Damn. Last night in NYC, Jay-Z announced that Jay Electronica is a newest member of the Roc Nation team.
Jay Electronica goes over to Roc Nation? In the past month or so, I heard the rumors of the deal, but then again, a few people have stated they were signed to Hov’s label only to find out later it wasn’t true.
So what does all this mean? Will we finally see more material for Electronica? Is Diddy a little tight because he didn’t sign him? What’s Jay-Z expectations of Jay Electronica in terms of success? Update: Diddy may in fact be a little hurt because he didn’t signed Jay Elec. Hey, at least Badu consoled him.
Say what you will about Jay-Z, but on the Hip-Hop side of things, he has already signed two very talented MC’s with J. Cole and now Jay E. (I’m not even mentioning Will & Jada’s kid). When we all were suggesting for Hova to sign this person or that person to Roc Nation, maybe he had a plan all along? It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Either way, seeing that Jay Electronica is one of my favorite MC’s, I’m happy to see that after a long road, he has finally got to this point in his career.
More info from Miss Info as well as video of Jay Elect performing a new song “Shiny Suit Theory”.
Tonight, Jay E.’s friends, family, fans and critics are packed into The Box, to announce that he’s officially part of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation roster.
Earlier I spoke to Jay E. about the big news, and his plans. He said that the actual contract was signed on Saturday, after a few weeks of intense daily communication and creative courtship. How did it start? With a chance meeting at the Spotted Pig. How did Electronica know Hov was serious? His second replay email came attached with a verse. That ended up becoming the Jay Electronica and Jay-Z collaboration “Shiny Suit Theory” (featuring French chanteuse Charlotte Gainsbourg and The Dream).
There’s irony in the fact Jay-Z appears on a Jay Elec song that’s based on Diddy’s description of Jay Elec. Because Diddy has been mentoring and courting Jay for over a year, in the hopes of signing him as well. Electronica insists he values everything Puff contributed and hopes to have him involved in his career, but said “Jay-Z made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. And I have the freedom I need too.”
The natural of the underground, the anti-establishment, the independent artist is rapidly changing…so I’m anxious to see what happens when Jay the conglomerate and Jay the mystic mix commerce and art.