When Shawn Carter, an aspiring rapper with the stage name Jay-Z, couldn't get his career off the ground at a major record label, he didn't get discouraged. He and his partners Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke created a hip-hop label of their own. They named the label Roc-A-Fella Records. Originally intended as a one-time project to release Jay-Z's full-length debut album, Reasonable Doubt, Roc-A-Fella Records expanded into a true hip-hop powerhouse. Roc-A-Fella Records has introduced listeners to the unique talents of artists like Kanye West, the Young Gunz, and the State Property crew. Other artists, such as Jadakiss and the O.D.B., have received another chance to kick-start their careers. This book describes the musical contributions of Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Roc-A-Fella's other past and present artists, as well as the record label's complex behind-the-scenes history.

Presents a biography of rap musician, Shawn Carter, also known as Jay-Z, and chronicles his life and works.

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)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 37. Chapters: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Foxy Brown, Cam'ron, Freeway, Juelz Santana, M.O.P., Amil, Teairra Mari, Hector Delgado, The Diplomats, Young Gunz, N.O.R.E., Memphis Bleek, Nicole Wray, Rell, Tru Life, Peedi Peedi, Neef Buck, Young Steff, State Property, DJ Clue?, Uncle Murda, Aztek Escobar, Omillio Sparks, Sauce Money, Christion. Excerpt: Kanye Omari West (pronounced; born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synth-pop, and classical music. West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, his third album Graduation in 2007, his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak in 2008, and his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010. His five albums, all of which have gone platinum, have received numerous awards and critical acclaim. As of 2011, West has won a total of fourteen Grammy awards. All albums have been very commercially successful, with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy becoming his fourth consecutive No.1 album in the U.S. upon release. West has had 4 songs exceed 3 million in digital sales as of May 2011, with "Gold Digger" selling 3,086,000, "Stronger" selling 4,402,000, "Heartless" selling 3,742,000 and "E.T." selling 3,157,000, placing him third in overall digital sales. West also...

Jay-Z: King of America is the first in-depth biography to dissect the life and music of the most successful rapper of all time. From crack dealing on the mean streets of New York to million dollar deals at the highest echelons of music industry, Jay-Z’s story is a whole new kind of American Dream. Updated to include recent turbulence with Kanye West, rumours of an affair with Rhianna, his latest album Magna Carta Holy Grail and troubles with his streaming service Tidal, this is the most complete biography of Jay-Z available. Author Mark Beaumont has interviewed Jay-Z, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Damon Dash, Dr Dre, Rick Rubin and more. Revealing insights from these encounters inform this no-holds-barred biography of a great American success story. Along his winding path Jay-Z shattered barriers in rap music and has done more than anyone to make the genre the global crossover success it is today. This book includes detailed accounts of all 12 of his albums, including the seminal classic Reasonable Doubt, the landmark Blueprint trilogy and his latest gem, Magna Carta Holy Grail. Mark Beaumont traces Jay Z’s ascent to hip-hop’s throne and his pivotal role in forging modern rap music. Taking in all of the drug busts, knife attacks, entrepreneurial brilliance, premature retirements and secret weddings, this is Jay-Z’s hard knock life fully exposed… “Definitely THE book to own this Christmas, and takes his rightful place at the top of our book chart.” - RWD magazine (Leading UK urban music mag)

When it was founded in 1984, Def Jam was a tiny operation nestled in the college dorm room of Rick Rubin. He and promoter Russell Simmons quickly built a music empire around a talented crew of groundbreaking artists and an allegiance to the "real street music" that was about to bust out of New York City's hip-hop circles. Over the course of several decades, Def Jam has helped launched many of the best acts in rap and pop music, including LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Method Man, DMX, Ja Rule, Jay-Z, and Rihanna. Over 200 gold and over 70 platinum records bear the Def Jam label. Def Jam's 25th anniversary in 2009 was just another milestone in the story of a label that helped define the sound as well as the wider culture of hip-hop.

Since the mid-1990s, Tim Mosley—better known as Timbaland—has been one of the most in-demand and critically respected producers in the music industry. His credits include numerous hits in hip-hop, as well as dance, R&B, pop, and rock. But that isn't the only contribution Timbaland has made to the music scene. In 2006, he became the CEO of his own record label, Mosley Music Group. Open to all kinds of acts, the label is part of, and distributed by, Interscope Records. Mosley Music Group has released several star-studded albums. The label has given new creative outlets to experienced artists like Nelly Furtado and Chris Cornell, and helped launch the careers of artists like OneRepublic, Keri Hilson, D.O.E., and MC Hayes. This book profiles all of Mosley Music Group's past and present artists and their releases, as well as the fascinating story of Timbaland's long and influential career.