Re-released by Penguin’s Portfolio imprint in 2021.
ORDER EMPIRE STATE OF MIND HERE
A Jay-Z net worth blueprint: The new Billionaire Edition of Empire State of Mind—the critically-acclaimed book by longtime Forbes editor Zack O'Malley Greenburg—reveals how Jay-Z built his ten-figure fortune. Order here.
Beyond the award-wining albums and chart-topping hits, Jay-Z’s business savvy has cemented his legacy as one of the most successful artists of our time. With a sprawling network of investments ranging from fashion, technology, and top-shelf liquor to nightclubs, streaming services, and record labels, it’s possible for him to profit at every turn of your day. So how did a kid from the projects turn himself into a one-man conglomerate?
Now with a glimpse into how Jay-Z recently achieved his Forbes-certified billionaire status, Empire State of Mind reveals the inside story behind his meteoric rise. Through the eyes of the people who lived it with him—the childhood friend who got him into the drug trade, the DJ who persuaded him to stop dealing and focus on the music, and industry collaborators like Alicia Keys and J. Cole—we see how Jay-Z not only honed his craft, but transformed each setback into an opportunity for more. For every hustler, mogul, and businessperson who seeks to build something spectacular, this book is the blueprint.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
“Fascinating, well-done biography of one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurs of our era.” —Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief, Forbes
“Greenburg follows the money and key pieces of the Jay-Z puzzle in this insightful, savvy read. This book is like a GPS leading us through the modern urban reality of how Jay-Z’s empire was built.” —Fab 5 Freddy, artist, hip-hop pioneer, and former host of Yo! MTV Raps
“One of the year’s best rock books. … Jay-Z’s rise to fame has as many lessons for would-be moguls as for budding rappers.” —Bloomberg
“A superb guide for your career, even if you are looking to be an investment banker or grocery store manager instead of a hip-hop legend.” —CNN
“Greenburg captures the brilliance of Jay-Z’s business acumen, which is highlighted by numerous money-making affiliations that have grown even bigger since the book was last released. . . . This version adds to the seemingly never-ending run of big business moves by Mr. Carter, a true one-of-one star of stage and commerce.” —Datwon Thomas, editor-in-chief, Vibe
“Well told . . . the heart of Empire State of Mind is its depiction, helped by some good shoe-leather reporting, of the commercial deals that have enabled Jay-Z to profit from exploiting his prestige and personality.” —Financial Times
“A comprehensive and detailed chronicle of Jay-Z’s rise from the Brooklyn projects to a one-man conglomerate that dominates not only music, but fashion, tech, streaming, and more.” —Black Enterprise
“Innovative.” —The Washington Post
“Maya Angelou said it best when she wrote: ‘We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.’ Jay-Z is a modern-day butterfly. On the outside we see his talent, his fame, his fortune and the power of his brand. We know about his humble beginnings, yet we never get to see inside the shell where the real change occurs. Until now. Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s book is a fascinating look inside Jay-Z’s miraculous transformation. . . . It describes not just the big, shiny, beautiful parts of his life that we see on the surface, but the trials, challenges, mishaps, mistakes and even failures [and] why everyone deserves the chance to grow and to flourish, because you never know what they might become.” —Tonya Butler, chair of music business/management, Berklee College of Music
“Jay-Z’s epic evolution from Brooklyn street hustler to world-class rapper and entrepreneur is a singular story that Zack O’Malley Greenburg chronicles with the ardor of a born storyteller and the investigative chops of a top-tier financial journalist who knows the entertainment business inside and out. There’s no writer out there better suited to tell this galloping and inspiring tale.” —Scott DeCarlo, senior editor, Fortune
“In his debut book, Greenburg hits the mark. Empire State of Mind is an easy read that packs an informative, motivational punch for anyone who is trying to improve their situation, land a job, or advance their career.” –AOL/Huffington Post
“Zack O’Malley Greenburg has become one of the rare reporters to bring dignified coverage of the hip-hop business into the mainstream. Empire State of Mind is a pure product of Greenburg’s care and insight, an exploration of hip-hop’s most enigmatic mogul, Jay-Z.” –Dan Charnas, author of The Big Payback
“Business savvy is really what sets Jay-Z apart, and that’s the subject of Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s enlightening, engaging, and excellent new book … Greenburg zeroes in on Jay-Z’s ability to hustle in the studio and in the boardroom, creating a fascinating look at the businessman behind the man. In addition, he writes with a rapid-fire prose that makes Empire State of Mind flow like a novel or film.” –ArtistDirect
“Lively and often surprising, Empire State Of Mind analyzes one of the greatest assets of the hip-hop generation: the business mind of Jay-Z. In capturing Jay-Z’s refuse to lose mentality, Zack O’Malley Greenburg tells an important, instructive American story of our time.” –Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation
“Every person with an iota of entrepreneurial inclination should read Empire State of Mind … [Greenburg's] understanding of hip-hop and his familiarity with the world of high finance make him uniquely suited to pen such a smart, informative and entertaining work. Excellence!” –Hip-Hop Weekly
“Before Diddy and his missing Mercedes-Benz S-Class, before Eminem and his imported-from-Detroit Chrysler 200, even before Funkmaster Flex and his special-edition Ford Expedition, there was the Jay-Z Jeep Commander. You would be forgiven, however, for not remembering the commercials … the Jay-Z Jeep never rolled deep. Mr. Greenburg dissects how the collaboration went awry.” –New York Times
“The preeminent chronicler of rap’s savviest business impresarios, Greenburg penetrates Jay-Z’s past and unearths the inside scoop on how the music mogul became America’s first hip-hop billionaire.” —Alex Morrell, senior Wall Street reporter, Business Insider
“Greenburg is easily the world’s foremost authority on the subject of the finance of hip-hop … Acting often as investigative reporter, he travels thousands of miles to hunt down insider information on Jay’s various ventures, from the Jay-Z Jeep that never came to be, to the hush-hush details of the rapper’s partnership with champagne Armand de Brignac … Greenburg does a great job of unpacking the rapper’s business mentality, and the steps he’s taken to earn his half-billion.” –Crawdaddy
“Through illuminating interviews with people close to Jay-Z at every stage of his life, Greenburg illustrates exactly how a kid from the projects became a savvy mogul of the music business—and many other industries, too. By charting the Brooklyn-born rapper’s path to fame and fortune, Greenburg lays out a blueprint for becoming a billionaire that is both exciting and accessible.” —Hana R. Alberts, features editor, New York Post
“Viewing Jay-Z as a businessman above all and hailing his hustler mindset, Empire State of Mind spins a tale of entrepreneurship, self-creation, and re-invention.” –Teambuilding.com
“[Empire State of Mind] has some interesting sources and revelations that may shock even the biggest super-fan.” –HipHopDX
“If Jay-Z’s collective body of work was ‘Food For Thought’ … Greenburg does this dishes in his literary debut. Greenburg uses his extensive resources (perhaps garnered as the crafter of the famous “Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings” list) to unravel the business acumen Jay-Z has used to catapult himself to financial prosperity.” –Mog.com
“To learn more about how Jay-Z changed many people’s taste in Champagne and so many other things, be sure to check out Empire State of Mind … Until now, all those interested begrudgingly had to buy into the story spun by Jay-Z’s camp that Armand de Brignac was just a bubbly that HOVA discovered in a New York wine shop.” –Bottlenotes
“Greenburg writes of Jay-Z’s rocky beginnings in the Brooklyn projects and his detour into street-corner dealing, but mainly focuses on Jay-Z the mogul, whose reach extends beyond music to the NBA, apparel, restaurants, endorsements and Broadway. Check it out.” –USA Today