Jay-Z

Jay-Z46 posts
4 Aug, 2015

VF interview: Healing Kanye rift

Kanye WestTaylor SwiftInterview

Swift talks to Vanity Fair about how Jay-Z helped her heal the relationship with West.

I feel like I wasn’t ready to be friends with [West] until I felt like he had some sort of respect for me, and he wasn’t ready to be friends with me until he had some sort of respect for me—so it was the same issue, and we both reached the same place at the same time,” Swift says. “I became friends with Jay Z, and I think it was important, for Jay Z, for Kanye and I to get along. . . . And then Kanye and I both reached a place where he would say really nice things about my music and what I’ve accomplished, and I could ask him how his kid’s doing.

26 Apr, 2015

Defends Tidal

TidalMakes Statement

Jay-Z defends Tidal in a series of Tweets.

Tidal is doing just fine. We have over 770,000 subs. We have been in business less than one month…The iTunes Store wasn’t built in a day. It took Spotify 9 years to be successful…We are here for the long haul. Please give us a chance to grow & get better…There are many big companies that are spending millions on a smear campaign. We are not anti-anyone, we are pro-artist & fan…We made Tidal for fans. We have more than just music. We have video, exclusive concerts, tickets for events early, live sports!..Tidal is where artists can give their fans more without the middlemen…Indie artists who want to work directly w/ us keep 100% of their music. “If you don’t want the CEOs all in the videos” haa

6 Apr, 2015

NYU Q&A

TidalInterview

The rapper, along with Tidal exec Vania Schlogel, holds a Q&A session with students at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. He talks about how Tidal gives a higher royalty to its artists.

You don’t want to single anyone out, per se — but currently we pay the highest royalty percentage. And there is no free tier service. If you have five people paying for music, and 10 people consuming it, then the artist starts at -5. We start at 1. There is no free tier and we’ll pay the highest royalty percentage. That’s how we’ll change the industry…You guys may have seen some of the stats like, Aloe Blacc had a song that was streamed 168 million times and he got paid $4,000. For us, it’s not us standing here saying we’re poor musicians. If you provide a service, you should be compensated for it.

On the discussion about ‘rich artists’ benefiting:

You never hear Tim Cook’s net worth whenever he tries to sell you something. Steve Jobs, God bless, he had to have been pretty rich — nobody’s ever said, ‘Oh, the rich getting richer! I won’t buy an iPhone!’ Yeah, right. It’s not about being pretentious; again, this is a thing for all artists. You pay $9.99 for Spotify, so why not $9.99 for Tidal? We’re not asking for anything else, we’re just saying that we’ll spread that money to artists more fairly. We’re not saying anything other than that, and we’re saying that we’re in a position to bring light to this issue. We’re using our power that way.

30 Mar, 2015

Launch Tidal

Alicia KeysBeyonceBeyonce KnowlesCalvin HarrisChris MartinDaft PunkDeadmau5J. ColeJack WrightJason AldeanMadonnaRegine ChassagneRihannaTidalUsherWin ButlerProduct Release

Jay-Z launches his streaming music service TIDAL at an industry event, #TIDALforall at Skylight in Moynihan Station in New York City. He announces his partnership with 16 other artists, including Beyonce, Madonna, Usher, Rihanna, Butler and Chassagne of Arcade Fire, Jason Aldean, J. Cole, Jack Wright, Chris Martin, Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Nikki Minaj, Coldplay and Calvin Harris, who formally sign a declaration of partnership. Tidal is the first service to offer ad-free music, video and editorial content owned by the stars who actually create it. The high quality sound service is available across iOS and Android devices, as well as in Web browsers and desktop players, in the U.S. and 30 other countries. Tidal Premium is $9.99, and Tidal Hifi is $19.99. Alicia Keys:

We come to you with one voice in unity. The first ever artist owned global music and entertainment platform!

13 Mar, 2015

Aspiro acquisition complete

Andy ChenAspiroTidalAcquisition

Jay-Z wins control of Aspiro after more than 90% of shareholders accepted the star’s $54m offer. A spokesman for Project Panther Bidco, says all the conditions for completing the acquisition have now been met. The offer is  declared unconditional on Friday and Aspiro will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange.

Aspiro had 500,000 paying users for its streaming services at the end of 2014, which includes 35,000 subscribers for its “lossless” HiFi-quality music service that is available in the UK under the Tidal brand, a service that costs £19.99 a month – double the price of Spotify in the UK. The company had posted a net loss of $5m for the last three months of 2014, and admitted that it could run out of money at some point this year. The company plans to launch Tidal in 22 countries, mostly in Europe, by the end of March.

30 Jan, 2015

Aspiro Acquisition Bid

Andy ChenAspiroTidalAcquisition

Jay Z, though his company, Project Panther, will buy Aspiro, a Swedish music streaming service WiMP for 464 million Swedish crowns ($56 million) in cash. Shares in Aspiro leap 59 percent in early trading, to the bid level of 1.05 crowns per share. Norwegian media house Schibsted, Aspiro’s main shareholder, says it had accepted the offer, while Aspiro’s board said it is united in recommending the bid, virtually ensuring its success. Project Panther:

Panther believes that the recent developments in the entertainment industry, with the migration to music and media streaming, offers great potential for increased entertainment consumption and an opportunity for artists to further promote their music. Panther’s strategic ambition revolves around global expansion and up-scaling of Aspiro’s platform, technology and services.

