Ever listen to a Jay-Z song and wonder if there is a deeper meaning? Personal Finance Expert Ash "Cash" Exantus started to realize his lyrics were teaching personal finance lessons and wrote a book about it. "The Wake Up Call: Financial Inspiration Learned From 4:44" explores different lyrics and what listeners can learn about business, credit and investing from the most notable rapper in the world, Jay-Z.
When listening to Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J." you may have heard the lyric "It's important to take chances over advances." Exantus explains that the meaning behind the statement is all about knowing your worth in business. Jay-Z saw many artists who signed at record labels and made no money because they didn't fight for themselves. Exantus says Jay-Z is trying to tell people to understand the business you're in and know your contributions to a science so when it comes time to negotiations it will be hard for your employer to turn you down.
Plus, what can Jay-Z teach you about diversifying your income? In the song "Family Feud" the rapper says "And we merrily merrily eatin' off these streams." Exantus says Jay-Z is refering to a few things here. One, the word "streams" refers to his music streaming service Tidal. Two, he's urging people to create multiple forms of income for themselves. You should invest in different assets and side jobs so if one income stream suddenly stops you don't need to automatically break into your emergency fund.
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