Irony and fate
When readers think of Jay-Z, they probably picture the multi-millionaire musical artist and businessman. They may not imagine him correctly, though, because actually, his life was seriously difficult and for a long time, the situation looked hopeless. As a struggling artist, Jay-Z was forced by circumstance into illegal activities, but his art was his refuge from his difficult life in poverty. The book is evidence of the ironic difference between his upbringing in the Marcy Projects and his fate to become a superstar.
Privacy and artistic passion
Jay-Z is ironically a private person, he explains. Yes, he stands on a stage and expresses himself through music, but that is coded language. It is actually quite rare for him to explain himself in a Decoded way. He explores his personal and political opinions, stories from his life, and thoughtful reflections on time and the change one life can bring. His point of view and artistic passion are clear, but this is obviously an unlikely book, because he is not the kind to talk openly about his life.
Political authority
Barack Obama is friends with Jay-Z, the rapper explains. This might seem ironic, but he explains that it is not as unlikely as it seems. As a rapper, his art has always been somewhat oriented in political commentary, because his opinion about rap and "life in the streets" is colored by the historical disenfranchisement of Black Americans and the racism which his community has had to overcome. He explains that his artistic commentary is evidence of that imbalance. He explains how injustice works, using Hurricane Katrina as an example.
Lyrical analysis
For an artist to explain the lyrics to his songs is rare and ironic. It is like a magician turning over his tricks to show the audience how he is working. But, for whatever reason, Jay-Z decides that it will be better for his fans if they see how he composes ideas and what the words of his songs were intended to say and mean. The analysis is inherently ironic because situationally, it is unlikely, and because dramatically, a lot of pre-existing but secret information is revealed to the reader by the artist himself.
Celebrity difficulties
Jay-Z himself acknowledges that it is painfully ironic for a rich, famous celebrity to compare his life's difficulties with someone who is nearly homeless or addicted to hard drugs, but Jay-Z explains that even with his thorough understanding of life's difficulties in poverty, he still feels that celebrity life is painful and difficult. He says that the emotional drain of celebrity is a complete removal of privacy. He is often mistreated as an artist by people who fetishize his aesthetic without empathy, or by those who seek to exploit his art for profit.
