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September 20, 2007
For Jay-Z, Inspiration Arrives in a Movie
The NY Times
By David M. Halbfinger and Jeff Leeds
Bruce Ratner's NJ Nets ownership partner Jay-Z is in the studio, recording an album that will be released at the same time as feature film, "American Gangster," from which the rapper drew inspiration, except for all that "snitchin'" stuff.
Jay-Z's investment in the team was seen as a move by the NJ Nets ownership group to gain some local street cred, which, like the sales of his last album, is sagging:
His decision to record “American Gangster” is a surprise, given that his last album was released less than a year ago. “Kingdom Come” sold about 1.5 million copies, his lowest figure for a full studio album since 1997. And its elaborate marketing campaign, including alliances with Budweiser and ESPN, prompted some suggestions that Jay-Z’s branching-out into other business endeavors, and taste for the jet-setting life, had begun to undermine his street credibility.
He made no apologies for his transformation into a global brand. “Jay doesn’t live in Brooklyn any more,” he said.
Posted by lumi at September 20, 2007 9:23 PM