The Marcy Projects
Jay-Z's memoir tells us what his life was like in the Marcy Projects in New York. The highly populated area was a breeding ground for drug addiction, gang activity, and violence. He was often not safe as a child, and when he grew older, there was no way for him to earn money safely. His life started to involve a gang who would hire him to sell drugs on the streets for some extra cash. This is a symbolic portrait of Jay-Z before he was famous, before there ever was a rapper by that name. In a way, this is the mythic past that led to the musical titan of Jay-Z.
Drug dealing
The painful reality that best symbolizes the difficulties of Jay-Z's upbringing is probably drug dealing. His involvement in that illicit business shows that he was facing extreme poverty. His confession is offered as proof that he has endured many difficult parts of life. He knows true experience about aspects of life that most people never endure because of privilege. His insights into the criminal aspect of the streets is a source material for his rap music, because it is an extreme way of life. He both celebrates his culture and mourns the brokenness of society that leads to such disenfranchisement.
The transformation
Jay-Z includes the answer to the most obvious question a reader might have: how did he go from his humble beginnings to being Jay-Z? He explains that he was always motivated to succeed in life because of the difficulties of his early life. Then, his music became more lyrical and skillful than his peers, and before long, he was becoming highly celebrated. Now, he is an A-list celebrity and a household name, so his story has archetypal value because it is a rags-to-riches story.
Celebrity trials
Jay-Z explains that his celebrity transformation may seem like it permanently solved all his problems, but there are still difficulties in his life. He writes about the isolation of celebrity, and the way that security becomes a real threat. He explains that although he is free from the criminal underworld, that business is basically the same in the legal world. He mentions people who seek to exploit him, and he mentions that personal relationships are often very difficult because of his celebrity.
Culture and political power
Through motif, Jay-Z helps explain to his reader what the connection between cultural figures and political figures is often like. He is not political, per say, he does sometimes brush elbows with the nation's most important political figures. He tells about his relationship to (now former) president Barack Obama, and he explains how his music has influenced political opinions among his listeners. In many ways, his music can be seen as political commentary, especially certain songs or certain intentionally political lines.
