Megastar rapper/entrepreneur Jay-Z’s Magna Carta…Holy Grail, the highly anticipated follow-up to his 2009 album The Blueprint 3, is set to drop on this monththrough Roc-A-Fella and Roc Nation. This marks Jay-Z’s first release since his 2011 collaboration with Kanye West, Watch The Throne, which still holds a place on Billboard’s Top R&B and Hip-Hop chart after 78 weeks.
First announced in September of 2010, the album has had hip-hop lovers on the edges of their seats with a promotional teaserfrom Samsung featuring producers Rick Rubin, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and Swizz Beats. The latter three have been confirmed as collaborating producers on the album, whileFrank Ocean and Justin Timberlake will be lending their vocals to tracks “Oceans” and “Holy Grail” respectively. The teaser was aired during Game 5 of the 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. Magna Carta Holy Grail will be presented as a free download on the day of release for the first one million users of Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy Note II, through their Magna Carta app. The album’s tastefully minimalistic cover art was unveiled earlier this week.
Jay-Z, ranked by MTV as “The Greatest MC of All-Time”, holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist, with a whopping12 albums topping the Billboard 200.Over the course of his distinguished career, which spans two decades, he has amassed over 50 million in record sales and received 17 Grammy Awards. His remarkable portfolio, in addition to his 2008 marriage to pop andR&B queen Beyonce, cements his position as one of the most iconic and sought-afterfigures in the industry.
On top of working on the new album, the extremely prolific showman has lent his entrepreneurial talents to a variety of projects. Previously the CEO of Def Jam Recordings, Jay-Z also founded labelsRoc Nation and Roc-A-Fella Records.A minority shareholder of NBA team the Brooklyn Nets, he achieved certification as an NBA agent in June. He also served as executive producer for the soundtrack of2013 blockbuster The Great Gatsby, in which he captured the titillating feel of 1920’s jazz by blending it withthe modern sound of hip-hop. He will again spearhead music festival Budweiser Made In America, set to take place in Philadelphia from August 31 to September 1, with headlining acts includingPhoenix, A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, and Calvin Harris.
Jay-Z will be embarking on a world tour later this year, beginning with aSeptember 9 show in Krakow, Poland and concluding onOctober 28 in Melbourne, Australia. The tour aims to raise awareness ofthe global water crisis and will be documented in an MTV feature dubbed “Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life” (airing Nov. 24).
Watch out for Jay-Z’s ‘Magna Carta…Holy Grail’album which will be release exclusively under MCA Music.