Discursive Verses: Jay-Z, the Super Bowl and playing with house money

NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: Is the rap mogul's self-selection a crowning achievement or a final affront?

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2000x1333+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/85/format/webp/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F96%2F7b%2F19ec3e874d4c8ee5a5bf1d5a9377%2Fgettyimages-2260592240.jpg' alt='SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Jay-Z looks on prior to the start of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.'/><p>NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: Is the rap mogul's self-selection a crowning achievement or a final affront?</p><p>(Image credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-6019093' />