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People really feel like music is free but will pay $6 for water. You can drink water free out of the tap, and it's good water. But they're OK paying for it.
Jay-Z
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote highlights the contradiction of valuing music less than basic necessities like water, despite both being readily accessible.

Jay-Z's quote reflects on society's perception of music as a consumable art form that is often taken for granted, unlike essential resources such as water. It emphasizes the irony of people willing to pay for something that is essentially free at its source, while underestimating the value of creativity and artistic expression present in music.

Themes

MusicValuePerceptionArtSociety

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the music industry's dynamics during a seminar.

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