Decoded is a book like no other: 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.
Praise for Decoded "Compelling . . . provocative, evocative . . . Part autobiography, part lavishly illustrated commentary on the author's own work,
Decoded gives the reader a harrowing portrait of the rough worlds Jay-Z navigated in his youth, while at the same time deconstructing his lyrics."
--Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times "One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own."
--The New Yorker "Elegantly designed, incisively written . . . an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps."
--Los Angeles Times "A riveting exploration of Jay-Z's journey . . . So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism."
--The Boston Globe "Shawn Carter's most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z . . . The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating."
--Entertainment Weekly
"Hip-hop's renaissance man drops a classic. . . . Heartfelt, passionate and slick."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
