A Genius Leaves the Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z

2014 • 57 minutes

About this movie

On the surface, "A Genius Leaves The Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z" chronicles how hip-hop's most successful rapper of the past two decades reached the top; but at its core, the film attempts to divulge the savvy and cunning business acumen of a mogul who decided being at the top of the charts wasn't enough. This 60-minute unauthorized biography explores the mind of a man who never played by the rules and admits it. This film uncovers the price Mr. Carter paid for his success through recent controversies that include the racial debate of the Barneys deal, the feud with Harry Belafonte, and clashes with community activists over the construction of the Barclay Center. The film also explores rumors of association with the Illuminati, a highly publicized separation from the Roc-A-Fella crew, his estranged relationship with rapping mentor Jaz-O, and his break up with business partner Damon Dash. Through in-depth interviews with friends, former business partners, music industry executives, authors and journalists, this exploratory biopic gives the novice, the fan, the critic and the non-believer an uncensored look at Jay Z's journey from Marcy Projects to Madison Avenue and beyond. As a drug dealer, turned rapper, turned CEO, turned author, turned sports agent, viewers will discover what drove Jay-Z to seek unlimited wealth, how he positioned himself to achieve this wealth, and whether criticism is warranted for someone who successfully pursued the American dream.

Ratings and reviews

This documentary is groundbreaking in that it takes a gutsy, honest and holistic approach to the evolution of a successful businessman and rapper. People all have different opinions on our public figures, and even when one of them appears untouchable, it's important for the public to see the whole picture to understand what it takes to reach the heights of a Jay-Z and the hard decisions that a business-success conscious individual must make to achieve his/her goals. Interesting for anyone who is curious about Jay or a fan that wants to see the whole picture, not to knock Jay down, but to understand that HOVA is human, too...

I actually learned something new about Jay Z watching this film - I don't blame him for moving on without some of the people he started the race with- you can't always take your friends with you on your journey when you are trying to do something out the box with a vision that has not been done by anyone in their inner circle - don't knock the hustle - which is exactly what some of your friends do when you don't "walk a straight line" and do what they are doing. - the film is motivating in the sense to see what jay z was willing to sacrifice to get where he is today and I know if I want to reach my goals in life - there are somethings I will have to sacrifice too - the closest 5 people in your circle predict where you will be in 5 years down the road- choose wisely....

The fact is you will never please everyone, so its always best to stick to your plan. We don't know what Jay-Z's ultimate goal in life is we're just outsiders on his journey .