Media Watch

the so-called jay-z effect.

While Hip-Hop is loved across the globe it still continues, at times, to get treated like a step-child. A recent New York Times article explored an odd phenomenon in crime across the five boroughs of New York City; a noticeable number of criminals are sporting the famous Yankee baseball cap while engaged in criminal activity. One shouldn't be surprised by the odd coincidence. The Yankee fitted is a popular item, worn by a cross-section of individuals from different backgrounds. While reading the Times article, I was shocked to read the thoughts of one criminologist. Frankie Y. Bailey, an associate professor at the University at Albany, described the trend as "the Jay-Z effect."


"The rapper Jay-Z has worn a Yankees cap for years — on his album covers and in his videos — and has helped turn the cap into a ubiquitous fashion accessory for urban youths (“I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can,” he boasts in one song).


Criminals might be wearing Yankees merchandise not because they are fans of the team, but because they are fans of the cocked-hat look popularized by Jay-Z and other rappers..."


Bailey's "theory" is ludicrous to say the least. The fitted cap trend did not start with Jay-Z and criminals wore Yankee caps long before Jay-Z's rap career took off. There is no need to create theories at the expense of a musical genre and cultural phenomenon. It's simply a matter of numbers, the Yankees sell more merchandise than any other baseball team. Go figure.

Media Watch

hard knock life.
Brooklyn bred rapper/entrepreneur/record label exec Jay-Z is gracing the latest issue of Forbes magazine alongside well-known frugal billionaire Warren Buffett. The duo met up in Omaha, Nebraska to discuss their success, business, tips on making money and giving back. Click here to read the interview. Check out the clip below.