Rapper and businessman Jay-Z’s famous New York exhibit The Book of Hov has been transformed into a book by Assouline book publisher. The book titled The Book of Hov: A Tribute to Jay-Z will be out on December 4, 2024, although the pre-sale went live on December 3, 2024.
The rapper’s exhibit debuted at the Brooklyn Public Library on July 14, 2023, and saw great success as it welcomed over 600,000 visitors. However, the upcoming book commemorates the life and career of Jay-Z, serving as a time capsule for fans to get a look into his formative years.
Moreover, the book features nearly 700 images across eight chapters, including archived artifacts like stage outfits, awards, rare interviews, and never-before-seen photographs. It delves into Jay-Z’s artistry, business ventures, social justice activism, and the creation of iconic albums like The Blueprint and The Black Album.
Additional highlights include his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame award, the guitar he played at Glastonbury, and a sculpture by Daniel Arsham. While discussing how he got one of his nicknames ‘Hov’ with CBS Mornings, Jay-Z said,
“This was when you were recording to actual tape so you can’t mess up cause then you gotta go all the way back and you gotta cut the tape, that’s the whole where the whole one take Hov came from.”
He continued,
“So, I start learning my lyrics really good so I could do them one time you understand straight down and I didn’t waste time.”
The book will be available in three editions classic ($120), ultimate ($2,000), and five exclusive limited-edition copies with bronze slipcases by Arsham. Proceeds from the special edition will go towards the Brooklyn Public Library.
The Ultimate edition comes in a luxurious clamshell case and spans 432 pages with over 675 illustrations. It also gives a glimpse at hundreds of paper planes inscribed with dreams from NYC schoolchildren.
A peek into Jay-Z’s The Book of Hov exhibit held last year
The exhibition showcased a collection of artifacts from the rapper's illustrious career, including original recording masters, rare photos, iconic stage outfits, awards, and videos.
The exhibit spanned 40,000 square feet and paid tribute to Jay-Z’s influence on music, culture, and Brooklyn’s history. While speaking to Billboard, the library’s CEO Linda Johnson said,
“We are proud to celebrate his mastery of music, poetry, the written word, and the oral tradition, and we hope the exhibit will inspire visitors to bet on themselves and pursue their own dreams, musical or otherwise.”
She added,
“It’s not every day that an exhibit of this scope is housed in a public, actively used space. Typically, visitors would have to pay museum fees to access this type of immersive experience, and we’re thrilled to make it available free of charge to every New Yorker, from every walk of life, as part of their visit to our Central Library.”
Trending
Divided into eight sections, the exhibit highlighted his Glastonbury Festival guitar, a handwritten letter from Frank Sinatra’s daughter, and his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award.
The “Baseline Studios” section recreated the space where Jay-Z recorded albums like The Blueprint and The Black Album, while “Business, Man” showcased milestones such as the launch of Rocawear, Roc Nation, and TIDAL.
Reply
