He told us on The Black Album that he was not a biter but a writer, so it was only a matter of time until “author” was legitimately added onto Jay’s resume. Jay-Z is set to release his first book, Decoded, on November 16th, and released the book’s cover earlier today. The book is available now for pre-order, which you can do right here and includes a break down of some of Jay’s best work, 36 pieces of Jay’s work. The cover is a shot of Andy Warhol’s 1984 piece, Rorschach. Hit the jump for the cover as well as a press release about the project.
“On Tuesday, November 16, 2010, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter and publisher Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, are set to release Decoded, the first book written by the multi-platinum, 10 time Grammy Award winning entrepreneur and icon. Unique in every sense, Decoded is a narrative journey through the lyrics and life of one of the most prolific artists of our time.
Featuring an image of Andy Warhol’s Rorschach on the cover, the beautifully designed, fully-illustrated book decodes 36 songs from JAY-Z’s extensive catalog. By telling the stories behind some of Jay-Z’s most famous and provocative lyrics, Decoded offers an intimate, first-hand account of an artist, his work, and the culture that so powerfully shaped him.
In addition to the hardcover release, Random House will publish Decoded as an eBook, as well as an interactive iPhone/iPad application that will include exclusive video and customizable content that will allow users to delve into a deeper Decoded experience.