So Jay-Z decided his duty at Def Jam has run its course; over the holiday a press release circulated saying Shawn Carter is stepping down as president of Def Jam when his contract expires at the end of the year. Think, next Tuesday. His successor hasn’t been officially announced yet, but Jermaine Dupri, with the president spot at Island Urban Music and experience with rap and R&B, is the logical choice to double up as the next man to be fitted in the Def Jam presidential brim.

A few weeks ago in a Billboard interview (spotted at sixshot), Jay-Z denied that his contract negotiations were about money. With the digital everything nature of music, he talked about changing the way music is being distributed to fit the consumer’s new ways of digesting it.

“It’s really about trying to invest in the future, trying to invest in maybe coming up with a new model.  Because going in hard making records with artists and throwing those records into a system that’s flawed is not exciting for me. It’s not the music.. It’s just that the model of selling CDs has changed. So doing things the typical way is not in the best interests of anyone and not exciting for me. My whole thing is, how do we invest in the future?  If everyone is committed to doing that, then I’m sure there’s a deal to be made.”

It’s hard to stop a machine that’s been rolling in one direction for decades. Not getting a hold on the brakes could have been the one thing that killed a new Def Jam deal. Jay-Z has one more Roc-A-Fella album to Rain Man before he can sign with another label that might entertain his ideas, or maybe he’ll go off on his own.

In the same article he talked about what could follow that last album.

“This is all hypothetical but I’ve been thinking on the fly: I have one album left, right?  If I’m inspired to make that album, then my contract is done and I’m not in the music business anymore as far as being an artist. I can still make music but how I reach people with that music ... I can do anything with it at that point. It’s kind of exciting in a way. I’m not in the music business so I can drop a single every month. Who knows? The possibilities are endless—and without any pressure to sell anything.  I could make whatever and do whatever with my music. Maybe the songs would just play in 40/40.”

This weekend, December 30, Jay-Z will perform at the new 40/40 in Las Vegas (VIP only) with a New Years Eve party open to the public the next day. Now imagine the songs you hear that night are exclusive, new joints you’d only hear at the club. That would keep a nice crowd at 40/40’s worldwide (Tokyo and Macau coming soon), now how he makes money off those songs is another thing. What is he gonna do sell CDs at the door?

I’m thinking a semi-working relationship with the industry, dipped deep in the all digital independent side ala Radiohead, NIN, and Saul Williams is in his future.

With I Am Legend‘s record breaking 76.5 million first week take at the box office, there is no doubt Will Smith has become one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Putting money aside, it seems like he’s getting better with each new movie he takes on. You may have seen pictures from his next movie Hancock that were posted on scattered blogs this summer [that one from Just Jared]. We know Big Willie is always saving the world in some way, but Hancock will be his first official time on superhero detail. A drunken, troubled superhero, but anyone with the ability to fly and run through the streets in tights is expected to snatch a collar or two along the way.

I went into I Am Legend with no expectations and was seriously impressed with his performance, but how is he going to make this hero thing work on his resume?

Well the movie is scheduled for release next year, and a trailer has popped up already. It’s sure to be taken down by the studio, check it while you can.

Everything was in place last night for Isiah Thomas to get a listen to the loudest blast of “Fire Isiah” chants he’s heard all season. Those ‘knowledgeable’ basketball fans Isiah loved so much when he came in the door are determined to throw him out on his ass. One of the local newspapers had freshly made “Fire Isiah!” cutouts for people to take to the game. They came with a simple request: wave em’ in the air like madmen at the first sniff of a blowout.

With Lebron James coming to the Garden, it wasn’t a question of if, more like what minute of the first quarter would the booing commence?

Lucky for the Knicks and Isiah, the Cavaliers arrived in New York a day early for the game; plenty of time to get lost in the city’s nightlife. Tuesday night, Lebron James and a few his teammates found their way to a little party put together for the King’s 23rd birthday.

There is Lebron, holding court and two shots of Poland Spring. *wink*

Drink up.

It was a very atypical crowd by AllThePartie’s standards: lots of CoCos in the house. Something to do with new money being in the vicinity. Don’t fear sistahs..

the fans were in..

assorted flavors.

And here is Drew Gooden with that beard.

Shaggy Dog -> Anderson Varejao near an empty glass.. umhmm.

Boobie in the thick of it. Sasha (looking up) not impressed.

Fab and Clue

One half of the Young Gunz

Lebron NOT thinking about the next day’s game. Hey, he did put 32 on the Knicks, but the Cavs were down by 20 at one point. As Lebron sat the final minutes of the fourth he looked like he could care less about the loss; smiling and looking at people in celebrity row. His mind was definitely elsewhere; a good night out will do that.

Isiah’s new game plan: make sure NY’s club promoters have exclusive little shindigs for every player in town capable of 30 or more.