JAY-Z

Saturday, June 25, 2016

The Samples Behind Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’

Jay Z dropped his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, 20 years ago today. The project, which contains the singles “Dead Presidents,” “Ain’t No Nigga,” and “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” is considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. To celebrate the anniversary, Power 106’s Vin Rican has returned with a new episode of WaxOnly, a series that showcases the samples behind classic hip-hop songs.

Related: Jay Z Remixes Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s ‘All the Way Up’

| Videos
JAY-Z, Power 106, Wax Only,
Thursday, June 9, 2016

Roc Nation Launches Roc Nation Latino, Names Romeo Santos as CEO

Jay Z and Romeo Santos

Jay Z and Romeo Santos

Jay Z‘s Roc Nation Management has launched Roc Nation Latino and named bachata star Romeo Santos as CEO. The division, which will focus on developing and cultivating talent, marks Roc Nation’s expansion into the Latin market.

Santos, who is one of the most important figures in Latin music, has also joined Roc Nation as an exclusive management client. In addition to his successful solo career, Santos is the former lead singer of bachata group Aventura, which is best known for its 2002 smash, “Obsesión.”

Jay Z said in the press release: “Romeo has had tremendous success as a composer and producer and can spot true talent. This is a tremendous step for Roc Nation. We recognize there is a huge Latin market that is part of global culture. We’re proud and ready to enter into true partnership with an individual that intimately lives and knows that culture.”

Romeo Santos also said: “With this next step and phase in my career I see a great opportunity to give back all that I have learned during the past few years to new talent. Not only do I idolize Jay Z as an artist but also as a business mogul. Jay Z is a visionary who was able to recognize that in our Latin Culture there is a lot of talent. I am grateful for his trust and that he has seen in me an ally for all Latinos.”

Related: 50 Greatest Latin Songs of All Time, According to Billboard

| Music Industry
JAY-Z, Romeo Santos,
Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Jay Z Remixes Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s ‘All the Way Up’

Fat Joe and Jay Z

Fat Joe and Remy Ma‘s rap anthem “All the Way Up” has received a new verse from none other than Jay Z. The original, which also features French Montana, is currently number 51 on Billboard’s Hot 100. It is Joe’s highest-charting single as a lead artist since 2007’s “I Won’t Tell.”

Stream the remix below and download it on DJcity.

Related: Watch DJ Reddi’s ‘All The Way Back’ Routine

| Tracks
Fat Joe, French Montana, JAY-Z, Remix, Remy Ma,
Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Jay Z’s ’99 Problems’ Remixed by LINQ

Jay Z
Jay Z painting by David Cain. (DeviantArt)
 
British DJ/producer duo LINQ has released a house remix of Jay Z’s classic, “99 Problems.” The rework, which starts off at 126 BPM, transitions down to the original 93 BPM, and then goes back up. Stream the remix below and download it on DJcity.
 

 
Related: Scratch Bandits Crew Remix Jay Z’s ‘Big Pimpin”

| Tracks
JAY-Z, LINQ, Remix,
Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Jay Z Wins Copyright Trial Over ‘Big Pimpin’ Sample

Jay Z
Jay Z (photo via Facebook)
 
Jay Z and Timbaland won a lawsuit on Wednesday over an Egyptian sample that’s used in “Big Pimpin’,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
 
A judge in Los Angeles ruled that Osama Fahmy, nephew of composer Baligh Hamdi, lacked standing to pursue the claim that Jay Z and Timbaland illicitly sampled his uncle’s song “Khosara Khosara.”
 
Fahmy argued that the Egyptian concept of “moral rights” applied to Jay Z’s license for “Khosara Khosara” and required the rapper, Timbaland, and their record label to get Hamdi’s family’s permission to sample it.
 
However, Jay Z and Timbaland claimed that Fahmy could only hold moral rights in Egypt, where a license they received from EMI in 2001 specifically excluded its use.
 
Listen to “Big Pimpin'” and “Khosara Khosara” below.
 

 

 
Related: The Samples Behind Nas’ Classics

| Music Industry
JAY-Z, Legal,
Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Meet Young Guru: Jay Z’s Sound Engineer and Tour DJ

Young Guru
 
The Wall Street Journal has published an inspiring profile of one of hip-hop’s most trusted sound engineers, Young Guru.
 
Born Gimel Keaton, the 41-year-old has been Jay Z’s engineer for 16 years, recorded Eminem and 50 Cent early in their careers, and has been in the studio with other superstars: Beyoncé, Drake, Rick Ross, Rihanna, and Snoop Dogg. He’s also served as Jay’s tour DJ since 2010.
 
In addition to making songs sound better, Young Guru is a visiting lecturer at USC and a frequent guest speaker at colleges such as NYU and MIT, among others.
 
“He’s expanded the idea of what an engineer can be,” Cornell University’s Patrick Gillespie told WJS. “Engineers are no longer sitting in the back room. They’re out front, creating things, showing the world what can be done.”
 
Grammy-nominated rapper Common told WSJ:
 

“He truly is a scientist, a musician, a visionary . . . Sometimes technology doesn’t get to the core energy of a project, but he knows how to manipulate it where you feel like you’re getting something authentic and organic. He uses technology at its highest level.”

 
Related: Young Guru Explores Los Angeles with Google Glass

| DJ Culture, Music Industry, Music Tech
JAY-Z, Music Production, Young Guru,

Popular