The Psychic Distortions of the Black Billionaire


This led to the awkward situation where the boardroom drama was poured out by Def Jam artists in the form of diss pieces aimed at their employer’s chief executive. Roc-A-Fella finally folded. But still, even today, Jay-Z owes much of his image as a businessman to the heraldic brilliance that his labelmates give “Roc”, not to mention the marketers, graphic designers, and interns who have made them icons of the New York City streets. .

Jay diversified his portfolio in the years that followed. In Oatly, two very valuable separate liquor companies – Armand de Brignac Champagne and D’Ussé Cognac – have several houses, streaming platform Tidal, a club near Madison Square, and an extensive art collection. If she spoke a little beyond her means when she said she was “well-connected” in her debut, she made it real. It’s hard to think of a door he can’t open. This project remains at the center of his work, even as he has surpassed what made him Jay-Z. The best rapper alive, the entrepreneur who succeeds from projects, the most important person. The albums remind you why Cognac makes so much money.

‘What could be better than a billionaire? 2. Especially if they have the same tone as you.’

This situation is not unique. In the entertainment world, if people really want to get rich, they have to become a company. High-profile singers, athletes, actors and the like often make their real money from endorsement deals rather than their day job. What sets billionaires apart from their peers is that they convert turnover into equity. Michael Jordan receives a percentage of Nike’s Jordan brand revenue. Kanye, who directly owns the Yeezy brand, has big deals with Adidas and Gap. Winfrey and Perry have growing media concerns. Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty is a subsidiary of the luxury conglomerate LVMH.

Many of these businesses could continue to operate without their famous figures, but the brilliance would dissipate somehow. Dell does not trade in computers because they share the same name as its founder. But without Kanye’s approval, it’s hard to imagine Yeezy’s moon boot look becoming a default sneaker silhouette. Fenty, on the contrary, seems to have taken advantage of a real gap in the market by expanding the shades available for foundation and concealer. Yet the entertainer-billionaire is as much a product for sale as shoes or concealer. From the outside, this looks like a shaky foundation for an enormous fortune. Stars always lose their brightness. That’s part of their appeal.

Jay-Z chronicles the psychic drama of successful Black Americans in “The Story of OJ” from his latest album “4:44”. In the animated video, his character tells his therapist that he didn’t invest in Dumbo real estate early and missed a 1,250 percent return. He then explains that the art he bought for $1 million was appreciated and is now valued at 8. The song oscillates between examining racial stereotypes and a guide to gaining freedom through wealth ownership.

You could hear Jay-Z getting more comfortable with his newfound status over time. He rapped on “The Black Album”, “I can’t help the poor if I’m one of them, so I got rich and gave it back to me, it’s a win-win for me.” This is a defensive feeling. Poor to do helping each other; often there is no other option. This song is called “Moment of Clarity” – but nothing seems too clear. All the old signifiers linking public importance and political progress are slipping away. They need to be reconfirmed from top to bottom. “What could be better than a billionaire? 2. Especially if they come from the same color as you,” Jay-Z rhymed on “4:44”. The music of the ghetto started to sound like the gospel of prosperity. Rap ​​is relatable because it embodies the fan rapper. “You” is rarely a listener, rather a new “I” It is an invitation to embrace the “I”. The “I” can get hung up, bend over, dive, stray, hit, and respond. But who is this “I” who has amassed such large sums of money that he is starting to see things from the other side while still insisting that we are the same? What is the hue to me? It doesn’t say anything about who you are.



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