Jay-Z has recently released his latest rap album”4:44″. In this album, Shawn Carter explained lots of financial topics that amazed his audience. Shawn knows who his target audience is, which is why he was talking from a young black man perspective. Arguably the most memorable line in the song “The story of O.J” is “Please don’t die over the neighborhood, that your momma rentin’ take your drug money and buy the neighborhood. That’s how you rinse it.” Jay-Z was able to launch his career because he sold drugs to pay for his music productions in his earlier career. We recommend to take out a online loan before resorting to illegal practices. We do not endorse any illegal practices in any form. This was his only option as a young black male in New York. What makes Shawn different from other people in his community is he invested his money in himself instead of buying consumer goods. Once he started making a conformable living, he invested in art and real estate. Shawn does admit he made mistakes like buying expensive cars with V12 engines, but he clearly explains that was a mistake that he regrets. A great article was written by Brittany Jones-Cooper of Yahoo Finance. We have included it in our article for your convenience.
Jay-Z inspired this new book of financial advice
There is power in music. It can uplift, motivate and transform lives. In some cases, it can even inspire you to create a strong financial foundation.
As was the case for personal finance expert Ash Exantus, who wrote and self-published the book, “The Wake Up Call: Financial Inspiration Learned from 4:44,” after listening to Jay-Z’s latest album “4:44.”
The book quotes financially themed lyrics from songs on Jay-Z’s album, and provides tips for how readers can implement certain strategies into their own lives. Music critics have commented on the maturity of “4:44,” with the the hip-hop mogul focusing more on his family life, businesses and life approaching 50. As Exantus listened to the lyrics of the songs like “Story of OJ,” “Family Feud” and “Legacy,” he knew there were lessons to share.
“I listened to the whole album 100 times, and every financial principle jumped out at me. I wanted to write about it,” Exantus told Yahoo Finance.
The son of a Haitian immigrant, Exantus, 36, was raised in Harlem’s St. Nicholas housing projects by his single mother. She found work in a factory, but didn’t have a good grasp on the English language, and struggled to understand the financial system in America. At the age of 8, Exantus started working by bagging groceries, and selling T-shirts and CDs on the street.
His early struggles are what inspired Exantus to study money, and at 19 he became a bank teller. By 24, he was vice president of the branch.
Exantus started listening to Jay-Z as a teen, and reveled in the rapper’s tales about drugs, women and cars. “Music raised me because I didn’t have a father figure,” he told Yahoo Finance. “Between the streets and hip hop, that’s what shaped me as a man.” As Exantus matured, so did Jay-Z, and today both men are focused on a more important goal — accumulating wealth for their families and the black community.
“African-Americans have such a history of oppression that it’s still a reality for us in our minds. We don’t walk out the door feeling victorious,” he said. “If you change your mindset and apply certain principles, you can really change the trajectory of your life.”
Exantus hopes that writing this book will make everyone, especially those in the black community, feel empowered and motivated to build strong financial foundations for future generations. Here are a few Jay-Z inspired financial tips to consider.
thumbnail courtesy of finance.yahoo.com
The story behind the song is powerful. So powerful, an author named Ash “Cash” Exantus wrote a book to cross-examine the financial benefits behind Jay-Z’s lyrics. Its one thing to listen to lyrics like “F*%! livin’ rich and dyin’ broke” and having nothing explaining to the audience “how do I change my lifestyle?”. That’s where Ash comes in. He explains how to actually apply these words of wisdom from Shawn into real life. The Loan Away hasn’t had the chance to read the book yet, but we can assume that ash would explain everything from saving to investing money. We can only hope that ash explains that each investment should be diverse and not just in real estate and art. Jay-Z said “I bought some artwork for one million, two years later, that shit worth two million, a few years later, that shit worth eight million, I can’t wait to give this shit to my children.” and “I coulda bought a place in Dumbo before it was Dumbo, for like two million. That same building today is worth twenty-five million. Guess how I’m feelin’? Dumbo”. I could only hope that the audience understands that these are just examples of his investments and you should invest in what you think would be profitable. If you unsure how to start invest, read financial books. The best investment is usually funds sold by banks. You should expect 5-7% interest rate while having little risk. Happy investing Jay-Z fans! Did you enjoy this article? If so, share it on social media!
