Jay-Z and Tinchy Stryder team up on Takeover Roc Nation

US rap giant Jay Z has joined forces with British hip-hop star Tinchy Stryder to launch a music company to break new talent.

Takeover Roc Nation is a joint venture between Jay-Z's firm Roc Nation and Stryder's management company Takeover.

It will handle the stars' merchandise and tours as well as signing new acts.

Stryder said: "Jay Z is my music and business inspiration and to go into business with him is a dream come true."

Writing on his blog, he said: "It's taken nearly a year to get the deal right so I'm excited to start signing artists to the label side of the joint venture deal."

Stryder also asked for demos from budding stars. The MC has two UK number one singles to his name and also runs his own clothing label, Star in the Hood.

He will continue to release his own music through Island Records in the UK, while Jay-Z currently has a UK record deal with Atlantic.

Jay-Z: Not Persuading Lebron James to Sign With Nets

Wants Jay-Z to make it clear that he is taking no part in influencing his nice friend and NBA MVP Lebron James to sign with the New Jersey Nets. In fact, Jay who is a minority owner of the team, noted that his relationship with the NBA baller will stay in tact regardless of what team he decides to go with. "That's his decision," Jay told Rolling Stone of the rumors that James will join the Nets once they head over to Brooklyn. After several seasons with his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, James is set to become the most sought after free-agent in the league once his contract officially ends July 1. Among the many teams looking to snag the 24 year old is the New York Knicks who have launched a very public 'C'mon Lebron' campaign which includes a website, ads and a Facebook page. Despite all the hype, Jay maintains that he has no plans of persuading James. "We're friends -- we've still gotta hang out! I don't want to convince somebody to do something, then have to see him and say, 'Uh, yeah, we're 4-30 ... sorry.''Since Hov only owns a piece of the team, the choice to sign the two-time MVP is left up to Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov. Hov credits the Russian-born billionaire, who he first met at New York City's Four Season's Hotel, as one of his inspirations. "I'd been staying there for 10 years, and I always thought I was at the top level," he said. "But when I met Prokhorov, they took me up to this extra, extra room that I had never even heard of before. Now there's something else to shoot for. There's always an extra level you don't know about." Plans to bring the Nets to Jay's Brooklyn stomping grounds continue to move forward. Earlier this year the 40-year-old attended the groundbreaking ceremony at Atlantic Yards, the site of the Barclay Center which will house the team in 2012.

Damon Dash Says He'd Welcome Jay-Z's Return To Roc-A-Fella

By now, everyone should know that Dame Dash is bringing back Roc-A-Fella Records. He recently signed a distribution deal with very familiar partners Def Jam and will be releasing albums under the name of the Roc, a label he co-founded with Jay Z and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in the '90s before selling his share to Island Def Jam in 2004.

But Dash's co-founders aren't onboard for the new venture, and some Roc-A-Fella purists are already saying that it just isn't the Roc without Jay and Biggs.
"I don't know," Dame said of the naysayers. "A 'Roc-A-Fella purist' is me. So what am I gonna tell myself? If someone has the essence and the DNA that Roc-A-Fella initially meant and they reflect that, then it's not an issue. Any Roc-A-Fella purist — that would mean they would love to see the evolution of Roc-A-Fella. They would be happy because as of now [the label] doesn't exist. And the spirit doesn't exist. If we're gonna bring back the spirit of Roc-A-Fella, any Roc-A-Fella purist would say, 'That's exactly what I would have wanted Damon to do if he was still the CEO of Roc-A-Fella.' Or, 'Roc-A-Fella as an entity always chose the opinion leader, and he seems to be that guy. And always a thorough individual, and he seems to be that guy as well.' So I would think a Roc-A-Fella purist would be happy."
Dash says he welcomes the participation of both Biggs and Jay Z, if they want to be involved.
"If Jay wanna come through and do something, he can come holla at me," Dash said. "I ain't got no beefs with Jay."
Dame made sure to add that he and Hov would have to come to an amicable business agreement if they were ever to partner again.
"Just off the strength that it's Roc-A-Fella, I could never tell Jay he can't be a part of something he helped create," the Harlem born CEO said. "So maybe it felt ridiculous that he said [me and Biggs couldn't be a part of Roc-A-Fella once we sold the company] and a Roc-A-Fella purists didn't appreciate that. If I walked away from Roc-A-Fella, then that would be different. But the option should always be there. So the option is there for him. He helped build that. And I don't hold grudges. I think one of the most important things in evolving is forgiveness. If he did something wrong or if I did something wrong, we'd have to forgive each other, or we'd still be children."
The first release from the latest incarnation of the Roc is Curren$y's Pilot Talk, which has a tentative release date of June 15. After that will be the mixtape album helmed by Ski Beatz called 24 Hour Karate School.

