Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
In 2003, Jay-Z "retired" from hip hop because he felt he had done all he could as a rapper. Jay-Z moved on to become the head of Def Jam. Many assumed he had the highest possible position in rap music. When he gave this up in 2007 to return to rap, many questioned his motives.
In 2006, Jay-Z "saved" hip hop with his Kingdom Come album, which was critically panned. A year later, Hov corrected his fumble with American Gangster. Following the release of the album, he stepped down as CEO of Def Jam, later leaving the label entirely.
Early in the spring of 2008, Jay-Z partnered with Live Nation to create Roc Nation. In the process of doing this, he left the label he created, Roc-A-Fella Records. Fast forward two years and Jay-Z has a major company filled with talent. Not only is Roc Nation a record label, but it is also a management company, responsible for some of the most popular artists in the game.
There have been rumors of a new Jay-Z album since last year. When he was on top of the rap game, Jay-Z released a new album each year. Despite becoming the most popular rapper in the game, releasing an abundance of albums, Jay-Z did not want to be a rapper. He was a man who intended to become a force in the corporate world. Jay-Z went from being a rapper with his own record label to becoming one of 2011's big time record executives.
The Roc Nation company manages some of the top artists and producers in the game. Outside of music, the company recently branched out into doing film ventures. At any time, Jay-Z could record a new album and it go platinum and receive positive reviews, but will he choose to? Now over forty years old, Jay-Z is more impressed with investing in businesses than playing with rappers who have "baby money." There has been talk of a new Jay-Z album and he is doing Watch the Throne with Kanye West, but has no solo plans.
Jay-Z now has a big chair in his own office, not Def Jam's. He holds more clout now than he ever did in the past. Jay-Z promotes and manages some of the top rappers in the game. Is he going to step out of the office and back into the game one more time, or will he have the last laugh and count his profits from their small rhymes and cheap shots?