Would it be wiser to eat with JAY-Z or take $500,000 in cash? In a two-part interview with Gayle King, the rapper and entrepreneur himself offers his opinion on the ongoing internet discussion. The interview will run this week on "CBS Mornings."
The "The Book of HOV" exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library highlights the artist's body of work, from his original master recordings to his commercial endeavors and attempts to assist in improving the criminal justice system. JAY-Z sat down with King for a rare interview and an exclusive tour of the show.
King, 68, discussed the underlying philosophy of the argument, noting that many people believe the "wisdom" offered by the "99 Problems" rapper would enable them to generate more than $500,000 on their own.
Even yet, JAY-Z would still opt to accept the cash. "Because you got all that in the music for $10.99. That's a bad deal. I wouldn't tell you to cut a bad deal," he said. "Take the $500,000, go buy some albums and listen to the albums. It's all there."
"If you piece it together and really listen to the music for the words, for what it is, it's all there. Everything that I said was going to happen, happened. Everything that I said I wanted to do, I've done, and there's the blueprint," he said, referring to the title of his 2001 album. "The blueprint - literally - to me and my life and my journey is there already."
The origin of the well-known internet debate is unknown, however, Instagram users at least posted variations of the issue as early as 2017 with one user stating, "$10,000 in cash or 10-minute dinner with Jay-Z?"
A supporter spoke with JAY-Z about the discussion during the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers game last week. The man is heard saying, "I'm taking that $500K. I ain't taking that dinner. I'm taking that $500K. Do you feel me? It's love, though." in a video clip of the incident that was posted on social media.
The Grammy winner at the time only retorted, "Be good, man."
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Jay-Z's Rise to Popularity
In order to fill the hole left by the passing of The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z emerged on the scene in the 1990s as one of the most well-known voices on the East Coast rap scene.
Because of his music, he was able to live a very luxurious life, but he also utilized a significant portion of his earnings to build a successful business empire that included the 40/40 Club, Rocawear, Armand de Brignac (the champagne known as "Ace of Spades"), and Roc Nation Sports.
When you consider that Jay-Z currently has an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion, those investments worked out pretty well for him. His business acumen is at the center of an online argument that has been raging since 2017 about whether it would be wiser to take home a sizable sum of money or get the chance to pick his brain over a meal.
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