Jay-Z Turns ‘The Book of Hov’ Exhibit Into An Actual Book
December 6, 2024
Jay-Z’s The Book of Hov exhibit is making its return in the form of a book.
Building on the massive success of his “The Book of Hov” exhibit, Jay-Z is now transforming the showcase into a book, available in three premium editions.
Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, marked his 55th birthday on Wednesday with the release of The Book of Hov: A Tribute to Jay-Z, a 432-page publication that culminates the 2023 exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library, which served as both a tribute and a time capsule of his life and music career. Spanning nearly 700 images and eight chapters, readers get a chance to revisit key moments and artifacts from Jay-Z’s 30-year career in entertainment, including iconic performance outfits, rare interviews, awards, and never-before-seen photographs, The Associated Press reported.
Each chapter, titled after Jay-Z’s lyrics, delves into the billionaire rap icon’s profound ties to the art world, his ascent to business mogul status, his distinctive method of mentally crafting rhymes, and his unique ways of using his platform and business ventures to champion criminal justice and social reform. A highlight of the book, drawn from the exhibit, is how Jay-Z’s interviews over the years revealed his early vision and foreshadowed his remarkable career success.
The book also features several standout moments, including a tribute to Baseline Studios, where The Blueprint and The Black Album were recorded; the guitar Jay-Z played during his groundbreaking 2008 Glastonbury Festival performance as the first hip-hop headliner; his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame trophy; Daniel Arsham’s sculpture of the iconic HOV Hands gesture; and hundreds of paper planes crafted by New York City schoolchildren, each containing their written dreams.
The book is offered in three premium editions: the Classic Edition priced at $120; the Ultimate Edition at $2,000; and a special limited-edition version, available upon request, with only five copies made. Each special edition comes with a tri-fold design enclosed in a bronze slipcase created by Arsham.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the special limited edition will be donated to the Brooklyn Public Library, which gained media attention last year for hosting “The Book of Hov” exhibit. The exhibit attracted over 600,000 visitors in just six months.
Highlights included Jay-Z’s lyrics displayed on the Central Library Building, as well as memorabilia such as the Brooklyn Nets jersey he wore during his 2012 Barclays Center performance, his Emmy, Grammy, and Peabody awards, his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (making him the first rapper to be honored), platinum plaques, a Carnegie Hall ticket from his 2012 performance, a PCM digital tape of his debut single In My Lifetime (1995), a Roc-A-Fella gold chain, and a Rocawear bomber jacket.
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