The Book of HOV Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library. On Thursday night (July 13), Jay-Z saw his manifestations come to live again when the Brooklyn Public Library unveiled a tribute to the billionaire polymath. Aptly titled "The Book of HOV" - based on the song's lyrics to DJ Khaled's 2022 Grammy-nominated anthem "God Made" - the exhibition "archives include original record directors, never-before-seen photos, costumes exhibitions, awards and honors, and videos and pictures of Brooklyn-Facebook's office for Brooklyn history, is home to the largest collection of Brooklyn stories in the world, and Jay-Z is a part of the importance of local history," Brooklyn Public Library CEO Linda Johnson told Billboard. "We are happy to celebrate the art of music, poetry, writing, and culture together, and we hope that the exhibition will inspire visitors to play themselves and follow their own dreams, musical or otherwise." Crowds of supporters gathered behind the barricade and watched as the 82-year-old library building became a playground for a local kid who used to use paper airplanes in his Marcy Projects window. Texts and songs from "Sweet" to "Encore" by Jay-Z decorate the exterior of the house like an open book. Meanwhile, a live band serenaded attendees with Jay-Z's classy hits, including "Roc Boys," "Allure," "Can't Knock the Hustle," and "Where I'm From." "The exterior design plays on the facade of the building, which was built to show the open book while honoring Jay's words," Ken Tokunaga, co-creator of HOV Books, told Billboard. . There is also a blue LED cube outside the library that broadcasts content from Jay's work to greet those who enter the building. "The classic style contrasts with the beauty of the LED cube that sits in the middle of the journey. We are very interested in this conflict between the old and the modern," added HOV division director Ian Schatzberg.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé attended the prestigious award and used the event as a well-deserved break from the singer's Renaissance tour as he plans to start another road this Saturday (July 15). Jay-Z's superstar pals, including DJ Khaled, Babyface, Fat Joe, and Steve Stoute, stopped by to enjoy the event and enjoy the Brooklyn show. In the 40,000-square-foot exhibition space, artifacts from Jay's 1996 debut make up the exhibit. Spanning eight parts, the rooms include 'Hov Did That featuring a 2008 Glastonbury Festival guitar, a 2009 handwritten letter from Frank Sinatra's daughter, and his 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award. In addition, "Baseline Studios" is a retrospective where Hov recorded some of his most famous works, such as 2000's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, 2001's The Blueprint, and 2003's The Black Album. Another outstanding aspect of this show is its title. "Business, man", as he expresses his most important commercial success, which is the birth of his clothing brand Rocawear, his management company Roc Nation and his company, TIDAL. The exhibition will be free to the public from Friday (July 14) and no library card is required to enter. There will be 13 limited edition album cards for fans to collect, as each one features the cover of Jay-Z's 1996 solo album Reasonable Doubt. People outside of New York can also watch the show online, as popular radio host Angie Martinez tells the story behind each of the eight episodes. “It's not every day that a show of this magnitude is put on in a busy public place. Normally, visitors would have to pay a museum fee to get this kind of immersive experience, and we're happy to make it free to all New Yorkers, all around, as part of a visit. they are in our Central Library," Johnson explained. He added: “This show is a labor of love from Roc Nation and they've worked with JAY-Z and know him well. It is important to all of us that Books of HOV be an ever-increasing library experience where the public can attend events, spend time browsing our collection, and borrow books and vinyl records, all while learning about the unique and inspiring offerings of this Brooklyn-born icon.
“Brooklyn Public Library, including the Center for Brooklyn History, is home to the most expansive collection of Brooklyn history in the world, and Jay-Z is an important part of the borough’s story,” the CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library Linda Johnson told Billboard. “We are proud to celebrate his mastery of music, poetry, the written word, and the oral tradition, and we hope the exhibit will inspire visitors to bet on themselves and pursue their own dreams, musical or otherwise.”
A throng of supporters huddled behind the barricades and watched the 82-year-old library become a playground for the hometown kid who used to throw paper planes from his Marcy Projects window. Song lyrics ranging from Jay-Z’s “Sweet” to “Encore” grace the building’s exterior like an open-paged book. At the same time, a live band serenaded the attendees with a medley of Jay-Z classics, including “Roc Boys,” “Allure,” “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” and “Where I’m From.” “The design of the exterior plays with the building facade, which was built to symbolize an open book while paying homage to Jay’s words,” The Book of HOV co-creative director Ken Tokunaga told Billboard. There’s also a blue LED cube outside the library that plays the content of Jay’s career to greet people on their way inside the building. “The classical type contrasts with the contemporary aesthetic of the LED cube that sits at the promenade center. We always aimed for this tension between classic and modernity,” added Book of HOV co-creative director Ian Schatzberg.
“It’s not every day that an exhibit of this scope is housed in a public, actively used space. Typically, visitors would have to pay museum fees to access this type of immersive experience, and we’re thrilled to make it available free of charge to every New Yorker, from every walk of life, as part of their visit to our Central Library,” explained Johnson. She added: “The exhibit is a labor of love by Roc Nation and was created by people who have worked closely with JAY-Z and know him best. It was important to all of us that The Book of HOV be an enhanced library experience in which the public is able to attend programming, spend time browsing our collections, and check-out books and vinyl records, all while learning about this Brooklyn-born icon’s extraordinary and inspiring contributions.”
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