Hits Daily Double is still in Jay’s business and claims The Carters are soon-to-be labelmates. Let’s act like we haven’t heard this one before.
Several sightings of Columbia/Epic Label Group Chairman Rob Stringer and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation partner Jay Brown, on both coasts have led insiders to speculate about the possibility of the company landing at Sony Music.
Jay-Z, who inked a much-publicized $150 million, 360-deal with Live Nation in April, 2008, recently bought back his completed album from UMG for a reported $5 million, raising the question whether that album will now be part of the Sony pact.
Expect this deal to go down soon, say those close to the negotiations, and look for the production/management team’s output to be released by both Columbia and Epic, filling the void in Urban/Pop that has existed at the company since the ironic departures of first Mariah Carey and then, ex-hubby/label boss Tommy Motolla.
Spotted: Rap-Up
Got a feeling I’m not gonna be able to get the Big Homie to confirm this one but I’ll try. For you! I do it for hip-hop. Ha!
This is a great reminder of how powerful and lasting Lauryn Hill’s influence has been in music. The fact that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill eventually reached diamond status after so many years shows that truly meaningful music can continue finding new listeners long after its original release. I also like how the article highlights the combination of hip hop, R&B, neo soul, and reggae that made the album so distinctive. Achieving more than 10 million sales is an incredible milestone, especially considering how much the music industry has changed since 1998. The album’s success feels less like a temporary trend and more like proof that strong songwriting and authentic artistic expression can remain relevant across generations. It is interesting to see how numbers can tell part of a story, whether we are looking at album sales or using a proportion calculator to understand relationships between different figures.