Sanchez 1 Nicolas Sanchez Dr.

Erin Dietel-McLaughlin WR 13300 25 September 2011 Jay-Z: The Business of Being A Rapper The reputation and image of a celebrity or person of interest is considered their most prized possession. With the majority of their private life spelled out across magazines and gossip websites, celebrities are constantly under the scrutiny of the public eye. Because of this, the majority of public figures take great measures to make sure that the public views them as they wish to be seen. From hiring publicists and public relations consultants to starting rumors about themselves to bring themselves back into the spotlight, celebrities have been known to do anything in their power to achieve their desired reputation. One of the easiest ways for a star to connect with the general public is to be interviewed. Not only does it allow readers or listeners to become more acquainted with the star but it also reveals information about them that would make them more human and relatable to the common people. Shawn Carter, more commonly known by his rapper name Jay-Z, has become one of the most recognizable faces of the twenty first century. Beginning his career as a rapper from the streets of Brooklyn, Jay-Z has managed and marketed himself into one of the most formidable businessmen and CEOs in the music industry and beyond. In John Sulers The Psychology of Cyberspace: Identity Management in Cyberspace he states, We express our identity in the

Sanchez 2 clothes we wear, in our body language, and through the careers and hobbies we pursue (Suler). Jay-Z has taken his identity to a whole new level as of now, he is the current founder and CEO of Roc-a-Fella Records and Rocwear, owner of the famous 40/40 club in New York, and partial owner of the New Jersey Nets, showing that his influence and identity has spread far from the music industry into all different types of businesses. His reputation has surpassed that of simply a rap star and has grown into a full-fledged force in the business world. This essay will be comparing two different interviews of Jay-Z. The interviews were from Forbes Magazine and MTV. The essay will analyze Jay-Zs choice of answers, topics discussed, and the audience intended of the interview in order to shape the images Jay-Z wishes to portray. This essay will show the two different identities Jay-Z has as a businessman and as a rapper. Jay-Zs recent interview with Forbes magazine alongside Warren Buffet and Steve Forbes did everything but prove that Jay-Z was an acknowledged and accepted figure in the business industry. Alongside the 64-year-old media chief and the 80-year-old wizard of the banking industry, Jay-Z looked to legitimize his standing and place among the ranks of bankers and moguls. One of the more notable characteristics of the interview is the obvious contrast between Jay-Z and Warren Buffet, addressed bluntly at the beginning of the interview. Buffet is asked a few simple questions about his past, how he found his way into banking and how he became so successful. As Buffet answers the questions, the differences between Jay-Z and himself become even more apparent. Buffet, having grown up in a somewhat affluent area with parental support and care, found himself in banking due to his father, a banker as well. He

Sanchez 3 continues to detail his philosophies on life and business, summed up in the line The first rule is dont lose, and the second rule is dont forget the first rule. Jay-Z is then asked a similar set of questions, where he begins to address how the path he took to success differs from that of Mr. Buffets. He instantly sets himself apart by stating that he started what he was doing in his 20s, as opposed to the early beginnings of Buffets career. An early beginning in the music industry would not have proven fruitful to Jay-Z because age brings a sense of maturity to his music that his fans were both drawn in by and attracted to. He acknowledges this by saying that his age brought complexity and multiple layers that he would not have had if he had started his career at a younger age. Following those statements, Jay-Z then begins to draw the similarities between himself and Buffet, starting to accomplish the goal of this interview. Referring back to Buffets rules for success, Jay-Z states that, in a way, the music business is like stocks in that you have to follow the facts and what you know is right, in light of negative or disapproving opinions. In this response, Jay-Z attempts to bridge the two worlds of banking and music so that the common factor, success, between himself and Buffet is magnified and brought to the readers attention. Jay-Z then delves deeper into his history, as far back as his early childhood, to find the root of his love for music. It is in this way that he looks to amend his earlier statement of difference between Buffet and himself and create another connection. The love of music and words was instilled early in Jay-Z. Surrounded by music in his household, it created an

