Jay-z
Page: 8
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
The build up to Donda was a sight to be seen. A leak of documentary behind the album shows Kanye West threatening to shelve a Jay-Z verse.
As spotted on HipHopDX now the world will get a better idea of his very unique creative process. Earlier this week footage from a film documenting how his tenth album came to be leaked online. While we only got a little over five minutes worth clips the footage did not disappoint. The “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” rapper is seen in a makeshift recording booth in a room inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Here we see Yeezy reflect on his late mother who the project was named after. Additionally, we see him engage with some of his peers including Playboi Carti, Fivio Foreign, Rick Rubin, Mike Dean, Pusha T, and more. But the most noteworthy moment was footage of him handling business on the phone. Kanye is seen taking a phone call regarding the final features for Donda and makes it clear that if said talent isn’t in attendance for the listening party at Mercedez-Benz Stadium their verse would be removed.
“Everybody that’s not here, I’m taking their verses off,” he explained. “I’m taking JAY-Z verse, I’m taking — if there’s anybody not here on the porch with me, they’re not on this version.” Soon after he hangs up the cellular phone he had what seemed to be a moment of clarity while looking straight the camera. “How do you even describe these kind of conversations, bro?” he said. The JAY-Z feature in question actually did make it to the album on “Jail”.
You can see the leaked footage of Kanye West below.
[embedded content]
Photo:
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: David Dee Delgado / Getty
Jay-Z’s lawyers are undoubtedly worth the investment. The Brooklyn rapper and mogul just received a cool $7.2 million to finally close the door on a Parlux Fragrances lawsuit, which he won back in early 2016.
In 2016, the “Politics As Usual” rapper was sued by Parlux for $20 million, which claimed that he failed to endorse the cologne. The company asserted Hova didn’t do enough to push his Gold Jay-Z fragrance, which launched in 2013.
But in 2021, after six years of litigation and a trial that lasted several weeks and even saw Jay-Z take the stand, a jury cleared the Brooklyn rapper and said that he did not breach his contract and most importantly not liable for the $67.6 million in damages that Parlux was seeking. At the time, he was denied the $6 million in unpaid royalties he was seeking in a countersuit. However, in early 2022, an appellate court determined that Parlux did owe Jay-Z $4.5 million in royalties. Then about six months later, on August 25, 2022, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Andrew Borrok ruled that the perfume company owed Jay-Z $6.78 million.
And now, TMZ Hip Hop reported that Parlux finally sent Jay-Z a check for $7,259,061.31 to Jay-Z’s team on Wednesday, June 7. The company filed an appeal for the original $6.8 million judgment, but it took yet another L in court last week. Thus they had to finally pay up, with interest.
Jigga wins, again.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Beyoncé and Jay-Z continue to prove they are breathing rare air. They have just purchased California’s biggest property and left without a balance.
As per TMZ Hip-Hop’s most powerful couple have leveled up once again. According to the celebrity news outlet they have just bought a mansion in Malibu for $200 million dollars in cash. As expected the property is massive clocking in at just about 30,000 square feet. The location was previously owned by famed art collector William Bell. The Los Angeles Times says Bell originally purchased it back in 2003 for $14.5 million. This estate was designed by high profile architect Tadao Ando who also curated Kanye West’s almost $58 million house post his divorce to Kim Kardashian.
While the “Crazy In Love” duo did cash out Page Six reports that they actually got the property at a deal as it was originally listed at $295 million dollars. Even though the final price is a staggering amount for your average hard working citizen this further cements the fact that the Carters do indeed got it like that. Forbes Magazine estimates Jay-Z’s worth at 2.5 billion and Beyoncé at $450 million dollars.
You can see their Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s Malibu mansion below.
[embedded content]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Clarence Williams / Getty
Well, Jay-Z did say “Not guilty, y’all got to feel me,” on his smash hit “Izzo.” Two decades after the fact, Lance “Un” Rivera is confirming that Jay-Z is indeed innocent of assaulting him.
More than twenty years after Jay-Z was arrested, booked, and pleaded out to stabbing Lance “Un” Rivera at the Kit Kat Club, Rivera reveals that Jay didn’t actually stab him and that Hova is actually a “nice guy.” In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Rivera finally shed some light on the infamous incident and recalled how everything unfolded that night at Q-Tip’s album listening party.
