Empire State of Mind cover art

Empire State of Mind

How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office

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Empire State of Mind

By: Zack O'Malley Greenburg
Narrated by: Sean Pratt
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About this listen

"I'm not a businessman. I'm a business, man."
—Jay-Z

Some people think Jay-Z is just another rapper. Others see him as just another celebrity/mega-star. The reality is, no matter what you think Jay-Z is, he is first and foremost a business. And as much as Martha Stewart or Oprah, he has turned himself into a lifestyle. You can wake up to the local radio station playing Jay-Z's latest hit, spritz yourself with his 9IX cologne, slip on a pair of his Rocawear jeans, lace up your Reebok S. Carter sneakers, catch a Nets basketball game in the afternoon, and grab dinner at The Spotted Pig before heading to an evening performance of the Jay-Z-backed Broadway musical Fela! and a nightcap at his 40/40 Club. He'll profit at every turn of your day.

But despite Jay-Z's success, there are still many Americans whose impressions of him are foggy, outdated, or downright incorrect. Surprisingly to many, he honed his business philosophy not at a fancy B school but on the streets of Brooklyn, New York, and beyond as a drug dealer in the 1980s.

Empire State of Mind tells the story behind Jay-Z's rise to the top as told by the people who lived it with him. This audiobook explains just how Jay-Z propelled himself from the bleak streets of Brooklyn to the heights of the business world. He also includes new information on Jay-Z's various business dealings, such as:

  • The feature movie about Jay-Z and his first basketball team that was filmed by Fab 5 Freddy in 2003 but never released
  • The Jay-Z branded Jeep that was scrapped just before going into production
  • The real story behind his association with Armand de Brignac champagne
  • The financial ramifications of his marriage to Beyonce

Jay-Z's tale is compelling, not just because of his celebrity, but because it embodies the rags-to-riches American dream and is a model for any entrepreneur looking to build a commercial empire.

©2011 Zack O'Malley Greenburg (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp Business Cultural & Regional Entertainment & Celebrities Music Professionals & Academics Celebrity Funny Basketball

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Critic reviews

"[A] fascinating, well-done biography of one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurs of our era." (Steve Forbes)
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An interesting insight into the character and business dealings of the protagonist, but not a lot of useful lessons or insights. More on the entertainment side than the learning side but was still interesting and enjoyable.

Interesting, but not especially useful

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A fantastic audio, inspiring and entertaining. really enjoyed listening to this during my long drives.

Superb

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Well you gotta give it to the guy. He’s done very well for himself and others. Seems to have his fingers in a lot of pies. But his hard work paid off

Jay Z

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Financially inspiring, but he still comes across as a successful piece of sh*t as he stabbed someone and shot his brother.

Very Interesting rags to riches account

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What did you like most about Empire State of Mind?

It's focus on the business rather than personal life of Jay-z and the authors well researched insights into deal making in the music industry. It does also go into some detail about his early life before music though which in itself is an interesting rags to riches story.

If you are in the music industry the business advice contained within is indispensable. Lots of great examples of how to turn your popularity into a stable business enterprise and set yourself up for life. If you are new to the music industry he also explains common practice before going into the details of the deals.

Also the story is told from a wide variety of view points. Jay-z did not support this book though! Which was a shame but I think makes the book quite a different read, in that it discusses his failures in as much detail as his successes and gives some very detailed facts and figures about his business deals.

The author went to a lot of trouble to uncover things that Jay-z was gone to great pains to keep hidden. He presents the facts and his opinions on Jay-z's previous dealings and habits and leaves you to make up your own mind about things where he can't prive it one way or another.

I haven't read Jay-z's own offering but I will be comparing it to this to see how biased it is.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Empire State of Mind?

The fact that he managed to own his own masters and keep control of his career. He was always in charge and never let a record company or in fact anyone "manage" or direct his progress. He always had a plan and knew where he was going.

What about Sean Pratt’s performance did you like?

I've heard his performance in other books. I was surprised to hear him here! I didn't know how he'd handle this genre but it was read well. When slang and hip hop lingo was used he didn't make it cheesy or try too hard. He read with passion for the subject and it was very clear well paced and easy to listen to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The parts where he talks about family and people he has lost. He is very intelligent and very human despite his image. Also the book talks a lot about people underestimating and misjudging him. I have to say I learned things about him I never suspected. He is an amazing individual. A business and music powerhouse

Any additional comments?

Really worth a listen whoever you are. I wasn't massively keen on Jay-z when I started but I had friends who worship him. This books turned me into a fan from many angles.

There is something for everyone from every background in here. From aspiring recording artists to seasoned business professionals or fans. A very surprising and informative read!

A biography with a business twist...

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Enjoyed this. Gives glimpses of the the entrepreneurial side of hip hop mogul Jay Z.

Really really informative

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I haven't really been a fan of Jay Z, but over time I had heard a bit of his achievements in the business world to give this book a try. Not disappointed at all. There is the good and bad from his early days but a lot to respect and admire as well. Interesting to understand how his early days shaped him and how he has moved on from the stereotypical Rapper to a respected business icon.

Interesting listen

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I think this book is a must in cross referencing with decoded because it is a very good external and objective look at Jay Z

a good objective view of Jay Z

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only recently started using audible and this book made a 3 hour car journey bareable fantastic listen also learned a few things about one of my favourite rappers

enjoy full listen

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Doesn’t get under the skin of the story in a big way. When the author does get under the skin - e.g. the champagne story - he beats it to death, but you’re left feeling “so what?”.

Relative to other investigative biographies, this is average at best.

Didn’t Get Real Insight

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