A Black Friday Signed Book Special

I'll send you a personally inscribed copy of any one of my books for $25, shipping included, if you order by the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

As we all (hopefully) pause for a moment of holiday repose, I’m skipping this week’s regularly scheduled installment of We Are All Musicians Now. But I can’t stop thinking about my latest chapter on the superfan economy, and how it relates to my own experience as a newly-independent writer.

While it’s tempting to sit back and dip into a tryptophan slumber for the next couple of days, I’ve been wondering: what would Amanda Palmer or Taylor Hanson do at a similar juncture in their respective careers? They’d find ways to engage their most dedicated patrons. So, for Black Friday, I’m going to try and do something very tangible in our increasingly virtual world: I’ll send you a personally inscribed copy of any physical book I’ve ever written for just $25. 

More specifically, I’ll inscribe a book to anyone: you, or your friend, or your relative, or your boss, or your DAO—whatever floats your boat. And I’ll ship it out by the end of November, so you’ll be guaranteed to receive it in time for holiday gift-giving season, no need to sweat the supply chain.

To get your physical book, just send me $25 via Venmo (@zogblog) per copy—along with your address and how you’d like me to inscribe each one—by the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Feel free to reply to this email with any questions, special instructions, alternate payment preferences, etc.

But wait, there’s more! 

As an additional Black Friday special, I’m reducing the price of my top-tier Founding Member subscriptions from $250 to $195 until Monday. Join this club and you get access to all my work on Substack—plus a pdf of We Are All Musicians Now when it’s done—along with a signed copy of any book I’ve authored.

So, without further ado, below are the books into which I’ve poured the past decade of my life. They explore some of the most fascinating stories in the entertainment business, informing and delighting while also offering valuable lessons to anyone in any industry. But you don’t have to take my word for it: check out the blurbs from the likes of DJ Khaled, Arianna Huffington, Fab 5 Freddy and Steve Forbes.

In any case, happy Thanksgiving, and I’ll be back to my usual publication schedule beginning on Tuesday.

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Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office | Penguin / Portfolio (2011); “Billionaire Edition” released 2021

Jay-Z’s business savvy has cemented his legacy as one of the most successful artists of our time. With a sprawling network of investments ranging from fashion and liquor to startups and streaming services, it’s possible for him to profit at every turn of your day. So how did a kid from the projects turn himself into a one-man conglomerate? Now with a glimpse into how Jay-Z recently achieved his Forbes-certified billionaire status, Empire State of Mind reveals the inside story behind his meteoric rise. For every hustler, mogul, and businessperson who seeks to build something spectacular, this book is the blueprint.

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A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley | Little, Brown (2020)

Ashton Kutcher was the first celebrity to leverage his social reach to accumulate stakes in a vast range of user-hungry tech startups, bartering credibility and connections for access to the world’s most coveted investments. A decade later, he’s perhaps the brightest in a firmament of star investors. But now he’s not alone: a diverse cadre of talent managers, celebrities, and VCs helped changed the face of venture capital forever, supercharging brands like Airbnb, Spotify, and Uber in the process. Through extensive reporting and exclusive interviews with more than 100 key players, A-List Angels sheds light on the unlikely group that fundamentally transformed the value of fame, merging Silicon Valley with Hollywood to help forge a new creative class—and a new blueprint for generational wealth.

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3 Kings: Diddy, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Hip-Hop’s Multibillion-Dollar Rise | Little, Brown (2018)

For Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z, being a successful musician was never enough. These kings lifted themselves from childhood adversity into tycoon territory, amassing a level of fame and wealth that made them the three richest American musicians in any genre.* Yet their fortunes have little to do with selling their own albums. This book shows you exactly how the trio transcended musical fame to attain mega-mogul status. These men are the modern embodiment of the American Dream, but their stories as thinkers and entrepreneurs have yet to be told in full. Featuring interviews with more than 100 sources including hip-hop pioneers Fab 5 Freddy and the late Lovebug Starski; executives like former Def Jam chief Kevin Liles and venture capitalist Troy Carter; and stars from Swizz Beatz to Shaquille O'Neal, 3 Kings tells the fascinating story of the rise of three cultural titans.

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Michael Jackson, Inc.: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of a Billion-Dollar Empire | Simon & Schuster / Atria (2014)

Michael Jackson, Inc. reveals the incredible rise, fall, and renewal of Michael Jackson’s fortune—driven by the unmatched perfectionism of the King of Pop. The book features never-before-told stories and interviews with more than 100 people, including music industry veterans Berry Gordy, John Branca, Teddy Riley, and Walter Yetnikoff; artists 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, Pharrell Williams, and Jon Bon Jovi; and members of the Jackson family. A clear picture emerges of Jackson’s early years, his rise to superstardom, his decline, and, finally, his remarkable posthumous career. Underlying Jackson’s unique history is the complex but universal tale of the effects of wealth and fame on the human psyche. It’s a valuable case study for generations of entertainers to come, and for anyone interested in show business.

*= until the recent and rapid rise of Rihanna and Kanye West’s respective fortunes, that is.