Do we really need a coffee table book deconstructing the words of Jay-Z?
Hip-hop should never apologise or explain, argues Richard WatsonIn his new book Decoded, Jay-Z, er, decodes a selection of his lyrics for readers, annotating and explaining his erudite rhymes to give everyone a clearer understanding of his oeuvre. As a document of Shawn Carter's pop culture import, it's certainly preferable to Alan Yentob trailing the rapper around like a smitten teenager, yet there's something slightly disappointing about Hov unravelling his intricate wordplay for the sake of c...
Guardian Music — Hip-hop should never apologise or explain, argues Richard WatsonIn his new book Decoded, Jay-Z, er, decodes a selection of his lyrics for readers, annotating and explaini... more info