Sanchez 4 emotional connection that would stick with him throughout his whole life. He details the strength of this bond in the line I got caught up in my neighborhood and my surroundings [] but Ive always taken it with me, Ive always gone back to it. This line proves the legitimacy of music as a whole, displaying its power to change lives and have an impact on people. It is here that Jay-Zs search for legitimacy becomes a plea for something higher. The moneymaking ability and power of the music industry is undoubted, but the legitimacy of those who reap its riches has always been questioned. Jay-Z has set himself apart with both his lifestyle and his music amidst the world of sex-driven lyrics and the party icons of the music industry. Unlike the other one hit wonders who bask in the limelight and parade around intoxicated on the covers of magazines, Jay-Z aims to spend as little time as possible in the spotlight, opting for his music to have the focus. Oftentimes, an outsider might look at the music industry and completely forget that the entire industry itself is a business. Due to this, Jay-Z has shown that he can adapt his image at will to attract the kind of audience he wishes to reach out to. Jay-Zs pursuit to create many personas is plausible because there are a variety of possibilities and combinations of possibilities, each choice giving rise to specific attributes of identity (Suler). As a businessman, Jay-Z hoped to give off a serious and professional aura that would allow his customers and investors to feel confident in him and his decisions for the business world. However, as an artist, Jay-Z aims to portray himself as someone hardened by life on the streets, someone who has known what real danger and what

Sanchez 5 living life on the edge truly is. This portrayal of himself allows his lyrics and music to be backed up by his experiences. He is not rapping what he guesses or what he has seen; rather he is rapping what he has known. Jay-Zs music reaches a whole new level of understanding and power when looked at from this point of view because it allows his listeners and fans to really connect with him on a more personal level than on one of just fan and artist. It creates the bond that allows an artist to become a role model and someone to look up to. In the 2000 MTV video diary entitled The J to Z of Jay-Z, Jay-Z looked to create this bond and connection with his fans both new and old. Following the release of his earlier albums, including In My Lifetime, Volume 1 and Volume 2, Hard Knock Life, Jay-Z was just now peaking onto the radar of the public eye. This opportunity to give a history and an identity to his music and to himself, proving that he was more than just some artist in the spotlight, was too good of an opportunity for Jay-Z to pass up. This method of a video diary as opposed to a straightforward interview would also help to create this new identity for Jay-Z because different communication channels express different aspects of identity (Suler). Through the usage of video the audience can not only hear what a person has to say but how that person decides to say it as well as his body language, moisture, and movement. The video diary chronicled everything in Jay-Zs life up until that very day, leaving no stone unturned and no story unaddressed. From his early childhood to his very public rap battles with fellow artist Nas to his humanitarian efforts

Sanchez 6 in Africa and the projects, Jay-Z paints a portrait of himself that is real. It truly portrays his life as it is and was, not a glorified or overdramatized version to attract fans. The video begins with a montage of homes, projects, and buildings from the community that Jay-Z had grown up in, establishing that he had grown up in less than ideal conditions. JayZs early life all the way up to his mid 20s is best described in his line no one cares whether you live or die. This message of indifference to life and rough existence sets the stage for Jay-Zs rise into stardom and success. This opening allow for people in a similar lifestyle to be able to connect and feel for who Jay-Z is as a person. Following James Herricks framework in An Overview of Rhetoric, he hopes to inspire others from the projects and the streets to a greater life, to prove that one is not limited by the circumstances that he or she is born into and that greatness can be achieved through hard work and discipline. James Herrick states, Rhetorical discourse, then, forges links between the rhetors views and those of an audience. This means attending to an audiences values, experiences, beliefs, social status, and aspirations (9). Jay-Z then details and praises his influences, especially the Notorious B.I.G. Explaining that without them, he would not have found his way amidst the struggle of every day life in the Bronx. With this quote, he allows for viewers to understand the importance of mentors. He sets himself up to fulfill that role of a mentor to current kids on the streets, explaining that giving back to his community has always been something that has remained important to him. One of the more controversial parts of the video diary is the commentary on Jay-Zs rap fight with Nas. Amidst

