People don't just expect new records from Jay - they expect epochal events, game-changing statements

Hip-hop's undisputed king

The most successful rapper alive

The undisputed king of rap

Will Self dismissed rap as unmelodic, inarticulate ranting - until Jay-Z's eloquent memoir and an anthology of lyrics came along to change his mind

Gripping...a classily produced mash-up of memoir, lyrical analysis and coffee-table art book..this book is eye-opening...Both fans and newcomers alike should be left with a deepened appreciation for the verbal dexterity of a conflicted man

A riveting insight

A must-read for anyone seeking insight into why hip hop has been the essential musical narrative of recent decades

Siblin's intricate book interleaves the stories of Bach, Casals, the suites themselves and his own research. Transposing the shape of his narrative on to the structure of the six suites and their six movements enables him to move lightly back and forth across the centuries.

This quirky, word of mouth success follows former pop writer Eric Siblin as he attends a recital of Bach's cello suites and suitably smitten by some of the greatest music ever written, teases out a history that invites intrigue, mystery and genius

Insightful [and] engaging . . . Eric Siblin puts us in touch with the joy of discovering a new passion in life

Joyful and informative

The story of Bach's six Cello Suites is an insightful narrative populated by musicians and myth, animating history through centuries

Vivid biography...This brilliant book is not just about Jamaica, but also about ourselves, no longer the country of The King's Speech but a post-imperial nation, many of whose citizens have a buried history of slavery

Masterful biography...It is utterly riveting, taking in, as it does, true crime, West African folk magic and deeply corrupt politics