Jay-Z Launches Bitcoin Academy at Housing Complex Where He Grew Up

pcmag.com:

On Jay-Z’s album 4:44, released in 2017 to his music-streaming service Tidal, the song "Marcy Me(Opens in a new window)" describes his journey from a kid living in the Brooklyn, New York, housing complex of the same name to award-winning musician.

This week, the rapper-producer announced a new program intended to give back to current residents of the Marcy Projects. It’s called the Bitcoin Academy(Opens in a new window), and he's funding the financial literacy program with Jack Dorsey, the ex-Twitter CEO and current CEO of Square whose Twitter bio simply reads, “#bitcoin."

While they may seem like an unlikely pair, Jay-Z and Dorsey came together in 2021 when Square bought a majority stake in Tidal. Now, with Bitcoin Academy, the duo seek to prove out cryptocurrency’s promise of providing a decentralized, barrier-free financial future for all. This idea is particularly attractive to those who feel frozen out of the current financial system, and see cryptocurrency as a potential tool for social justice.

As Dorsey’s tweet announcing the program states, “Bitcoin is becoming a critical tool for many in Africa and Central and South America. We believe the same potential exists within communities in the US.” Here, Dorsey is likely referencing initiatives like Bitcoin Beach(Opens in a new window), which aims to alleviate poverty by creating Bitcoin economies within communities in El Salvador(Opens in a new window) and Peru (Opens in a new window)that have historically existed outside of their country’s centralized banking systems.

Participants in the program will receive MiFi devices, one-year data plans, and smartphones if needed, according to the Bitcoin Academy website. The curriculum will include courses such as "What is