Jay-Z Teaching Beyonce How To Drive

Beyonce is reportedly learning how to drive with the help of her rapper hubby Jay Z.

The Single Ladies singer is allegedly having lessons with Jigga early in the morning to avoid busy roads and the hoards of paparazzi that follow the couple everywhere they go.

A source close to the pair told The Sun: "Jay and Beyonce normally go out mid-morning when it's quiet. Their bodyguards are always in tow but they never ride in the car with them."

Sugababes - Jay-Z Drops Sugababes

Jay Z has reportedly dropped Sugababes from his Roc-A-Fella record label - but plans to sign their former member Keisha Buchanan.

Jay Z has reportedly dropped the Sugababes from his record label.

The music mogul signed the British girl group up last year for a three-album deal but now the trio - Amelle Berrebah, Heidi Range, and Jade Ewen - have been removed from Roc-A-Fella's artist roster and company website, sparking speculation their contract has been terminated.
However, the '99 Problems' rapper is now said to be in talks with former Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan - who was replaced in the group by Jade last September and was still a member when they signed with Roc-A-Fella - and plans to launch her career in the US.

A source told The Daily Mirror newspaper: "Keisha is flying out to Los Angeles this week to record her solo album.

"Jay is serious about getting her on board. They hit it off at the BRITs afterparty in London."
Despite her good fortune, the insider insists Keisha will not be feeling pleased about how things have turned out.

The source added: "Keisha will be gutted that things have not worked out so well for the band she helped create."

Jay-Z hints at Arsenal investment as rap superstar admits he fell Crazy in Love with Gunners thanks to

Jay Z has revealed he may be interested in investing some of his estimated $500million (£333m) fortune in Arsenal.
The American rapper, married to fellow superstar Beyonce, insisted he fell Crazy in Love with the Gunners during ex-Emirates favourite Thierry Henry's spell in North London, and has remained a fan ever since.
The multiple Grammy winner - real name Shawn Carter - already part-owns NBA side New Jersey Nets and revealed his Blueprint for investment opportunities when he said: 'I don't know a lot about the business of soccer, but in the future if the right opportunity presented itself, then who knows? I am a businessman, and I will always look at an opportunity, and if it feels right, great.'
Jay Z made his fortune after selling over 40million records worldwide, coupled with other business interests that include several record labels, nightclubs and clothing line Rocawear.

Jay-Z: 'Record labels needs to be smarter to survive'

Jay Z has spoken out about the music industry, saying that record labels need to be "smarter" in order to survive.

The rapper, who recently scooped the award for Best International Male at the Brits, explained in an interview with BBC Newsbeat that less is more when it comes to succeeding.

"Records are not selling as many as they were before and you've still got to go out and pay the Bentley bill," he explained. "People have to be smarter about how they A&R, and what they put out, record companies need to catch up to that, someone needs to send them the memo."
He added: "I remember the first year I was at Def Jam we put out 56 artists. There's not 56 great artists in the world, and this is one company. One company operating for like, 80 artists in a year. That's just too many."

Meanwhile, Jay Z has announced two UK arena shows in Manchester and Birmingham in June, and will headline this year's Wireless festival.

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