The glossy pages, pertinent photographs, and dramatic cover definitely made me want to at least flip through the book.... , and then before I knew it, I was in line at the bookstore to purchase my very own copy!

Overall, the novel is authentic and raw with a level of candor that one cannot help but appreciate.  Jay-Z has a way with words in his music that easily makes the transition over to print format.  He parallels the world of rap to the world of hustling, making the point that there are more similarities between the two than what one might initially think. ("the two overlap as much as they diverge...")  He states, "The story of the hustler was the story hip-hop was born to tell- not its only story, but the story that found voice in the form and, in return, helped grow the form into an art."

He makes a strong argument that rap is truly poetry, an art, and a metaphor for the underprivileged to tell their struggles.  Yeah, sometimes the stories hip-hop songs voice to the public are not the ones people want to hear, but it's honest. Jay-Z is very clear that he might embellish songs for entertainment purposes, but it is always grounded in the "truth of that experience."  He flawlessly executes the deconstruction (or "decoding")  of the lyrics to several of his famous songs which gives the reader insight into the intent behind the words.  On first glance, many of the lyrics seem superficial but with his explanation one can truly appreciate the intellect that goes into some of his music.

My strongest criticism is that, at times, his prose seemed a bit contradictory (re: no apologies for his lyrics to those who take offense but criticizing others for their opinions....)  However, I enjoyed reading the novel, and recommend it to those who are open-minded about gaining a new perspective and appreciation for the skill that goes into creating the music that has made Shawn Carter into Jay-Z.