By Ismael AbduSalaam
During a memorable guest appearance last Wednesday (August 6) on Kanye West’s Glow in the Dark Tour, Jay-Z confirmed he’s working on Blueprint 3, his final album on Def Jam before launching a new recording deal with Live Nation.
Interviews from Timbaland had many believing the Virginia boardsmith would serve as the album’s executive producer, a rumor Jay-Z put to rest after recently appearing on the Shade 45 Morning Show.
“That was a little premature (on his part),” Jay explained. “It’s business. I gotta make the best product; it doesn’t depend on anyone’s feelings, we’re in there to do a job. We gotta put our feelings aside.”
Still early in the album process, the music mogul went on to reveal he has three songs completed, including the leaked, Run-DMC sampled “Jockin’ Jay-Z,” also known as “Dope Boy Fresh.”
“I have three records, but I don’t want to talk about them yet (since) they may not make the album,” Jay disclosed. “But there’s one joint that’s undeniable. You’ll know it when you hear it.”
Last month, Jay-Z announced a $150 million dollar partnership between his Roc Nation imprint and Live Nation, one of the most lucrative contracts ever given to an artist.
The deal requires Live Nation to help finance Jay’s entertainment projects, with profits being split between the two companies.
Despite the deal not starting until Jay-Z’s final Def Jam album is complete, rumors have begun circulating that there are already problems between Live Nation and its only Hip-Hop artist, a claim Jay dismissed as unfounded.
“That’s silly,” Jay quipped. “The numbers are public. I just went out on two tours and made a ton of money. I mean, c’mon.”
Regarding a release date for his final Def Jam album, Shawn Carter remained uncommitted.
“I don’t even know if it comes out this year,” he confessed. “We’ll see.”
At press time, Jay’s last album American Gangster has sold over 1.4 million worldwide.
Last Friday (August 8), Jay-Z teamed with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg for the Summer Streets Program, a project aimed at revamping local streets into car-free recreation zones.
