So after all these years of being promised a tome from the almighty Jay-Z, some sort of glimpse into his mind... we are getting "Decoded" on November 16th. I guess that truly revealing biography written by Toure was axed... so this will have to do. I'd rather read about his own personal insight into his lyrics than tales of hustlin' OT in Virginia or struggling to get a deal on a major anyways.Here we get the first sneak peek into the book... a breakdown of "American Dreamin'" from "American Gangster"...
Some of it is obvious to any listener that actually bothers to listen to the lyrics instead of "skim through it". But it is obviously written to appeal to the broadest audience possible. The average rap fan, even the most suburban of them (which I'll admit includes myself), would know what the term "pitching" meant after hearing countless rapper's stories about hustling on the block. However, Jay-Z, by explaining the lyrics, also makes the descriptions semi-autobiographical in turn. An excerpt:
"And it's not like we're professionals movin' the decimals/Know where to cop? Nah! Gtt a connect? No!"
Initially the decision to hustle is freestyled. These kids in the cipher, the ones with their feet up and the dreams of foreign cars, have absolutely no idea how to go into business, even one that surrounds them like the drug game. Do they know where to go to cop the work? No. Do they have a drug connect? No. They're like anyone starting out in business; they need someone to give them the plan.
