Expanding Empire In 2003, Jay-Z shocked the hip-hop world by releasing The Black Album and announcing that it would be his last solo record before retirement. Asked to explain his sudden exit from rap, Jay-Z said that he once derived inspiration from trying to outshine other great MCs, but had simply gotten bored due to a lack of competition. The game aint hot, he said. I love when someone makes a hot album and then youve got to make a hot album. I love that. But it aint hot. During his hiatus from rapping, Jay-Z turned his attention to the business side of music, becoming president of Def Jam Recordings. As president of Def Jam, Jay-Z signed such popular acts as Rihanna, Ne-Yo and Young Jeezy and helped effect Kanye Wests transition from producer to bestselling recording artist. But his reign at the venerable hip-hop label wasnt all smooth sailing; Jay-Z resigned as Def Jams president in 2007, complaining about the companys resistance to change from ineffectual business models. You have record executives whove been sitting in their office for 20 years because of one act, he lamented. Jay-Zs other, ongoing business ventures include the popular urban clothing line Rocawear and Roc-A-Fella films. He also owns the 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar with locations in New York and Atlantic City, and is a part owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise. As Jay-Z once rapped about his business empire, Im not a businessman/ Im a business, man. Comeback In 2006, Jay-Z ended his retirement from making music, releasing the new album Kingdom Come. He soon released two more albums: American Gangster in 2007 and Blueprint 3 in 2010. This trio of later albums marked a significant departure from Jay-Zs earlier sound, incorporating stronger rock and soul influences in their production and offering lyrics tackling such mature subjects as the response to Hurricane Katrina; Barack Obamas 2008 election; and the perils of fame and fortune. Jay-Z says hes trying to adapt his music to befit his own middle age. Theres not a lot of people who have come of age in rap because its only 30 years old, he says. As more people come of age, hopefully the topics get broader and then the audience will stay around longer. In 2008, Jay-Z signed a $150 million contract with the concert promotion company Live Nation. This super deal created a joint venture called Roc Nation, an entertainment company that handles nearly all aspects of its artists careers. In addition to Jay-Z himself, Roc Nation manages Willow Smith and J. Cole among others. More recently, Jay-Z proved that he had both commercial and critical staying power. He teamed up with another famous member of rap royalty, Kanye West, for 2011s Watch the Throne. The album proved to be a triple hit, topping the rap, R&B and pop charts that August. The song Otis, which samples the late R&B singer Otis Redding, snagged several Grammy Award nominations and the recording was also nominated for Best Rap Album. Two years after the release of a collaboration album with West, both rappers dropped solo albums within weeks of the others release date. Wests album, Yeezus (2013), was critically lauded for its innovation, while his mentor Jay-Zs album gained less than stellar reviews. The rappers 12th studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013), was seen as decent but failed to live up to the hip-hop stars larger-than-life reputation and his unhumbly titled album. Personal Life Very protective of his private life, Jay-Z did not publicly discuss his relationship with longtime girlfriend, popular singer and actress Beyoncé Knowles, for years. The couple even managed to keep the press away from their small wedding, which was held on April 4, 2008, in New York City. Only about 40 people attended the celebration at Jay-Zs penthouse apartment, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow and former Destinys Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Since tying the knot, Jay-Z and Beyoncé became the subject of countless pregnancy rumors. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, on January 7, 2012. Concerned about their privacy and safety, Jay-Z and Beyoncé rented part of New Yorks Lenox Hill Hospital and hired extra guards. Shortly after the birth of his daughter, Jay-Z released a song in her honor on his website. On Glory, he expressed his joy of becoming a father and revealed that Beyoncé had previously suffered a miscarriage. Jay-Z and Beyoncé also posted a message along with the song, saying we are in heaven and Blues birth was the best experience of both of our lives.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 07:14:15 +0000
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