The Book of HOV: A Tribute to Jay-Z

Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, has established himself as a visionary and cultural icon. The extraordinary book, The Book of HOV celebrates his groundbreaking career and the first- of-its-kind immersive exhibit, The Book Of HOV: A Tribute. Held at the Brooklyn Public Library, from July to December 2023 The Book Of HOV: A Tribute attracted over 600,000 visitors, making it one of the largest public installations in U.S. history.

This Assouline title commemorates and immortalizes the immersive installation, showcasing in one place the thousands of archived objects from every facet of JAY- Z’s professional life—including original recording masters, stage wear, interviews, videos, awards, and unseen photographs. Readers will find it all, from the guitar JAY-Z played at Glastonbury Festival (the first rapper to grace that rock-and-roll stage) to Daniel Arsham’s sculpture “HOV Hands,” (the iconic gesture, made famous by JAY-Z and seen at his concerts across the globe), to his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame award (JAY-Z is the first solo hip hop artist inducted) to hundreds of paper planes (created schoolchildren across NYC wrote their dreams inside).

With eight chapters (each title drawn from JAY-Z’s lyrics), The Book Of HOV details the pillars of Shawn Carter’s influence, from his artistry and craft to his entrepreneurship and activism. In addition to the book’s nearly 700 images, the tome includes in-depth essays on each chapter’s theme, contextualizing the icon’s achievements and impact on culture.

More than a multi-hyphenate, JAY-Z has broken new ground in an astonishing number of arenas, both figurative and literal. The Book of HOV uncovers how JAY-Z demonstrates— with his whole being—that you can set your intention and create your own story.