Jay-Z Thinks Hip-Hop Has a Few Improvements to Make

Jay-Z will release his long-awaited first book 'Decoded' on Nov. 16, and while the text will use his lyrics to reflect on his personal journey, it also explores the global evolution of hip-hop. Now making the press rounds for his first foray into publishing, Hov is in elder statesman mode and unsurprisingly thinks a few things have gone wrong in the genre in recent years.

"We have to find our way back to true emotion," he told the Wall Street Journal. "This is going to sound so sappy, but love is the only thing that stands the test of time. 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' was all about love. Andre 3000, 'The Love Below.' Even NWA, at its core, that was about love for a neighborhood."

Jay thinks, like his earlier work before excessive riches, the genre needs to make a conscious return to relatable subject matter that talks about real issues of the day.

"We're chasing a lot of sounds now, but I'm not hearing anyone's real voice," he continued. "The emotion of where you are in your life. The mortgage scandal. People losing their jobs. I want to hear about that."

Jay-Z's own journey, documented in the 350+ pages of 'Decoded,' takes readers from the Brooklyn housing projects where the emcee grew up, to his current spot atop hip-hop's thrown. Most recently he's graced the cover of Forbes' 'Richest People in America ' issue and has an estimated net worth of $450 million.

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