Sanchez 7 all of the charity and good works that Jay-Z has done in his time in the spotlight, this dirty, nasty fight reminds audiences that he is still a fighter from the streets. That, no matter how famous or how successful he becomes, insulting him or any important aspect of his life will still draw out the fiercer side of Jay-Z. At first, the fight may seem like a blemish on the stars otherwise pristine public image, but it instead allows Jay-Z to establish his identity as a tough, street hardened rapper. The pivotal part of the video diary lies in Jay-Zs commentary on his progression into becoming a rap star. Having been surrounded by music his whole life, whether it is his parents record collection or the urging of his teachers to put his feelings into words and poetry, Jay-Z states that becoming a rap star was the only natural thing for me to do. Here, Jay-Z urges his fans and followers to follow what their heart is telling them, that following dreams is not a naive pursuit and instead uplifts people to a higher road in life. The documentary ends with Jay-Zs comments on his life up until this point and his portrayal of his rise to fame emanates many admirable aspects: determination, hard work, and most importantly, humility. His recognition of his place in this world is one of the most admirable aspects of this entire interview. He acknowledges that he is extremely lucky to have received all of the successes that he has had and intends to remain humble and always thankful, a trait that many of the celebrities of today have forgotten to keep. This poignant ending to his story closes the book of his life in a way that keeps the audience interested in his future. This documentary aimed to convert viewers

Sanchez 8 into becoming new fans as well as retaining the old ones and by portraying Jay-Z as a likeable and human figure in its ending, it has achieved that goal in creating that stronger connection. One may argue that the questions used in Jay-Zs interviews and his answers were scripted. A person may argue that Jay-Zs different responses were caused by the different kinds of questions asked by Forbes and MTV. MTV and Forbes have completely different audiences and Jay-Z knows this. This argument may be valid, however Jay-Z uses them to his advantage. He understands the two different communities that will be viewing these two very different interviews, and he plans to portray the identity that he wants. In The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrocks Avatar Carr argues that a person can be able to formulate various alternative selves tailored to different audiences (161). It is true that the two different companies ask different types questions but Jay-Z chooses to act like a rapper in one and a businessman in the other, regardless of the content discussed. In conclusion, Jay-Z has utilized his interviews over different forms of media to portray himself in a way that would further his career and identity at two very different points in his career. While some of the same questions were asked in both interviews, Jay-Zs respective answers help to create the portrait of himself that he wishes to further at the time. Jay-Zs video diary in 2000, with its montages of the streets and connections to more gangster rappers, establishes his image as a hardened rapper from the streets who has risen from his circumstances to find success. In the Forbes interview, he instead wishes to further his image as a businessman, focusing not so much on his background, but rather on his current and future successes in the

Sanchez 9 music industry and beyond. By reviewing Jay-Zs responses in these interviews, we are able to discern how he is able to own and personify two completely different identities.

Works Cited

Carr, Nicholas. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock's Avatar." (E)dentity. Ed. Stephanie Vie. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press, 2011. Print.

"The J To Z Of Jay-Z: Jigga Who? | News Video | MTV." New Music Videos, Reality TV Shows, Celebrity News, Top Stories | MTV. MTV Networks, 26 Aug. 2009. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <http://www.mtv.com/videos/news/429428/the-j-to-z-of-jay-z-jigga-who.jhtml>.

Herrick, James. An Overview of Rhetoric. The History and Theory of Rhetoric, 2nd Ed. New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2001. Print. Suler, John. The Psychology of Cyberspace: Identity Management in Cyberspace. May 1996. Web. 6 Oct 2011. <http://users.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/identitymanage.html>.

Upbin, Bruce, ed. "Jay-Z, Buffett and Forbes on Success and Giving Back - Forbes.com." Information for the World's Business Leaders - Forbes.com. Forbes, 11 Oct. 2010. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1011/rich-list-10-omaha-warrenbuffett-jay-z-steve-forbes-summit-interview.html>.