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Like any good businessman or, better yet, record-company president Jay-Z understands the laws of supply and demand. So with his latest album, American Gangster, on its way November 6, and the streets and Web abuzz over "Blue Magic" and "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is ...)," the first two tracks to surface from the LP, the savvy rapper decided to take it to the road to quench his thirsty fans.
On Monday (October 22), Def Jam announced Hovito's first dates in support of the LP. Jay has lined up five dates at intimate venues across the country, beginning with a show at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California, the date American Gangster hits shelves.
Immediately after the California stop, Jay will make a quick jaunt to the Midwest with a show in Chicago (November 7), also at the House of Blues. After that, he'll rally for an East Coast swing through Baltimore at Rams Head Live! (November 9); New York's Hammerstein Ballroom (November 11); and the Fillmore in Philadelphia (November 12).
Jay is currently putting the finishing touches on the album, which he has said he was inspired to make after watching the upcoming Denzel Washington flick of the same name. He told The New York Times last month that as he has been recording the album, it's as if "I was watching the film and putting it on pause and giving a back story to the story. Watching that film, it brought back all these memories. It took me back to those emotions."
For his project, he's logged studio time with a lot of producers: Diddy and the Hitmen, Pharrell, Just Blaze, DJ Toomp, Sean C. and LV, No ID and Jermaine Dupri. Nas was originally slated to be the only guest on American Gangster, but Beanie Sigel and Lil Wayne are also reportedly making contributions to it as well. Timbaland is among a number of producers still trying to elbow their way onto the project.
Jay-Z recently revealed to MTV News that he was planning a larger-scale tour during the summer, with a band backing him onstage.
"I look forward to touring with American Gangster, 'cause of the musicality," he said.
Nas on the AG:
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Nas wants to drop his first single for @#%$ two or three days after November 6, which is the day his greatest-hits LP and Jay-Z's American Gangster drop. Nas appears on Hov's set via the track "Success."
"The record with Jay, that's a crazy joint," he said. "Homeboy is laser-sharp with his sh--. And he's got a crazy album. I'm really proud of him. It made me proud. Yeah, I'm on the joint. I'm on there." ...
Credit: MTV.com
Rest of XXL AG interview:
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When you look at the last project, you had an incredible marketing promotion campaign behind it. I guess
I love when people talk about the marketing campaign of the last album. They talk about it as if I spent the money. Ive been watching this for a year, like, whats wrong with you? No ones figured this out? I didnt pay Budweiser. They paid me. They shot my video and put it on TV and paid me. They paid me to do that. I dont pay HP. They paid me. I didnt pay AT&T to run them clips. They paid me. Yeah, so when people go and talk about the marketing of the last album, I find it very funny. You think I put all that on TV? I paid for that? I didnt pay for none of that. Budweiser paid me. HP paid me. AT&T paid me. All the things that ran, they paid me. I received money. I didnt spend it. Def Jam was happy as @#%$. And then I didnt shoot no more videos. I shot two videos, and I shut it down. I was the president. I shut it down, big man.
Ha! Are you staying at Def Jam, big man? Are you staying or going? Whats up? Or is this album a convenient distraction for you not to make that decision yet?
Im giving myself some time. Itll be hot out there for a minute, soI dont know. I love what Im doing. I love the artists that Im developing. I love the whole thing about it. Once again, I have to really look at it for the next three years and say, Am I doing it for the right reasons? Cause all I want to do is make history at this point. They got to pay me for making history, of course. But thats my goal. I want to sit there with people really into making history. I mean everybody. I dont mean just artists. The internsif everybodys not committed to making history every time I go into that meeting, and if I cant look in their eyes and I dont see the fire, then I gotta move on. Cause, you know, I dont have time. I dont have the luxury of time to just blow off three years. I do, but I dont. But Im not looking to have a job. Thats not hot! If there was a place or a new situation where it was exciting and, you know, it was about making history and doing something so epic, then Id do that. Im not just gonna go to Columbia and just sit down and collect a check.
