Jay-Z is outlining a set of “new rules” with his 12th solo album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, and more specifically with the rollout plan for the LP, which he kicked off with a prime-time TV announcement.
Fans are always impressed by Hov’s business moves, but his fellow MCs are, too, including Big Sean who told MTV News, “I think how Jay-Z announced his album is pretty bawsed up.”
Jay made his official album reveal during game 5 of the 2013 NBA Finals with a three-minute commercial sponsored by Samsung that included super-producers Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Pharrell and Rick Rubin. He later announced that Samsung had already purchased 1 million copies of the album ahead of its release, which those participating users would receive for free.
But even for artists who’ve been in the game for decades, Jay-Z’s power move is something to admire.
“That was one of the dopest moves ever,” Warren G said of the Roc Nation boss’ album promo plan. “That was huge. For Samsung to collaborate with Jay-Z on an album, that’s incredible. Nobody’s done it, so I think it’s brilliant.”
2 Chainz wasn’t afraid to admit that he’d like to take a page out of Hov’s book as well. “I’m a big fan of Jay-Z’s and straight up he showed us how to do it, man, so I can’t lie and say I’m not tryna following his footsteps,” Chainz said.
For a relatively new rapper like Trinidad James, it’s becoming clear that the sky’s the limit. “Of course, at the level of life where [he is] right now, those things that [he’s] doing is gonna work for so many reasons,” the Atlanta rapper told MTV News. “Either way, it’s gonna be good.”
Over the past week, Jay has continued to unlock lyrics and previews to new songs from the album via his Samsung app, the latest of which was On the emotional track, the new father opens up about the paranoia and worries of not being a great parent.
Swizz Beatz, who worked closely with Hov on the album, is confident that the LP won’t leave fans pining for the rapper’s old music. “When you hear somebody’s album, you always want to go back to the classics,” Swizz said in an interview with Vibe. “It’s always going to be that [but] for the first time in a long time I think somebody solved that problem and I think he did that with this album for sure.”
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