Although his cannabis company isn’t panning out like he wanted it to, Jay-Z is succeeding in other aspects of his life.
Remember “The Book of Hov” exhibit that opened in his hometown at the Brooklyn Public Library a year ago? It was unveiled during hip-hop’s 50th anniversary by Jay’s team as a surprise to him, and explores his global impact as a rapper, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
The installation was divided into five sections: “Introduction,” “A Work of Art Already,” “Baseline Studios,” “Did It All Without a Pen,” and “Business Man.” Each one featured legendary plaques, posters, records, statues, and clips from both old and recent interviews.
Now, in a shocking revelation, that incredible exhibit has now been turned into an actual book titled “The Book of HOV: A Tribute to JAY-Z,” in celebration of the Brooklyn MC’s 55th birthday.
In a description, the publisher Assouline says that the book “commemorates and immortalizes the immersive installation, showcasing in one place the thousands of archived objects from every facet of JAY-Z’s professional life.”
The statement continues, “Readers will find it all, from the guitar JAY-Z played at Glastonbury Festival (the first rapper to grace that rock-and-roll stage) to Daniel Arsham’s sculpture ‘HOV Hands,’ (the iconic gesture, made famous by JAY-Z and seen at his concerts across the globe), to his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame award (JAY-Z is the first solo hip hop artist inducted) to hundreds of paper planes (created schoolchildren across NYC wrote their dreams inside).”
Although this 432-page almost feels like a must-have for longtime hip-hop and Jay-Z listeners, it won’t come cheap: A “classic” edition of the book will cost $120 and an “ultimate” edition of the book will cost an insane $2,000. The more expensive edition will come with a presentation case, white gloves, and a canvas tote bag, according to Assouline.