By Tai Saint Louis
Jay-Z has officially announced his new partnership with StarGate, the multi-platinum Norwegian production duo responsible for hit singles by Ne-Yo, Rihanna, and Beyonce, Cher, Lionel Richie and others.
The global partnership establishes the StarRoc label, which has been rumored about for weeks, as well as a new publishing company, StarRoc Music Publishing.
It becomes the first partnership for Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s official venture with concert and global distribution giant Live Nation.
"Stargate were like a secret weapon,” said Jay-Z of his new business partners.“We had great success with Rihanna and Ne-Yo. In only 2 years, they've generated 10 singles in the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and 3 of those singles hit the # 1 position. This has been a rewarding partnership and it was time to take the creative venture to the next level.”
The New York-based StarRoc will focus on finding new talent and developing artist through strategically planned global partnerships that include music distribution, publishing, touring and merchandising.
With the help of Roc Nation and Artist Nation, the company will manage artists’ diverse rights, expand their fan bases, and provide a direct connection through the marketing and global distribution methods.