After DJ Vlad broke down the celebrities that were in attendance at the party, Rivera confirmed the names that Vlad threw out there and recalled “I showed up to support [Q-Tip]. Jay, a bunch of us is in there. I ended up getting surrounded by a bunch of people. It was probably 10 knives that I knew of, and I ended up getting stabbed at the Kit Kat Club.”
After Vlad bluntly asked “Was Jay-Z the one that actually stabbed you,” Lance paused for a second before saying “No, Jay-Z was not the guy that actually stabbed me that night,” but did say that “Me and Jay-Z had a conversation while – right before I got hit in the head with a champagne bottle.” After getting hit with the bottle, Lance was stabbed in the back near his shoulder.
The incident was said to be caused by a rumor that Lance “Un” Rivera was the man who leaked Jay-Z’s highly anticipated album, Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter a month before it was scheduled to drop. With everyone in Jay’s ear that Rivera was the guilty party, Jay allegedly approached Rivera at the club about the situation before he was ultimately assaulted and stabbed up. After a lengthy two-year court battle over the situation, Jay-Z finally pleaded guilty and ended up getting three years probation for the 2001 attack.
Now that it’s all behind them, Rivera says “I don’t know where people got Jay-Z stabbed me from because if anybody knows Jay-Z, Jay-Z’s a nice guy. He’s an artist, he’s a poet, he’s gifted and it’s never been his history.”
Well, that’s good enough for us. We ain’t questioning Jay-Z’s innocence anymore. Why Lance “Un” Rivera would decide to break his silence on the situation now is anyone’s guess, but if he says Jay ain’t do it, we’ll just have to take his word for it.
What do y’all think of Lance’s revelation about the stabbing incident? Let us know in the comment section below.
[embedded content]
Beyoncé and Jay-Z continue to prove that they’re Hollywood’s most iconic couple. The duo recently purchased a more than 30,000-square-foot home in the Paradise Cove area of Malibu, Calif., and they paid $200 million for the property, according to TMZ. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news With that […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Jay-Z and Roc Nation have their sights set on gambling operations. They are currently trying to garner support from New York City residents so they can bring a casino to Times Square.
As spotted on Blavity the music mogul and his entertainment firm recently spent a nice chunk of change to promote their newest business interests. This week they booked advertisements throughout several high profile New York City periodicals including The New York Post, The New York Daily News, and The Amsterdam News to gain local support to bring a Ceasar’s Palace to The Big Apple. The open letter makes it clear that they sincerely believe the project will ultimately deliver immense value to “The City That Never Sleeps”.
“Caesars Palace Times Square will benefit all of New York—the hotel and restaurant workers in the area, retailers and surrounding neighborhoods,” the statement reads. “Our bid commits $115 million for diverse theater programs that include daycare for Broadway workers and their families.” They also call out that the town is in good hands with Roc Nation and Jay-Z. “The winning licensee must always put the well-being of New Yorkers at the top of their agenda and do right by its residents,” the letter continues. “This is too important of a moment in our city’s illustrious history. Times Square, the epicenter of entertainment with a palpable energy, is unmatched. Roc Nation and our partners are here to ensure Times Square remains connected to all facets of culture. There’s no better location for a Caesars Palace entertainment destination than the Crossroads of the World.”
They also claim the casino will provide a better way of life as it “gives back to all surrounding businesses, benefits mass transit, invests money into sanitation and security, … develops and delivers a much-needed transportation plan, protects the interests of the actors, producers, theatre staff, writers, and patrons that represent the true heart and soul of Broadway, [and] provides opportunity for all.”
You can read the open letter below.
Photo:
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
While LL Cool J’s Rap legacy is undisputable he doesn’t get enough credit for his sense of humor. He recently discussed not getting an invite to the Roc Nation Brunch and it is pure comedy.
As spotted on Complex the Hollis, Queens native paid a visit to Big Boys Neighborhood to discuss the launch of his F.O.R.C.E. Live tour. During the near hour conversation he discussed a variety of topics including his Rock The Bells brand, his beef with Ice-T and more. To close out their sit down Big Boy asked Cool James to play ‘For Real For Real For False For False’, a game where he confirms or denies a story.
