Empire State of Mind : How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office

by Greenburg, Zack O'malley

• ISBN13: 9781591843818
• ISBN10: 1591843812
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-03-17
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover

Summary

An in-depth look at the business behind Jay-Z's hip-hop empire. Jay-Z is one of the most recognizable names in entertainment. He's been called one of the greatest rappers of all time, but music may end up as just a small part of a brilliant career. His combination of intelligence, instinct, and swagger have earned him a chain of nightclubs, a stake in the New Jersey Nets, and the status of a media mogul. Amazingly, he honed his business philosophy not at a fancy B school, but on the streets of Brooklyn, New York as a crack dealer in the 1980s. Empire State of Mindis the story behind Jay-Z's rise to the top as told by the people who lived it with him-the childhood friend who got him into the drug trade, the DJ who convinced him to stop dealing and focus on music, Damon Dash, Fab Five Freddie, and other hip-hop and business innovators. Jay-Z's story is compelling not just because of his celebrity, but also because it is a blueprint for success in any setting-a classic rags-to- riches American dream.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
A Hard Knock Life	p. 11
The Roc-A-Fella Dynasty	p. 31
Building a Notorious Brand	p. 51
Jay-Z's First Basketball Team	p. 65
Early Retirement	p. 83
Def Jam Takeover	p. 97
Champagne Secrets	p. 111
To Infinity-and Bayoncé	p. 135
Net Gain	p. 153
Who Killed the Jay-Z Jeep?	p. 169
Reinventing the Roc	p. 185
History and Beyond	p. 203
Acknowledgments	p. 207
Notes	p. 213
Index	p. 239
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