Rumor places Jay-Z and Apple in record label deal
Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z may be on the verge of launching a new record label in concert with Apple Inc. where music releases would take place on the iPod maker's iTunes download service, according to rumors published this week by one blog site.
Citing a "high-up person attached to Jay," the Boy Genius Report claims the five-time Grammy award winning artist is "totally into" Apple's iTunes distribution model and "really wants this to happen."
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, is the former president and CEO of the widely successful Def Jam Records, having just recently stepped down from the label when his contract expired on December 31, 2007.
"I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have served as President of such a culturally-defining label as Def Jam over the last three years," the 38-year old rapper said in a statement published last month. "But now it’s time for me to take on new challenges."
Though earlier reports had suggested that Jay-Z would be making a transition to the urban division of Sony Records, the Boy Genius Report claims instead that it has "just about confirmed" he'll be teaming with Apple on an unprecedented digital label venture.
Apple last February settled a long-running legal dispute with The Beatles' record label, Apple Corps, which appears to have cleared the iTunes operator of any restrictions that would have prevented it from delving further into the music business.
Under the terms of that settlement, Apple received the rights to all trademarks relating to "Apple" and agreed to license those marks back Apple Corps for their continued use.
It should be noted, however, that rumors of a Jay-Z's partnership with Apple come less than two months after the rapper issued a statement sternly opposing the company's iTunes distribution model. In it, he explained that his new album, American Gangster, would not be made available on the Apple download service due to the Cupertino-based company's policy of allowing iTunes shoppers to purchase individual songs rather than restricting sales to full albums.
"As movies are not sold scene by scene, this collection will not be sold as individual singles," he said.
Citing a "high-up person attached to Jay," the Boy Genius Report claims the five-time Grammy award winning artist is "totally into" Apple's iTunes distribution model and "really wants this to happen."
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, is the former president and CEO of the widely successful Def Jam Records, having just recently stepped down from the label when his contract expired on December 31, 2007.
"I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have served as President of such a culturally-defining label as Def Jam over the last three years," the 38-year old rapper said in a statement published last month. "But now it’s time for me to take on new challenges."
Though earlier reports had suggested that Jay-Z would be making a transition to the urban division of Sony Records, the Boy Genius Report claims instead that it has "just about confirmed" he'll be teaming with Apple on an unprecedented digital label venture.
Apple last February settled a long-running legal dispute with The Beatles' record label, Apple Corps, which appears to have cleared the iTunes operator of any restrictions that would have prevented it from delving further into the music business.
Under the terms of that settlement, Apple received the rights to all trademarks relating to "Apple" and agreed to license those marks back Apple Corps for their continued use.
It should be noted, however, that rumors of a Jay-Z's partnership with Apple come less than two months after the rapper issued a statement sternly opposing the company's iTunes distribution model. In it, he explained that his new album, American Gangster, would not be made available on the Apple download service due to the Cupertino-based company's policy of allowing iTunes shoppers to purchase individual songs rather than restricting sales to full albums.
"As movies are not sold scene by scene, this collection will not be sold as individual singles," he said.
Comments
would this be DRM'd, I wonder? The story doesn't mention.
Oh wait I thought it might actually be an "artist" I gave a rip about hearing.. Never mind
Jay-Z not selling songs on itunes - Dang it.
Oh wait I thought it might actually be an "artist" I gave a rip about hearing.. Never mind
To me, the interesting thing in this story is not Jay-Z's music, but the idea of a new record label teamed with and possibly based on Apple and iTunes.
That would be something new and it would definately be interesting to see how that played out--regardless of whether you were interested in the music or not.
Of course, this would only anger the establishment even more, prompting more labels to threaten leaving iTunes. But I honestly don't see how the major labels can survive without iTunes in the long run. CDs are going away very soon. Unless someone finally comes along and gives Apple real competition (Amazon, maybe?), but even then the labels need some sort of legal digital distribution to survive. And that means giving up the fat profits of over-priced CDs and ending the senseless billion-dollar promotions of garbage music like Britney Spears.
It'll be interesting to see how this all pans out.
It can be done like someone said, if they give the artist a good chunk of change everyone wins (well except for the big fat labels).
Guess we will see.
I don't see an Apple label. I do see small labels, and even possibly individual artists, such as Radiohead, signing up for distribution on iTunes. A record label does far more than distribution. I can't see Apple wanting to get involved in any of that.
Agreed. The rationale for record companies as distributors is fast disappearing; the other stuff that they do is out-sourced and freelanced to a great extent and there is no reason that a small label couldn't tap that resource, as many already do. Its the 'strategic' middle management of the labels that will be vulnerable since they function solely to maintain the corporation rather than develop talent; and they spend an awful lot of money doing it.
None of this is rocket science; it's been on the cards since Day One of the iTunes store. What's interesting is how carefully Apple manage each stage of development depending on the prevailing business conditions. Quite masterful in my opinion.
Agreed. The rationale for record companies as distributors is fast disappearing; the other stuff that they do is out-sourced and freelanced to a great extent and there is no reason that a small label couldn't tap that resource, as many already do. Its the 'strategic' middle management of the labels that will be vulnerable since they function solely to maintain the corporation rather than develop talent; and they spend an awful lot of money doing it.
None of this is rocket science; it's been on the cards since Day One of the iTunes store. What's interesting is how carefully Apple manage each stage of development depending on the prevailing business conditions. Quite masterful in my opinion.
well said, sir
But if artists start selling their music only on iTunes then Apple best start also selling LOSSLESS files or all they'll be doing is degrading music even more. And they should be reasonably priced in LOSSLESS compared to the price of all the Printing, Pressing, Packaging and Shipping costs of CD's.
What would be the average size of a lossless song?
You're missing the point. It's not about what you care about. He's a pretty popular music personality. If he does a deal directly with Apple, and it succeeds, others would likely follow. It's even possible that there are some musicians who you do like who would consider this, if it's successful.
To me this seems the natural order of things. Apple can offer the artists more and direct compensation for their work, including payments for music video purchases which as often excluded, the label headed under Jay-Z can correlate with distributors regarding physical media sales, and Apple can have exclusive first rights to arists' works.
What would be the average size of a lossless song?
Assume between 800-1200kbps, with around 1000kbps being the average for me. When you look at 256kbps AAC, which I can't distinguish from "CD quality", then you see there is a huge difference in size with no real gain.
Assume between 800-1200kbps, with around 1000kbps being the average for me. When you look at 256kbps AAC, which I can't distinguish from "CD quality", then you see there is a huge difference in size with no real gain.
I can hear it quite readily on my system. Lossless would work fine, 256 does not.
To me, the interesting thing in this story is not Jay-Z's music, but the idea of a new record label teamed with and possibly based on Apple and iTunes.
That would be something new and it would definately be interesting to see how that played out--regardless of whether you were interested in the music or not.
Yoko Ono must be furious!
Yoko Ono must be furious!
Because...
(Help me out Teck, that one went over my head.
The Jigga man knows his sh!t everything he touches turns into g0ld.HOVA HOVA HOVA HOVA.
You young people...I just love your colorful sayings. Makes this old woman want to phup yo shiz!!
/