by Zoë Pollock
Marc Lynch updates his thesis about Jay-Z and international relations. By collaborating with Kanye on the new album Watch The Throne, Lynch finds Jay-Z moving to secure his hegemony with "more robust partnerships and a fully-realized new alliance system":
Jay-Z and Kanye … solidified their place on the throne not by crushing their rivals but by inspiring them to be their best as part of a team, through creative use of the internet for public diplomacy, and by working within rather than trying to dictate new norms. They recognized that "no one man should have all that power." Jay-Z was willing to "lead from behind" and share the spotlight in order to build a broad and effective coalition.
Ackerman connects it the Arab Spring. So what country gets to be Lil Wayne?
The Dish 