Jay-Z Leaving Def Jam Pres. Spot. 40/40 Exclusives Coming Next?
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.
☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼
This is the most overrated rapper of all time. I never understood all the hype about this guy.
Are u a hater? Sounds like it to me? Do you even understand what he is saying? Can you read between the lines and understand the metaphors and double meanings in his songs? Probably not. Also, do you have the business acumen he has? NOT. So shut your mouth.
I can’t believe that I wrote not a hater. First of all you shut your f**kin’ mouth. Next, he is still the most overrated rapper of all time. I guess they base his skills on the woman that he has because there is nothing incredible about his lyrics. Whoever you are stop sucking his d*ck cause you ain’t getting paid for it.
How can you sit there and say that there is nothing incredible about his lyrics. You’re mentally compromised, ignorant and naive. If i could i would rip your f**king head off simply for disrespecting a man of pure genius, talent and mere greatness.
“You’re not getting paid for it” - so f**king simplistic of you, does that mean you don’t support or favour anyone famous? because if your hypercritical ass does, i could throw that half-ass comment right back at you.
You’re not getting paid to go against the flow of things purposely in order to appear as an individual or different either. Fuck face.
Stop sucking his d*ck, you ain’t getting paid for it. As for you ripping my head off, come get it, I will f**k your punk ass up trust it. I am mentally compromised because I don’t like your boyfriends lyrics. How gay are you? I support famous people I just don’t fantasize about them like you do about Jay-Z. Bottom line he is still overrated and there sure as hell ain’t NOTHING genius about him. Oh yeah that comment about ripping my head off that is tuff talk behind computer keys. Face to face you ain’t got a chance. DICK SUCKER!
Oh man! you two guys are hilarious!!! I cant stop laughing. Jay-z is talented but he has put out some half ass albums (Vol 1, vol 3, blueprint 2). Business wise I give him that and lyrically the man is pretty good. overrated? I wouldn’t say that. Have i heard better rappers…yes(R.I.P Biggie)
Lol, you two are funny, I’m not a Jay-z fan either but you can’t knock his hustle. You may dislike his lyrics or his flow but you can’t deny all the money he’s making. The two of you need to chill out, I promise at the end of the day everything will be alright!
I agree with you both for the most part. However I still think that he is overrated. Too many people say that he is one of the greatest and I can’t buy that. He is ok at best. MsMoni you are right though, you definetly can’t knock his hustle and the money that he makes though.
opinions are like assholes…Everybody has one.
Happy NEW YEAR! And for the record those comments about Jay-Z didn’t come from me! Thank goodness. Good night and Good riddance to HOVA. Read between the lines in his article about music. He says nothing but that HE HAS BEEN FIRED. He was a bad choice as CEO. I am very supportive of artists running labels and really thing Scarface who runs Def Jam South should be the replacement but anyone who sits in the Def Jam seat should expect it to be a short stay. He says NOTHING about the current production of music! The fact that the money artists make and the venues that they have to showcase their talents are changing this is what he should have been talking about and doing. He has no plan and had no plan so FIRED. Def Jam has so many resources to find and showcase talent and HBO series of up and coming MC’s would have been a hit like Def Comedy Jam. A website similar to the mixtape and with a little YOUTUBE would have been ideal. They could have done their own mainstream version of American Idol. Hell since Jigga didn’t get the memo that he ain’t the best looking brother around why didn’t he do a deal to get a late night show on cable to spotlight artists etc. It is a crying shame that there are no BLACK OR LATINO late night tv hosts to follow the Arsenio, Chris Rock, Kenan Wayans or even Orlando Jones format. This is what you do when the old ways of buying music fall by the wayside. He is a joke. Even though Puffy is irritating he understands the media he works and does business in.
Is this where we were supposed to disagree Ladydi?
Nah, I think Jay-Z is one of the G.O.A.T. and good at promoting himself, but he did absolutely nothing as a label exec except have people wanting to sign with the label just because of who he is and what they thought he could do for them.
Dame Dash would have been a much better choice for that spot. He promoted Roc-A-Fella 24-7 no matter who the artist was.
Young Gunz to Bleek.
Where are those Roc Boys now?
Beanie has a decent album out, anyone care or even know about it? It just suddenly appeared on the shelves.
I don’t hate Jay he just should not be responsible for anyone but himself. Get his mogul on.
I think we’re in agreement though.. 😉
You bring a tear to my eye. We actually AGREE. But you know me, I have to write a book. So I can’t stop at just agreeing. I agree with the self-promotion thing. So why didn’t he do that at the label? Hmmm. Now let the hatin’ begin. He is a one trick pony…not a mogul. Like I said, while Puffy ain’t no better, he self-promotes and brings along whatever else he has to the table. What I am saying is self-promotion should had been mass promotion. He could have had artists showcased at half-time games for the Nets. He could have had record label promotions at 40/40 as well as launch parties. He could have had mad promotion for Roc-a-Wear with demanding that all of his artists wear ONLY his clothing line. I totally get branding and self-promotion but when someone who is all about that doesn’t do it then it leads me to only comment: JIGGA…THE LAMEST OF ALL TIME. What a dunce cap he is!
Now you just named so of his best stuff i have to half way agree with the buleprint to cause the gift was horrible he could’ve move the 1st three song to the curse and let that be the album and the first to stop sucking each other d*cks yes Jay-Z is very good number to and you must feel him on a thats your life too level but dont over do it and number 1 you wish you could suck a d*ck as big as JAY-Z that’s why you read the article and left the “Overrated Comment”
Did you read your post before you sent it? I don’t even know what to say to that scrabble board of words that you call a post. Go to school, you make all of us look bad dumb ass