Related Stories
Here he was asked if it is true he once laughed at Jay-Z trying rap back in high school. “I love everybody. I don’t have no problems with none of these guys, man. If I laughed, okay, so what” he said. “Laugh at me. How many people have you laughed at or snapped on in the lunch room? Come on, B. Give your man a pass on that nonsense, man. This is ridiculous. I don’t even remember it.” He then went to take hilarity even further when he added “I laughed at you so now I can’t have no brunch? I can’t have no finger food?”
Jokes aside LL Cool J also revealed that his former hype man E-Love is the silhouette in the iconic Public Enemy logo. You can see the “Hey Lover” discuss the Jay-Z interaction starting at the 43 minute mark below.
[embedded content]
Photo: Rock The Bells
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Over the weekend the gawd MC Jay-Z rocked an exclusive show at the Louis Vuitton Fondation’s Auditorium for the foundation’s Basquiat x Warhol retrospective in Paris and while he was out there reworked one of his classic hits to incorporate the work of Jazz poet, Gil Scott-Heron into his cut.
Combining Gil Scott-Heron’s “New York Is Killing Me” with his classic Alicia Key’s assisted “New York State Of Mind,” Jay-Z released the new remixed track dubbed “New York (Concept de Paris)” which gives the multi-platinum rap song an artsy vibe with the hand-clapping and jazzy horns integrated into the song.
While Jay introduced the song during his performance at the show in Paris, he also churned out some renditions of other classic hits such as “Can’t Knock The Hustle,” “Never Change,” and of course, “Ni**as In Paris” sans Kanye West. Y’all know Hov wasn’t going to do a show in Paris and NOT perform “Ni**as In Paris.”
Whether or not fans prefer the “New York (Concept de Paris)” to “New York State of Mind” remains to be seen, but at this point it’s not about the hits for Jay-Z, it’s about the art, and we ain’t mad at that one bit.
Check out “New York (Concept de Paris)” below and let us know if you like what you hear in the comments section below.
[embedded content]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz
Jay-Z is holding a very rare one-off concert. The Brooklyn rapper and mogul will be performing at a Basquiat x Andy Warhol exhibit in Paris.
On Wednesday, April 12, Roc Nation announced that Jay-Z will be holding a tribute concert for the Louis Vuitton Foundation on Friday (April 14) at 9pm. Tiffany & Co. is also a sponsor of the event, so you know the bag the “N*gga In Paris” rapper secured is serious. The man born Shawn Carter has a well-documented affinity for Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat and that connection is the basis for the performance.
The concert will be going down at the Auditorium of the Fondation in Paris. Jigga’s show serves the purpose of bringing more attention to Louis Vuiton’s “Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands” exhibit which features hundreds of the renowned artists’ collaborations. Between 1984 and 1985 they created around 160 paintings together.
Find out more information about the exhibit—which opened April 5 and runs through August—and show right here. Recently, Jay-Z was notably the only rapper to make the cut for Forbes’ 2023 Worlds Billionaires list.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bernard Beanz Smalls / Bernard Beanz Smalls,
Jim Jones is never short on opinions. In a new interview he claims that Drake should be considered the GOAT.
As spotted on Complex the Harlem, New York native recent chat with Rap Caviar podcast he discussed his new album with Hit Make Back In My Prime. While promoting his newest effort he also discussed a bevy of other topics including who he thinks is the greatest of all time. When Kev assumed his GOAT pick was Jay-Z CAPO was quick to correct him. “I can’t agree on that. … [Jay is] at the top of the barrel when it comes to what he’s done” he explained. “He’s a billionaire, he has done some sh*t for dope boys that people never even thought could be. He’s put himself in rooms that you couldn’t imagine.”
The Diplomats member when on to justify why he feels Drake is more impactful. “I haven’t heard too much Jay-Z music in the last six to seven years that was really hitting out here in these streets on the lit side of things,” he stated. “In the past 12 years everything that Drake has put out has hit like 2Pac was hitting. No matter if you like it. No matter if n****s don’t like it cause he’s light-skinned, no matter if n****s don’t like it cause he’s singing… No matter what n****s like, he always seems to be in these n****s’ playlists.”
You can see Jim Jones discuss Drake, Jay-Z and more below.
Photo: Bernard Beanz Smalls