What is lunch with Jay-Z worth? Less than $500k, he thinks

‘You gotta take the money,’ rapper says

Jay-Z has shared his thoughts on a viral debate, in which fans choose whether they’d rather meet the rapper or get a huge amount of money.

The 53-year-old discussed the debate in an upcoming interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings, which will air in two parts on 26 and 27 October. During a preview of the conversation, the TV host mentioned the viral question that has been discussed online for years, saying: “If you had a choice between getting $500,000 in cash or lunch with Jay-Z, which would you choose?”

In response, the rapper simply told fans: “You gotta take the money.” His response prompted King to explain to him why people said they wouldn’t take the $500,000. “People are saying, of course you take lunch with Jay-Z because the wisdom you would get from him would be so beneficial to you,” she said, before asking again: “Would you take the money?”

Jay-Z once again acknowledged that if he had to choose one in the debate, he would pick the money. He then shared some advice for fans on what they could do with the earnings if they value his wisdom so much.

“Because you got all that in the music for $10.99. That’s a bad deal. I wouldn’t tell you to cut a bad deal,” he explained. “Take the $500,000, go buy some albums and listen to the albums. It’s all there. If you piece it together and really listen to the music for the words, for what it is, it’s all there.”

The music producer – who’s been married to Beyoncé since 2007 – continued to describe how much of his knowledge he’s put into his work, including his 2001 album, The Blueprint. “Everything that I said was going to happen, happened. Everything that I said I wanted to do, I’ve done, and there’s the blueprint,” he said. “The blueprint, literally, to me and my life and my journey, it’s there already."

Although it’s unclear how the debate first started, it’s been linked back to a viral question shared on Instagram in 2017 about meeting the musician. “$10,000 or 10 minute dinner with Jay-Z?” the post read. While some people at the time commented that they’d take cash over the dinner, others claimed that a chance to eat with Jay-Z could open new opportunities.

“10 mins. You’ll get more than 10k with knowledge and that kind of connection,” one wrote, while another added: “That 10 min dinner can open doors 10,000 couldn’t.”

Earlier this month, a fan approached Jay-Z about the debate while attending the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers football game. "I’m taking that $500K. I ain’t taking that dinner. I’m taking that $500K. Do you feel me? It’s love, though,” the stranger said in a video shared on Instagram, which showed Jay-Z at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

At the time, Jay-Z simply responded by giving the fan a fist bump and saying: “Be good, man.”