24 Aug, 2014

VMA performance

Beyonce KnowlesBlue Ivy CarterMusic PerformanceTV Appearance

Knowles closes the awards show with a twenty minute performance. With tears streaming down her face, her husband, Jay-Z, and daughter join her on stage. As she accepts the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award, which is VMA’s version of  life time achievement award, she kisses her daughter and her husband, who calls her the greatest living entertainer.

I have nothing to say, but I am filled with so much gratitude.

7 Jul, 2014

Lucky interview

Solange KnowlesInterview

Lucky coverIn an interview in Lucky magazine, Knowles says she’s ready to move on following her fight with Jay-Z.

What’s important is that my family and I are all good. What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that.

 

 

6 Jun, 2014

Add tour dates

Beyonce Knowles

on-the-run-tourBeyonce and Jay-Z add a second show at the Met Life stadium, on their On The Run Tour. $1 dollar from each ticket sale will go to the Shawn Carter foundation, which helps provide scholarships to students in need, and Beyonce’s BeyGOOD movement.

 

 

15 May, 2014

Solange statement

Beyonce KnowlesSolange KnowlesMakes Statement

Beyonce and Jay-Z release a statement about the elevator attack.

As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family. The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false. At the end of the day families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.

5 May, 2014

Solange attacks Jay-Z

Beyonce KnowlesSolange KnowlesFight

On route to the Met Ball Gala after-party, Jay-Z is physically attacked by his sister-in-law, Solange Knowles. Security camera footage shows Beyonce, Jay-Z and Solange entering the elevator with with a team of bodyguards. As soon as the elevator closes, Solange kicks and punches Jay-Z, who blocks the attack. She continues to shout insults and tries to hit him two more times. Beyonce stands against the wall with her hands clasped together.

12 Feb, 2012

Wins Grammy

Kanye WestGrammy

Jay-Z and West win Grammys for Best Rap Performance for Otis. Both Jay-Z and West were not present to accept the award.

13 Feb, 2011

Wins Grammy

Swizz BeatzGrammy

Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz wins Grammy for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for On To The Next One.

Oh man, I got a lot of Grammys already. But this particular Grammywas super special because it was my first Grammy as an artist.

Swizz Beatz Speaks On Reebok Deal, Grammy Win & New Album

9 Jan, 2011

Masterclass

Oprah WinfreyInterviewTV Appearance

Jay-Z  discusses his life, the music business and lessons about both that he has learned along the way. He focuses on the difference between amazing vs. excellence. Also how to be comfortable with yourself.

Belief in oneself and knowing who you are, I mean, that’s the foundation for everything great

Jay-Z Master Class pt. 1 Excellence

27 Sep, 2010

Monster video

Nicki MinajRick Ross

West releases Monster featuring Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and Jay-Z from his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, directed by Jake Nava. The video features Minaj holding her self captive and torturing herself. Ross:

It was a moment in history. I knew then she’s one of the greatest. I was actually in the studio with Kanye in Hawaii when he played the concept for me. I was blown away. I had the opportunity to sit in the studio while Nicki wrote her verse just off the record. That was when she earned my respect as a lyricist. She was a dope entertainer up until that day that I sat in the studio and watched her come up with what I feel is one of the dopest verses of the year.

31 Jan, 2010

Wins Grammy

Grammy

Jay-Z wins Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance for D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune).

1 Oct, 2009

O Magazine interview

O MagazineInterview

Jay-Z gives his thoughts about why his first album, Reasonable Doubt played a pivotal part in boosting his hip-hop career:

Yes—and that first album, Reasonable Doubt, is my favorite, because all the emotions and experiences of 26 years came out in it. That was the record I had 26 years to make.

O Magazine interview

Oprah WinfreyInterview

Jay-Z gives an interview to Oprah for O Magazine about being abandoned by his father when he was 11.

[I felt] Anger. At the whole situation. Because when you’re growing up, your dad is your superhero. Once you’ve let yourself fall that in love with someone, once you put him on such a high pedestal and he lets you down, you never want to experience that pain again. So I remember just being really quiet and really cold. Never wanting to let myself get close to someone like that again. I carried that feeling throughout my life, until my father and I met up before he died.

10 Nov, 2008

Lost+

Chris MartinColdplaySingle Release

The band releases Lost+, featuring Jay-Z, from their album, Viva La Vida. Martin:

The line in this song ‘Just because I’m losing, doesn’t mean I’m lost‘ is what the whole record came out of, because we were feeling down at the end of the last tour. That line arrived and it was, ‘OK, that’s how we kinda feel. We know we can improve’.

Coldplay - Lost+ ft. Jay-Z

10 Feb, 2008

Wins Grammy

RihannaGrammy

Rihanna and Jay-Z win the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Umbrella.  This is Rihanna’s first Grammy win.

You don’t even understand. It is so exciting for me just to be nominated.

Rihanna - Backstage at the Grammys 2008

8 Feb, 2004

Wins Grammy

BeyonceGrammy

Beyonce and Jay-Z win Grammy for Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Crazy In Love

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