Abegbe blog

Jay-Z, Bing Partner to Promote Rapper's Book, 'Decoded'

Microsoft's Bing is taking users on a tour of Jay-Z's life. From his TriBeCa, Manhattan loft to his roots at the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, players can uncover the stories behind Hova's lyrics through Bing Maps, in conjunction with next month's release of the rapper's autobiography, Decoded.

In anticipation of the Nov. 16 release, more than 300 pages from the book will be plastered in different locations around the globe via Bing. Whether in New York or London, the location of the text will be related to the content.

Starting Tuesday, between five and 10 new pages will be revealed each day. To find the pages, participants can uncover interactive clues via . For example, Bing will give a clue from the song "Empire State of Mind" like "home of that boy Biggie," and a user will answer "Bed Stuy," for the Brooklyn neighborhood that produced the rapper Biggie Smalls.

When the correct answer is given, the map will zero in on the neighborhood and continue with more specific clues, until the user finds where the page is hidden. A page-shaped icon signifies that a snippet of the text has been found, and that icon corresponds with the page in real life, whether on a billboard or "in places and on objects that have never been used as advertising – from pools and pool tables to bronze plaques and high-fashion clothing racks – an array of unexpected surfaces will become the backdrop for Jay-Z's art," Eric Hadley, Bing's general manager said .

Bing lets fans discover the stories behind Jay's songs, read lyrics, and download his music from inside the site.

After a page is found, participants can snap a photo of their find and upload it to Bing's photo gallery in order to win prizes. The grand prize is a trip to Las Vegas for a New Year's Eve concert featuring Jay-Z and Coldplay. Those who find a page could also win a print out of that page, signed by Shawn Carter himself.

Bingan integration with Facebook that allows Bing to make recommendations to users based on their Facebook "likes." Bing also nowin the U.S. and Canada.