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Book

Decoded

Author

Jay-Z

Call Number

  • 921 J426 (CEN)

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Publication Information

New York : One World, 2011.

Physical Description

335 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Summary

"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"--Front cover flap.

Notes

Originally published in hardcover and paperback by Spiegel & Grau in 2010 and 2011.

Contents

  • Part 1. One eye open
  • The revolutionary t-shirt
  • Public service announcement (The black album)
  • American Dreamin' (American gangster)
  • Early this morning (unreleased)
  • Honor among predators
  • Coming of age (Reasonable doubt)
  • Coming of age (Da sequel) (Vol. 2 ... Hard knock life)
  • D'Evils (Reasonable doubt)
  • Negative space
  • 99 problems (The black album)
  • Ignorant shit (American gangster)
  • Part 2. I will not lose
  • Portrait of the artist as a young star
  • Most kings (unreleased)
  • Success (American gangster)
  • Renegade (The blueprint)
  • Can I live? (Reasonable doubt)
  • Balling and falling
  • Fallin' (American gangster)
  • Big pimpin' (Vol. 3 ... Life and times of S. Carter)
  • Streets is watching (In my lifetime, Vol. 1)
  • Beat the system before it beats you
  • Operation corporate takeover (Mix tape freestyle)
  • Moment of clarity (The black album)
  • A stern discipline
  • Breathe easy (Lyrical exercise) (The blueprint)
  • My 1st song (The black album)
  • Part 3. Politics as usual
  • White America
  • Young gifted and black (S. Carter collection)
  • Hell yeah (Pimp the system) (Revolutionary but gangsta)
  • Ears wide open
  • Beware (Jay-Z remix) (Beware)
  • Blue magic (American gangster)
  • Cautionary tales
  • This life forever (Black gangster)
  • Meet the parents (The bluprint²: the gift & the curse)
  • Where I'm from (In my lifetime, Vol. 1)
  • Funeral parade
  • Minority report (Kingdom come)
  • Dynasty (Intro) (The dynasty: roc la familia)
  • My president is black (unreleased)
  • Part 4. Come and get me
  • The voice in your head is right
  • Regrets (Reasonable doubt)
  • This can't be life (The dynasty: roc la familia)
  • Soon you'll understand (The dynasty: roc la familia)
  • Instant karma
  • Beach chair (Kingdom come)
  • Lucifer (The black album)
  • Our life
  • December 4th (The black album)
  • History (unreleased).

Subjects