WATCH: Exclusive Jay-Z Interview With Steve Stoute (Part One)

From high fashion labels to everyday language, the hip-hop community is redefining American culture. To coincide with the release of marketing executive Steve Stoute's debut book, "The Tanning Of America: How the Culture of Hip-Hop Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy," HuffPost Black Voices presents the first episode in an ongoing video series, "The Tanning Effect."

Check out part one of the exclusive interview above, featuring Jay-Z discussing the meaning of his joint album with Kanye West, Watch the Throne, which debuted at number one in 23 countries; on his epiphany that his music has a substantial impact on mainstream America; and how Cristal champagne snubbed him as an unpaid spokesman.

Also, check out an excerpt from Stoute's tome below.

Excerpt from Chapter Two: "Hard Knock Life"

Yes, it's true that in the past the idea of pushing brands would have been seen as inauthentic, or something you did after your career peaked, or as some kind of selling out. But no longer. Why not? Why wasn't it selling out for rappers to embrace and promote Versace when it would have been seen that way for rock 'n' roll and R&B icons or pop superstars? Well, one reason, as we saw with "My Adidas," was that it's not a sellout when it's authentic to your taste and style anyway and you're already doing product placement for free. It was part of the art and far from selling out; Andy Warhol proved that when he painted iconic pop art portraits of products like Campbell's soup cans, paying homage to one of the most classic, enduring American brands ever.

When I asked Jay-Z for his insights, he pointed out that many of the rock musicians had come from sustainable backgrounds, seeking acclaim for their talent and a level of cool that playing music gave them. For rappers coming out of the projects, getting paid and bettering yourself is part of gaining credibility. Jay reminded me also that it's not selling out when a kid in the projects sees a guy rapping about Sprite or the Gap because they know he'll be getting the money and that feeds his or her own aspiration. It's not that being acknowledged for talent and great work isn't desirable, but getting paid trumps those goals. I agree. I don't think many hip-hop fans ever subscribed to the concept of selling out, not when you come from nothing and a deal can become part of your rags-to-riches success story.

Reprinted from "The Tanning of America" by Steve Stoute by arrangement with Gotham Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Copyright 2011 by Steve Stoute.

For more information on Steve Stoute's "The Tanning Of America" click here.

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Steve Stoute and Jay-Z during the taping of AOL HuffPost Media Group's, 'Tanning Effect With Steve Stoute.'

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Steve Stoute and Jay-Z during the taping of AOL HuffPost Media Group's, 'Tanning Effect With Steve Stoute.'

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Comments

[sadame002]

11:52 AM on 12/01/2011

As a Listener of all genres of music and a reader of this book, i understand the whole affect of what hip does and what marketing in music does. I mean come on you think that no other genre of music isn't trying to get a bigger picture across. I hate that hip hop gets such a bad rap(no pun intended) for saying what everybody else is thinking and if you think that all it is is sex,drugs,and money YOU MUST BE LIVING UNDER A ROCK! You only hear what you want to hear! Do you honeslty think Jay-z Would have gotten has huge as he is if he was talking about politics,taxes, & war, when he first started. No, because why OH MY GOD A BLACK MAN IS TALKING ABOUT GOVERNMENT OH MY GOSH! TABOO TABOO TABOO! It kills me that people are still so one track minded....
There I've made my speech.....

[Larry Burns]

05:36 AM on 11/18/2011

rihanna, your 15 min are over, you can go away now and take that dum bruno mars what ever his name is with you!

[delmarwood]

12:43 AM on 11/18/2011

Icon? more like A CON

[perrigin7]

12:31 AM on 11/18/2011

Who the hell is Jay-Z. He is no damn god to be worshiped.

[GotchaHun]

12:20 AM on 11/18/2011

Oh gee cultural clones, no room for an individual to do their own thang and be hip. Cultures aren't worth jack if they become too inclusive, dance to the beat of your own drummer...Amen!

[lochadro]

11:54 PM on 11/17/2011

Who in the heck is J-Zeeee? Hip hop and rap are hardly considered music......what crap!

[w12owens49]

10:51 PM on 11/17/2011

Jazz, blues and soul stood on their own. Music that all people liked. The stars of those genres did not think about color, they thought about music. The hip hop and rap genre are in your face and if you don't like us, P-ss on you. If you want to be part of the world, ask the world if it is ok.

[Brian Corvello]

08:38 PM on 11/17/2011

Elivis is an icon. Jay-Z is, like every other rapper, a talentless hack.

[mebecarl]

08:31 PM on 11/17/2011

Jay-Z and West need to be deported so they can peddle their culture to people in other countries who might understand their "spoken word" jibberish.

[dourdinlives]

12:42 AM on 11/20/2011

the entire rap industry is nothing more than the old negro minstrel shows in a new age.they should have to wear striped tuxedos or white cab calloway suits with a big gold watch on a chain and wear blackface.

[mebecarl]

11:48 AM on 11/20/2011

I'd have to agree. I've been a musician since I was nine years old (now 69). Rap and hip-hop simply shouldn't be classified as music AT ALL. It's "spoken word", just like Bob Dylan. He may be a lyricist and writer, but by no means is he a SINGER. If you ever come across his (last year's) Christmas CD, buy it, and be prepared to laugh your ass off.

[ultraclen2]

07:39 PM on 11/17/2011

idiots begot idiots

[Myonie Payton]

06:39 PM on 11/17/2011

Jay right about Cristale. I think many of us have a drink or something that we like, even the devices we're typing on to communicate in this post, and would be hella pissed if the clerk that rang us up didn't say thanks, not to mention the company itself expressing that they didn't make their product for your purchase after you've continually purchased their product. HOWEVER there is some selling out for the person with PULL that attaches their name to a product that does not support/uplift their community and in the case of most alcohol companies, but has only added to tearing it down while padding that persons pockets/aspirations. To not see this would be the same as not seeing the difference between a freed slave buying others into freedom and even starting a free town vs a freed slave buying a plantation and slaves.
Don't know what Jay does with his money, really aint my business but I'd hope he doesn't simply look forward to expanding plantations.

[alistair11]

05:50 PM on 11/17/2011

Icon? Heh, heh. Too funny.

[vampyreincubus]

05:35 PM on 11/17/2011

what a joke

[erinbliss]

05:14 PM on 11/17/2011

The Tanning Effect? WTF does this mean?

[mcc1cam]

03:58 PM on 11/17/2011

Sorry, I don't see ant 'icons' here...