Jay-z
Page: 7
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Lester Cohen / Getty
When Jay-Z famously spit, “Bleek could be one hit away his whole career/As long as I’m alive, he’s a millionaire,” on Kanye West’s “Diamonds (Remix)” it didn’t really do his homie Memphis Bleek any favors career-wise. While the fellow Brooklyn rapper has continued to work hard at his craft—despite not really needing to considering his big homie’s billionaire status—he’s still getting curved when it comes to a joint project with Mr. Carter.
Bleek admitted so during a quick interview with TMZ.
“I’m on that boat, too. I wish,” said Bleek about seeking another collab, whether it be a song or even an EP project. The “Is That Your Chick” rapper is realistic about landing that Hov collab, though. “I don’t think so,” Bleek told TMZ. “Hov too far gone, man! I was supposed to try this when he had $100 million, not a billion. When you got a billion, it’s hard to get you in the booth. Only his wife can do it.”
Beyonce and Jay-Z did drop the critically acclaimed Everything Is Love Project in 2018. But besides the occasional guest verses, it’s been crickets on a Jigga album since 2017’s 4:44 (not counting his essentially riding shotgun on Jay Electronica’s A Written Testimony in 2020). Nevertheless, Bleek isn’t giving up.
“I’m trying,” added Bleek. “I sending joints. I get shot down like a clay pigeon. Something going to stick one day. If we can drop an EP together come on now.”
Will Bleek and Jay-Z be able to close that “Coming of Age” trilogy? He wants y’all to hold your breath, but Jay-Z is notoriously frugal when it comes to his collaborations. For example, 2 Chainz is another artist who has been petitioning for a collab with Jay-Z to no avail.
But don’t let the lack of joint material let you think Bleek and Jay-Z ain’t still cool. He’s a perennial Roc Nation brunch attendee and Jay-Z was there at Bleek’s wedding back in 2014. See Bleek’s interview with TMZ below.
[embedded content]
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
When Jay-Z opened the doors to his 40/40 Club back in 2003, it was an immediate hit with the good people of New York and his celebrity pals alike. But alas, all good things come to an end. After two decades of good times, the 40/40 Club will now be closing up shop… kinda.
Eater New York is reporting that the club that was once the place to be will be shutting down its Midtown Manhattan location and popping back up elsewhere come 2024. The move comes a decade after the 40/40 Club underwent a $10 million renovation to help it compete with the newer clubs that were all the rage in the Big Apple. But like all things Hip-Hop, the newer generation tends to gravitate to the latest and more spectacular show in town.
Eater New York reports:
Over time, the 40/40 Club grew into a small chain of bars and restaurants. There were five at peak: The original in Flatiron, a sports lounge in Las Vegas, a club in Atlantic City, a bar at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, and a restaurant at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Las Vegas location closed in 2008, a year after opening, and its Atlantic City club followed in 2013: A lawsuit claimed the company owed more than $115,000 in unpaid rent and other charges.
The 40/40 Club at Barclays Center remains open following the Manhattan closure, according to Jake Spitz, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn arena.
This isn’t the only hospitality project Jay-Z has been a part of in New York City. The rapper was formerly involved with the West Village restaurant the Spotted Pig before it closed in 2020. His real estate company, SCC Greenwich Realty, sold its longtime home for $7.5 million in 2022.
If we’ve learned nothing else it’s that Jay-Z will cut his losses in search of the next and bigger bag.
No word on where Jay-Z may open up the new and surely improved 40/40 Club, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s in close proximity to that casino he’s trying to bring to Times Square. The man didn’t become a billionaire just by selling records, b.
What do y’all think? Where should the next 40/40 Club open up? Should it get a name change too? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Christian Liewig – Corbis / Getty
Jay-Z might be adding an English Premier League team to his roster, as the club’s current owner is in hot water with the U.S. government.
According to Yahoo, the Hip-Hop icon and business mogul is interested in being an owner of Tottenham Hotspur F.C., the Premier League soccer club. The news comes as its owner, British billionaire Joe Lewis, was charged with engaging “in multiple schemes to violate the securities laws through insider trading and submitting false and misleading filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission,” according to the unsealed indictment. Out on $300 million bail after appearing in a federal court in New York last Wednesday (July 26th), Lewis is charged with 16 counts of security fraud and three counts of conspiracy for alleged crimes between 2013 and 2021.
Related Stories
As initial news of Lewis’ legal troubles began last October, the club issued a statement that he was “no longer a person with significant control at the club”. It raises the potential for the club to be purchased, with a current valuation of $2.8 billion by
Forbes along with the fact that other Premier League clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool are under American ownership. Another selling point is the team’s star, striker Harry Kane, who is one of the best players in the world and the captain of England’s national men’s team.
