As he enters his fifties, and to mark his thirty years as a recording artist, this is the perfect time to take a look at JAY-Z's career.
Michael Eric Dyson is one of America's premier public intellectuals and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tears We Cannot Stop and What Truth Sounds Like. He occupies the distinguished position of University Professor of Sociology at Georgetown University, is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and is a contributing editor of The New Republic and ESPN's The Undefeated. Ebony magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans and one of the 150 most powerful blacks in the nation.
"[Dyson] makes his case that as a truth-telling racial unifier,
political influence, and 'vocal evangelist for developing
generational wealth in black communities, ' Jay-Z represents a
symbol of 'overcoming' for hip-hop culture and American society."
--Booklist
"Michael Eric Dyson, a preeminent public intellectual, has covered
the waterfront of black cultural criticism -- from politics to pop
culture, from race to religion. With JAY-Z: Made in America, he
returns to his roots and offers us a poignant portrait of one of
hip hop's most intriguing figures, a brilliant self-made man who,
if he didn't exist, you'd have to invent. This tour de force takes
full measure of an icon who is an American original like no other!"
--Henry-Louis Gates
"If you want the definitive treatment of a man who took it from
Marcy Projects to the White House with wit, wisdom, and talent, and
changed hip hop along the way, look no further than this insightful
and moving book." --Common
"My Brooklyn Homeboy JAY-Z is one of the most prolific and gifted
rappers of all time. My man Michael Eric Dyson is uniquely
qualified to interpret JAY-Z's art and cultural meaning, and this
dope book is all the proof we need." --Spike Lee
"As a proud standard bearer of hip hop's golden age, I greatly
admire Jay-Z's lyrical talent, and just as important, his business
acumen. This brilliant book not only explains Jay's magnificent
artistry and career, but it sheds light on the broader American
culture as well." --Queen Latifah
"Jay-Z is one of the most remarkable figures of our time. I
identify with him as a person who started poor but who rose high to
conquer our realms on our own terms. This brilliant work probes
every dimension of this iconic American original." --Tyler
Perry
"Michael Eric Dyson is the perfect thinker and writer to grapple
with Jay-Z's artistic and political meaning. This is a fascinating
and fulfilling book that eloquently engages one of the most
profound and influential artists of our time." --Al Sharpton
"Jay-Z's music has helped to shape a generation, and his rise from
hustler to billionaire is an inspiration to millions. Michael Eric
Dyson, himself a gifted writer and inspiring thinker who has risen
from the bottom too, offers us a bracing, brilliant look at an
iconic American. This book is eloquent and profound, and will help
all of us understand why Jay-Z is in a class by himself." --Tamron
Hall
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