The State of Jay-Z's Empire

He's all business. In his earlier work he was more of a lyricists. He pivoted and started selling more record, making commercial music. His timing was right and he executed perfectly. In his own words.<p>"I dumb it down for my audience<p>and double my dollars<p>they criticize me for it<p>yet they still yell "Holla"<p>If skills sold<p>Truth be told<p>I'd probably be<p>Lyricly<p>Talib Kweli"<p>The glorification of drug dealing and gun carrying is a huge turn off album after album.

I thought it was an OK read, thankfully light on the hagiography, although (like Gates and technology), I think Jay-Z is much more interesting as a businessman than a musician.

To me he represents the best of the meritocracy in action: incredible success without the gifts of money, power or connections at birth, survival and achievement though skill, intelligence, hard work and refusing to ever give up. I have so much genuine respect for him.

I love love love that they added a Jay-Z song to the page in a classy, non-automatic way. It enhances the article so much. Well done on WSJ's part there.

Don't sleep on these hip hop guys. They're born hungry. Look at Russell Simmons, Diddy, Jay-Z and 50 Cent, and (technically not a rapper) Usher. They all have pretty impressive business portfolios.

"I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell. I'm a hustler baby, I sell water to a well."

Jay-Z. An inspirational guy. Other startup folks think so too, given how often I see Jay-Z quotations on Twitter.

"Y'all not remembering. My motto is simply: I will not lose."

It is truly heartwarming the amount of love that HN readers have for Jay Z.

Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.

He is a big pimpin I guess...

He talks about how people look down on the genre because of the foul language, but I have to wonder. Would Gates and Buffet and the rest of the business world put up with a foul mouthed individual? I very much doubt that he talks like he raps and more than likely he keeps his mouth in check when trying to make million dollar deals.