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Jay-Z Pimpin' Swan Song Early
Some pesky pirates have hijacked Jay-Z's plans for his swan-song album.
The platinum-selling rapper announced Friday that he was pushing up the release of his much-hyped last hurrah, The Black Album, to November 14, two weeks earlier than originally scheduled to preempt online bootlegging.
"Due to individuals illegally distributing my album, I have no choice but to move the release date of The Black Album," the rapper said in a statement. "I have made sure that my album is available at a lower price for my fans. In turn, I hope my fans will support me and Roc-A-Fella Records and buy my final release in an appropriate way, either via a retail store or a legitimate digital distribution site."
In moving up the CD's drop date, originally set for November 28, Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) is following in the footsteps of Metallica and Eminem, who moved up the debuts of their latest platinum-selling discs, St. Anger and The Eminem Show, respectively, after unauthorized copies of their discs began making the rounds on KaZaA and Morpheus.
"You plan to do one thing and you just have to go to plan B," Jay-Z said. "That's why we're moving the release date...There's no honor among thieves, people bootleg strictly for capital gain."
Jay-Z is also taking another page from the Eminem playbook. As an incentive to buy the album, which has already spawned the number one single "Change Clothes," three lucky fans will win a Mercedes, while 10 others will score limited-edition books featuring lyrics and original artwork. (Eminem made like Willy Wonka and offered a troika of "golden tickets" in copies of protégé Obie Trice's album, with the winners getting to watch Em in the studio.)
The Brooklyn native (and Beyoncé beau) is also putting on an all-star concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on November 25.
The Black Album is supposed to be Jay-Z's farewell to the hard-knock rhymes that have been the hallmark of his hugely successful rap career. He plans to devote more time to other interests, mainly his burgeoning Roc-A-Fella business empire and his dream of making it on the big screen.
While he contemplates the future, the rap impresario has to clear up his present, which happens to include a swelling legal docket.
Jay-Z, who owns a trendy Manhattan nightspot dubbed the 40/40 Club, is being sued by two small contractors who claim they're owed $46,000 in unpaid bills for work done before the club's June opening. A third contractor is in the process of filing a similar suit.
In legal papers obtained by the Smoking Gun Website, Ronald Mark Associates claim Jay-Z's minions stiffed the company for $13,108 after it crafted for the club 30 custom tables. A check for the balance was reportedly overnighted by the club to Mark, but was only for half the amount and ended up bouncing, prompting the firm to initiate legal action.
Meanwhile, Ameribuild Construction says the club "has failed and refuse to pay" $8,114 owed for "management services" that includes providing drywall and lumber.
Finally, SM Lighting Design is preparing a lawsuit alleging it too received a check from the club that bounced. The company is seeking $25,000, which includes $16,000 for unpaid bills, damages and legal costs.
Jay-Z's rep and employees of the 40/40 Club declined to comment on the suits.
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