Jay-Z said you should accept the $500k instead of dinner with him in a new interview

The age-old hypothetical question of whether you would rather have a lunch meeting with renowned rapper Jay-Z or take $500,000 in cash has gone viral in recent years. It pits the opportunity to gain insights from the first hip-hop billionaire against a substantial sum of money. Now, Jay-Z himself has weighed in on the question.

In an interview with CBS Morning’s Gayle King, Jay-Z gave his answer: “You’ve got to take the money,” he said. When asked if he would miss out on his wisdom for the money, Jay-Z explained, “You got all that in the music for $10.99. Take the $500,000, go buy some albums, and listen to the albums. If you piece it together and really listen to the music… it’s all there. Everything I said was going to happen, happened. Everything I said I wanted to do, I’ve done. There’s the blueprint. The blueprint to me and my life and my journey is there already.”

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has experienced a remarkable rise from his early days of selling drugs on the street as a 13-year-old to becoming a successful rapper with over 140 million records sold. He then leveraged his success into a diverse business empire, with investments in record labels, sports teams, clothing brands, and alcohol, ultimately achieving billionaire status. Forbes values him at $2.5 billion.

This response from Jay-Z has ignited a debate, as the question has been a subject of discussion in podcasts, social media, and interviews. Some, like music journalist Sowmya Krishnamurthy, have declared the debate “over” after Jay-Z’s answer. On the other hand, radio personality Rickey Smiley expressed a desire to take the lunch to learn from Jay-Z, stating, “That’s something you just can’t buy.”

This interview and debate emerged during a broader conversation between Jay-Z and CBS, which included a tour of an exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library celebrating his life and work. Jay-Z is married to singer Beyoncé, and they have three children.