Speaking of big checks, word on the street is Jim Jones just inked himself a nice situation at Sony. Would that have any effect of deterring you from going over there?
First of all, I dont look at none of that @#%$ as real. If its a real thing, then its a real thing. Then its nothing to talk about in the magazine. Theres nothing to talk about on radio. Go get your crew, go sit on some mattresses, and we gotta finish this thing until its over. Cause Im not walking around the street, chilling, and eating at Ciprianis outside if we got a problem. Im not doing that. Thats stupid. Im just going to wait for you to catch me off balance? Like, they aint no problem to me. And as far as business, I never been like that. Juelz Santana is on Def Jam. I try to do anything to try to make the guy comfortable. My name is on every single paper in that building. Thats how we work Its all good with me. I dont give a @#%$. What I care? I hope he gets a ton of money. Then the next lil guy is going to take shots at him. I love that. I hope he makes a ton of money.
Speaking of taking shots, theres a certain veteran Def Jam artist who continues to blame you for his recent sales problems. Are you surprised at what LLs been saying?
Yeah, Im definitely surprised. Cause, you know, like, I got a lot respect for him. Hes a legend in the game, and you cant market LL. Youre LL. Thats it. Nobody really wants to look at themselves. Hes had a long, long career. Sometimes it works, sometimes it dont work. Sometimes the stars line up and magic is in the right place. Sometimes it aint. Who can I blame about my last album going two million? L.A., you piece of @#%$! [Laughs] Thats just how it goes. You can market to death. The people ultimately decide. And the people are not saying that was a great album they missed. Are the people saying that? Lets be honest with each other. Are the people saying, Thats a great album we missed? No one is saying that.
How is your relationship with L.A.? People are fascinated about that, too. Like, when he hired Jermaine Dupri, did that mean he was trying to protect himself in case Jay leaves?
We absolutely tried to get Jermaine when I first got there. I was like: Jermaine, we can do co-presidentI dont have no ego with that. Whatever you want to do. I dont know what led to his decision to go to Virgin, but me and L.A. absolutely sat in the office with Jermaine trying to convince him to come over from day one, when I first got there. I think the more talented people you have there, the better. And for protection, its a great thing. Its a smart move as well. I dont see anything wrong with that.
Some of your old hustler buddies have been poppin up lately, saying you did them wrong. Especially a guy named DeHaven. You address him on American Gangster, on the song No Hook.
Right, I pulled up some things.
Did you feel like you needed to address that, or was it naturally something that just came out of you?
Yeah, its just me. Like, when Im recording, the things that come out, I dont deny them. I just let it happen, and let the chips fall where they may. I dont ever feel the need to do anything I dont want to do for the sake of, Hov better say something or Hov better-Im not under that pressure, because I know who I am so much. Thats it. It was quick, too. End of the story. I followed the code, I cracked the safe/Other @#%$ aint in the game, so they practice hate. You aint in the game, so you practice hate.
Is that also directed toward Calvin Klein, who also spoke ill of you?
Nah. I know Calvin through a friend of a friend. Like, it wasnt like we wasthat was it. So we really have nothing to talk about. It was shocking, I guess, but that was about it.
You usually try to keep your personal life private. But you put a whole verse about Beyonc on Party Life. Do you feel like thats going to satisfy the gossip hounds?
I didnt say that verse was about her. But it sounds hot. [Laughs] The only reason I dont deal with that aspect of my life is because I think people are only interested in it three times: when you get together, when you break up, and when you have a baby. Other than that, people dont give a @#%$. They dont have good intentions. People just want to manipulate the situation to benefit them. I think relationships are broken up because of the media. Thats a difficult thing when you live it out through the media. Theyll take somethingyou know, like, you sign Rihannaand then everybody is like, Cause shes a girl artist, put them together. He slept with her! Its a great story! Lets run with it. But you dont realize theres people involved there. Like, you know, how about if it aint true?! Right? So you got to be private with your @#%$. And you got to be strong in your relationship to know each other.
But it seems like you guys have overcome all that by now, right?