Jay-Z, who would make a bid along with other investors, has been interested in owning a soccer team since 2010 when he made inquiries about buying a stake in Tottenham’s North London rivals, Arsenal. “I don’t know a lot about the business of soccer, but in the future if the right opportunity presented itself, then who knows,” he said at the time. Roc Nation has been active in Italy’s Serie A, recently signing a deal with the professional league. “He believes this is achievable, especially with the backing of fellow investors,” an unnamed associate of Jay-Z expressed. The consensus of observers is that he and his team are waiting to see the outcome of Lewis’ trial, for which a date hasn’t been set yet. The rapper and his representatives did not comment when contacted by reporters.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty
Florida Governor and Presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis really opened Pandora’s racially biased box when he signed a book ban that banned books that addressed racial discrimination and inequality.
With other Republican states following suit as they don’t want white feelings hurt with factual history lessons about white supremacy, Jay-Z is planning to fight the ban on books that educate the population on America’s racist past and has found an ally in New England Patriots’ owner, Robert Kraft. TMZ is reporting that Jay-Z and Robert Kraft have joined forces and are planning to help fund legal services for educators and librarians who are being attacked over the book bans in red states.
TMZ reports:
TMZ Hip Hop has learned both Jay and Robert’s organizations — the Shawn Carter Foundation and the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism — have donated $1 million to provide pro bono legal services to educators and librarians who’ve been targeted by local policies banning books.
The American Library Association reportedly documented nearly 1,300 demands last year to remove books — most highlighting the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as religious minorities.
We’re told the New England Patriots owner and Jay laid down the framework for underserved students to obtain scholarships and financial grants, and hopefully have their works turned into movies, plays, audiobooks, etc. to further the message.
There’s also a plan to reprint banned books and have them circulated in adjacent learning centers.It’s good to see billionaires using their money for the good of the people. Keep in mind, should Ron DeSantis actually end up winning the presidency and occupying the White House come 2025, his book ban would more than likely go national along with his many other racist and pro-white nationalist laws that he’s been passing down in Florida. Scary times, b.What do y’all think of Jay-Z and Robert Kraft’s latest initiative? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
Beyoncé was a proud wife this week, supporting Jay-Z as the Brooklyn Public Library unveiled an honorary exhibition for the billionaire superstar. The “Break My Soul” singer took to Instagram on Friday (July 13) to share a series of snaps from the grand opening event, in which she was rocking a sunset red vinyl skirt […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
A new surprise exhibit dedicated to highlighting the impact of Jay-Z has debuted at the Brooklyn Public Library, complete with his lyrics adorning the building.
The new exhibit, titled The Book of HOV, made its debut to the public officially on Friday (July 14). “He navigated the gritty streets of Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects to the halls of Roc Nation, and now he shines as one of the brightest stars in our constellation. With his rhymes sharper than a knife and beats hotter than a summer in the city, JAY-Z is a beacon of hope for those who dare to dream beyond the confines of their circumstances,” said a statement from the exhibit’s website.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
The exhibit is styled like chapters in a book and spans the entirety of the main branch of the library, with lyrics from “Justify My Thug” and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” decorating the curved facade of the building’s main entrance to greet visitors. Inside, there are various installations showing off memorabilia from the rap icon’s career including a down-to-the-detail full-scale recreation of the place where Jay-Z recorded many of the hits he’s known for, Baseline Recording Studios. Other parts of the exhibit feature turntables that play vinyl records containing his hits and the samples that helped to create them and one area that encourages young visitors to craft paper planes in homage to one of his companies.
Chief executive of the Brooklyn Public Library, Linda E. Johnson, worked closely with Sandra Perez, the president of Roc Nation to make the exhibit come alive. That includes Roc Nation footing the entirety of the bill for it, including a donation to a gala in October at the library where Jay-Z and his mother, Gloria Carter, will be honored. “People thought I was a little out of my mind,” Johnson said when interviewed. “I don’t think I’d be going out on a limb to say that this is the biggest exhibition we’ve ever done.” There will also be 13 limited edition library card variations based on each of Jay-Z’s albums available for those who sign up.
“The Book of HOV” will be on display throughout the rest of the summer. More information can be found on its website.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis / Getty
One would think that being a billionaire would have Jay-Z just kicking back and enjoying the empire that he’s built for himself but nope! The man is still out here making big time deals and continuing to invest for himself and his family.
According to Digital Music News, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports has just come to terms with Italy’s top soccer league, Series A, to create a “strategic partnership” that’ll have Roc Nation Sports promoting the Italian league throughout North America via events, digital content, and marketing activations as only they can. Y’all know Roc Nation Sports got the juice for that kind of stuff. It’s Jay-Z, b.
Digital Music News reports:
Roc Nation and Serie A have had a working partnership since 2019, and in 2020, Roc Nation inked a deal with Serie A side AC Milan to host an event to raise support for workers during the height of the COVID pandemic. The event was hosted by DJ Khaled and featured performances from artists like Alicia Keys and Kelly Rowland, with all proceeds going to charity.
