It's April 30, 2024, 07:18:40 AM
NEW YORK — The fans standing on line down 125th Street in Harlem on Monday were throwing up the diamond signs with their hands and letting out cries of "The Roc is in the building!" and "Brooooklyn!" The borough's biggest name, Jay-Z, had traveled uptown for an autograph signing to promote the two new versions of his S. Carter Collection kicks. Sneakers, a record label and clothing line that have become staples in the hip-hop community, and a new club — Jay has almost done it all (see "Beyonce, Magic Johnson, Others Turn Out For Jay-Z's 40/40 Opening" ). There's two more things on his list of goals that he wants to accomplish, though. One is making an impact in Hollywood and the other is working with a purple-wearing music legend."I'm trying to get a song on there with Prince, then I'm good," Hov disclosed of his plans for his next and supposedly last LP, The Black Album (see "Jay-Z Taking It 'Way Back To The Roots' On New Album"). "I [worked with] Michael Jackson [before], I got that one done. So for Prince to be the last one, I'mma be good."Jay, who resumes the Rock the Mic Tour with 50 Cent on Wednesday (July 2) (see "50 Cent Takes Out Old Blue Eyes (Again), Jay-Z R-O-Cs The Mic At Tour Kickoff"), says that he's just four songs into The Black Album and he'll be recording on the road. Of the four tracks in the can, he says he's not sure how many of those will make the album, but he's positive that a cut he did with producer Rick Rubin will be featured. "I wanna make it a prequel to Reasonable Doubt, I want it to feel like that," Jay, seated next to Memphis Bleek, continued to explain. "It's gonna be 12 songs with 12 of the producers I respect. One from Timbaland, one from [Dr.] Dre, one from the Neptunes, one from Eminem." Besides the possibility of having Prince appear, Jay said his Rock the Mic co-headliner, 50 Cent, may also pop up on the record. Jigga smiled about The Black Album being his last LP after saying that he was 99 percent sure it would be his swan song. "Nobody believes me, huh?" he said. While one career ends, another one could very well commence, because Jay says he's taking his act to Hollywood. "I didn't come into the rap game just to be a rapper, I came to be a CEO. I didn't want to go into the movie business just to be an actor, I want to write scripts, produce, direct. Whatever house I mess with, they gotta give me a little house. I can shoot the 'New Jack City,' I can shoot it for real."And when he goes to Tinseltown, he'll have his S. Carters to remind him what he's capable of."It's not gonna give you superpowers, you ain't gonna never be this cool," Jay joked about his shoes before his signing at the Foot Locker. "I tell people, everybody don't buy sneakers to play ball in, people buy sneakers to match their clothes, walk around and front. It's beautiful, I come from Marcy Projects where we used to have to save up for a month to get a pair of sneakers. To come full circle and have my own sneaker shows people they can do anything."— Shaheem Reid, with addtional reporting by SuChin Pak
Getting 12 different producers to do one track each? Could be very cool, or could destroy the album for the lack of a constant style.
...a 50 Cent verse for me could never be a classic lyric.
... but I reckon that even in five years time "I love you like a fat kid love cake" won't ring my bell.
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