Overcome what?
The scrutiny and being together and like
Oh yeah, thats cause we dont deal with it. If we woulda dealt with it, like, on magazine covers together and @#%$ like that
[Laughs] I wouldnt try to get that one.
[Laughs] Im not saying you, man. But you may be the only one! But everybody else
Unless B starts rapping, I cant really justify
Yeah, exactly.
She gotta put a 16 together.
[Laughs] Thats going too far, man! She got to do at least one verse! But the more you get into it, then the more it comes back on you.
Alright, well switch gears. Whatd you make of the whole Dipset drama this year between Jim and Cam?
I said it in one of those records on the R. Kelly album: You know your friends when they dont need you no more. Yall see if yall really like each other. When people dont need you, you never know. Cause if they need you, theyre going to be quiet about the situation. [Whispers] I hate this @#%$! This @#%$ wear pink one more time Its like, okay, now lets see if you can deal with success. Thats just how life is.
I think because you obviously repaired your relationship with Nas, people wonder if youd do the same in this case.
The marketing plan they came up with was: This guy did this to Dame. They didnt have no problem with me. I aint do nothing but great things for them. Everything that they do is based on us. Their work ethic is based on watching us being in there. Cams biggest album was based on us. We put those records on there. Those are Just Blaze records. I aint never do nothing to them. Nothing bad. Great things. Made them money. Everybody made money with me. Thats the thing. Look back at my history. Everybody made money with me. Im Hyman Roth in The Godfather. I made all my partners rich! Its true. Every single person.
Credit: XXLMag.com
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I hate this @#%$! This @#%$ wear pink one more time
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"The record with Jay, that's a crazy joint," he said. "Homeboy is laser-sharp with his sh--. And he's got a crazy album. I'm really proud of him. It made me proud. Yeah, I'm on the joint. I'm on thereMy child, I've watched you grow up to be famous
And now I smile like a proud dad, watchin his only son that made it
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"Its painful how sexy I look in this."
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When you look at the last project, you had an incredible marketing promotion campaign behind it. I guess
I love when people talk about the marketing campaign of the last album. They talk about it as if I spent the money. Ive been watching this for a year, like, whats wrong with you? No ones figured this out? I didnt pay Budweiser. They paid me. They shot my video and put it on TV and paid me. They paid me to do that. I dont pay HP. They paid me. I didnt pay AT&T to run them clips. They paid me. Yeah, so when people go and talk about the marketing of the last album, I find it very funny. You think I put all that on TV? I paid for that? I didnt pay for none of that. Budweiser paid me. HP paid me. AT&T paid me. All the things that ran, they paid me. I received money. I didnt spend it. Def Jam was happy as . And then I didnt shoot no more videos. I shot two videos, and I shut it down. I was the president. I shut it down, big man.
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No ones figured this out? I didnt pay Budweiser. They paid me. They shot my video and put it on TV and paid me. They paid me to do that. I dont pay HP. They paid me. I didnt pay AT&T to run them clips. They paid me. Yeah, so when people go and talk about the marketing of the last album, I find it very funny. You think I put all that on TV? I paid for that? I didnt pay for none of that. Budweiser paid me. HP paid me. AT&T paid me. All the things that ran, they paid me. I received money. I didnt spend it.
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First of all, I dont look at none of that as real. If its a real thing, then its a real thing. Then its nothing to talk about in the magazine. Theres nothing to talk about on radio. Go get your crew, go sit on some mattresses, and we gotta finish this thing until its over. Cause Im not walking around the street, chilling, and eating at Ciprianis outside if we got a problem. Im not doing that. Thats stupid. Im just going to wait for you to catch me off balance? Like, they aint no problem to me. And as far as business, I never been like that. Juelz Santana is on Def Jam. I try to do anything to try to make the guy comfortable. My name is on every single paper in that building. Thats how we work Its all good with me. I dont give a . What I care? I hope he gets a ton of money. Then the next lil guy is going to take shots at him. I love that. I hope he makes a ton of money.
