Revisiting Jay-Z’s Hustler Masterpiece in His Billionaire Era

How this story sits for you will depend on if you believe there to be a difference between a hustler and a gangster, and what you believe the difference to be, and how subtle you believe the difference is. There’s no right or wrong answer. Some might say that if you stare at the hustler long enough in the right light, he becomes a gangster, depending on what he’s hustling, or how far he’s willing to go to protect whatever it is he’s earned. For some, the negotiation occurs over the line of violence: who is willing to commit it, and who doesn’t have the desire for it but might arrive there if pushed far enough in the direction that calls for it.