“We are super excited to help Serie A expand its brand throughout America while helping to develop meaningful commercial partnerships along with enhanced brand visibility that will lead to continued growth for one of the world’s premier football leagues,” says Roc Nation president Michael Yormark.
“We spent some time together in New York, and then he pushed me to return to Inter,” said Lukaku. “He’s a person who follows football a lot; he always follows Inter. He’s truly a nice person.”
Y’all know that money that the sport of soccer generates worldwide ain’t no joke either. Jay is smart to get into that arena. Cristiano Ronaldo earns $214 million per year for God’s sake! They know its money to be had in that field that most Americans tend to overlook. Soccer’s just not our thing, but with Roc Nation putting some muscle behind Series A, y’all might become a bit more familiar with the sport in the coming future.
Still, they might have their work cut out for them as Italian soccer does have an issue with racism as many of their Black players have been subjected to nasty racial rhetoric on the field. It got to the point where Roc Nation President, Michael Yormark, felt compelled to address it in a statement saying, “The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment.”
We’ll have to wait and see how this new venture pans out for Jay and his Roc Nation conglomerate.
What do y’all think of Roc Nation getting down with an Italian soccer league? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
Charlamagne Tha God just paid Cardi B one of the biggest compliments of her career. He says she shifted the culture just like JAY-Z and Drake.
As spotted on Blavity media personality paid a visit to the It’s Up There podcast and discussed the current state of the Rap industry and more. During the conversation he discussed the female MC landscape and made sure to give Bardi an abundance of flowers. “Salute to Cardi. Cardi shifted that in the culture,” he explained. “Because Cardi made it where you’re the OG, you’re the person that’s made all the money, you sold all the records, but you have no problem putting your arm around that next person.”
Related Stories
He went to call out that Cardi has a history of embracing new artists; especially females. “Cardi did for female rap what JAY-Z and Drake did. Like JAY-Z, whatever that next thing was out, JAY-Z was jumping on it. Whether it was Juvenile‘s ‘Huh.’ Whether it was Houston, whether it was Rick Ross…whoever it was, Jay was jumping on there,” Charlamagne added. “I think Cardi’s doing both. I think Cardi’s helping to make the artist big, and she’s helping to make the music big.”
Just this week Cardi B announced she has jumped on Fendida Rappa’s “Point Me 2” record. You can hear the song below.
[embedded content]
Photo: Bernard Smalls
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
Louis Vuitton unveiled its menswear spring/summer 2024 collection during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday (June 20), marking Pharrell Williams‘ first runway show as creative director of menswear. The star-studded event was attended by Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Zendaya, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and more. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Gary Gershoff / Getty / JAY-Z
JAY-Z is always playing chess when others are playing checkers. This latest story proves that.
Not many of you may know this, but there was a time when JAY-Z and 50 Cent actually were cool with each other, but that could have been a cold, calculative move on his part.
Spotted on HipHopDX, Chris Gotti, brother of Ashanti’s stalker, Irv Gotti, spoke about Jigga’s union with 50 Cent in an episode of Trappin Anonymous, the podcast hosted by Chris Stylezz, the guy who was fired from Hennypalooza after he was accused of coercive sexual misconduct by numerous women.
Chris Gotti claims that Roc Nation’s boss worked with 50 Cent to spite his brother after Murder Inc. decided to link with Nas, with whom we all know the Brooklyn MC at one point had a historical beef.
Here Is the Breakdown per HipHopDX:
“We call Jay and go to Baseline Studios and Irv say, ‘It’s good business. We gon’ make a lot of money.’ Jay looking at the n-gga like, ‘You my n-gga and you want to fuck with my enemy?’ And I’m looking at Irv like, ‘What, are you crazy? You crazy.’
“Irv is only thinking business. [Irv] said, ‘Y’all don’t really got no beef.’ Jay said, ‘You right.’ Irv turned to me and said, ‘I told you.’ I’m looking at Irv like, ‘He’s just saying that!’”
Irv Gotti quickly learned HOV was not playing when he stood next to 50 Cent during their 2003 Roc The Mic tour and starring in a Reebok commercial to promote their sneakers. At the time, the Queens rapper and his G-Unit imprint were at war with Ja Rule and Murder Inc. for years, pretty much leading to the label’s demise.
Gotti claims that JAY-Z even used one of his brother’s lines stating, “What did Jay do? He went on tour with 50 Cent, he did a sneaker with 50 Cent, they doing commercials with 50 Cent. Then [JAY-Z] came back to Irv and said, ‘It’s good business.”
Yup, that sounds like JAY-Z.
As for the Nas and Murder Inc. union, not much came of it. The “Ether” crafter did join Ja Rule and Ashanti on a song called “The Pledge Remix” and performed with them at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in NYC in 2002.
Do you think 50 Cent will take kindly to being a pawn if Chris Gotti’s story is true? Probably not.
—
Photo: Gary Gershoff / Getty
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…