The new tome commemorates the career-spanning look at Jay’s life and career that ran at the Brooklyn Public Library in 2023
The career-spanning Jay-Z exhibit, The Book of HOV, which ran at the Brooklyn Public Library last year, is now being turned into an actual book.
Like the exhibit, the new tome, The Book of HOV: A Tribute to Jay-Z, will be divided into eight chapters, each one inspired (and named after) a different Jay-Z lyric. Those chapters will contain essays that examine and contextualize the various facets of Jay’s career, like his artistry, business ventures, and activism for criminal and social justice causes.
Interspersed throughout the book will be excerpts from interviews Jay conducted over the years, as well as nearly 700 images. These include never-before-seen photos, as well as various pieces of Jay-related ephemera, many of which were on display at the original exhibit (like the guitar he played at Glastonbury 2008 after Oasis’ Noel Gallagher criticized the decision to book Jay as a headliner).
The Book of HOV will be published by Assouline and is available to pre-order now (copies should start shipping in the coming days). A standard edition is priced at $120, while a special ultimate edition is available for $2,000. The most dedicated Jay fans can request the price tag for one of five special limited-edition copies featuring bronze slipcase artwork designed by Arsham. (A portion of the sale from the limited-edition copies will go to the Brooklyn Public Library.)
The Book of HOV exhibit ran at the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library throughout much of 2023. The exhibit featured an array of artifacts, including items from the personal storage unit of Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez.
News of The Book of HOV book comes after Jay’s wife, Beyoncé, revealed her own new art book featuring images inspired by her latest album, Cowboy Carter. The book was announced on Sunday, Dec. 1, and sold out almost immediately.
