Have you read “The Secret”?
Rhonda Byrne’s pseudoscientific self-help book was endorsed by Oprah Winfrey in 2006 and has sold tens of millions of copies. It promotes the “Law of Attraction,” the idea that the universe is built on positive and negative energy and that like attracts like. Simply put, if you think about the things you want regularly and maintain a positive attitude, those things are more likely to come your way.
Anyway, that’s the gist. To be honest, I’ve never read it. But its ubiquity in things, its reputation for being composed mostly of quotations, and the relative lack of originality of its premise—which lends a bit of persuasiveness to the idea of “catching more flies with honey than with vinegar”—made me feel like I felt that way. Even if I were completely unaware of the New Thought movement, or if I had never heard the name Norman Vincent Peale, I would have some sense of Byrne’s views. I’ve been a Jay-Z fan most of my life.
The rapper has spent nearly his entire career showing off his second act as a power player. Aside from some early Das Efx-influenced work from the early ’90s, Shawn Carter has a big-shot vibe on his records.
This phrase appears on the cover of his 1996 debut album “Reasonable Doubt.” The black-and-white photographs and early computer-aided graphic design now look crude, especially when given the art-directed and museum-curated gloss of his later work. But there’s no doubt about Jay-Z’s purpose in wearing a fedora, scarf and cigar. The kid from Brooklyn’s Marcy Project wasn’t a street fighter. He is a boss.
It goes to track one, with the middleman warning some lackey not to offend Carter. The first impression anyone hears of Jay-Z is a respectful tone, befitting a grumpy juggernaut. You sense that, if you handle it right, you might get to meet him one day. But for now, he’s out of your reach and tax bracket. What follows is nearly an hour of gorgeous talk, featuring a rich selection of soul and jazz samples from producers like DJ Premier. Sounds sleek and mature. Sounds expensive. Best of all, it sounds unhurried and controlled. This is the oligarchic rap of New York’s new king.
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In 1996, Jay-Z was far from the billionaire we know today. He was a co-owner of Roc-A-Fella Records, but at the time the label was primarily a means of releasing a debut album after being rejected by several major labels. He kept proclaiming himself a mogul to anyone with a Walkman while still fumbling around behind the scenes.
Case in point: Two platinum records weren’t enough to convince the rights holder of the musical “Annie” to provide samples for Jay-Z’s third album. The 2026 billionaire may already have a pile of cash. The Jay Z of the ’90s (without the hyphen in some ways) wrote a letter.
This is just the latest example of Jay-Z putting what he wants into the universe and getting it back.
“I made up this story about how when I was in seventh grade in Bed-Stuy, our teacher held an essay contest, and the three best essays won the author a trip to the city to see ‘Annie,'” he told Grantland in 2014. “I wrote that from the moment the curtain rose, I felt I understood the story of Dear. Of course, I had never seen ‘Annie’ on Broadway. But I had seen the movie on television.”
The album went platinum more than six times over, but even in those heady pre-Napster days, that wasn’t private yacht money. If you’d seen the “Big Pimpin” video, though, you wouldn’t know that. Jay-Z maintained his image as a global mogul over the next few albums, with each release bringing that fantasy closer and closer to reality. He launched a clothing brand. He opened a nightclub. Still, he’s talented, and in his hit song “Izzo,” he called on litigants to “pay us like they owe us.” More than a decade later, Jay-Z has launched a streaming service that pays higher royalties than competitors, living up to the idea that money can make a difference.
On the mic, he began calling himself “the best rapper alive.” He knew that Hall of Famers would perform rituals when they went out and hang their jerseys from the rafters, so he announced his brief retirement with “The Black Album.” After a brief break from his grueling publishing schedule, he bought a stake in the NBA’s Nets and pushed for their move to Brooklyn. He became CEO of Def Jam Records. His mogul dreams come true, and Jay returns to rapping with the flair and distance of a bored emperor. He is first and foremost a money maker, not a businessman, but a business and a person. He spoke 16 bars at a time.
Against this backdrop, it’s no surprise that Jay-Z has hand-picked himself to headline next year’s Super Bowl halftime show. Puck revealed that Jay-Z’s entertainment group, Roc Nation, has tagged the rapper with a championship match. Roc has been producing halftime shows for the NFL since 2019, and Jay-Z is currently touring to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut album. Even without the hitmaker’s behind-the-scenes connections, it was a natural fit. He’s already a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He just released an eight-part documentary series on HBO Max with producer/guru Rick Rubin.
When asked about the leak, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell struck an intelligence-community tone and declined to confirm or deny the news.
“I was not aware of a leak,” Goodell said at a news conference earlier this week. “I’ve been in committee meetings. So, I’m not sure if this is a leak or not. We haven’t announced anything yet. We’re not going to make any comment on that until it’s announced.”
If true, this is just the latest example of Jay-Z putting what he wants into the universe and getting it back. More than a decade ago, he turned down an invitation to perform at the halftime show, telling The New York Times that he didn’t appreciate the league’s approach to negotiations. According to Jay-Z, the NFL’s offer centered on bringing in Kanye West and Rihanna, two-thirds of the cast of Jay-Z’s 2009 hit “Run This Town.”
“Of course I would,” Jay-Z said in 2020, “but I said, ‘No, you know what I mean.'” That’s not the way you should approach it, telling someone they’re going to do a halftime show based on who they bring. I said forget it. This is a matter of principle. “
Jay-Z had the last laugh. After the 2019 halftime show became a sensation, he was hired as a producer for the event and has hosted the event ever since. Rhonda Byrne tells readers, “Your thoughts become reality.” Jay-Z tells us that he always chooses himself. Who else does he know fresher than Hough? Give him riddles.
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