"The skillset of Jay Electronica as both an MC and a producer is on full display... 'A Written Testimony' gives us a peek into the immense, singular possibilities of Jay Electronica" - Consequence of Sound writes in a review o New Orleans rapper's debut album (gives it A-). Plenty of Jay-Z on the album - 50-year-old billionaire still rapping with the hunger and poignancy that he did in the ’90s. Pitchfork tagged it Best new music calling it "mystical, distinctive work", coming from a "well of deep faith, he summons rap performances that seem to defy space-time".

16 years ago - in a more innocent, less litigious, and more freewheeling time - Danger Mouse made a sensation with his 'Grey Album' that combined music from The Beatles' 'White Album' and Jay-Z's vocals from his 'Black Album'. Rolling Stones is wondering would we get to hear such an experiment now? The answer is - probably not! Far more so than in the post-Napster days of 2004, the music business is on edge about copyright infringement. If anyone had the notion of creating something akin to 'The Grey Album now', those thoughts would be quickly extinguished, considered not worth the risk and cost.

Jay-Z has filed a civil lawsuit against the Mississippi Department of Corrections on behalf of 152 inmates at a state prison, alleging “abhorrent conditions, abuse and constant violence, inadequate health care and mental health care, and overuse of isolation", CNN reports. It is the second lawsuit brought against the prison by Jay-Z - he filed a suit, in tandem with Ya Gotti, on behalf of 29 other inmates in January. Jay-Z has frequently involved himself in African American civil rights cases using his philanthropy arm Team Roc.

Dr. Dre hasn’t released an album since 2015, haven't been on tour since the turn of the millennium, and his last production credit on a No. 1 hit was in 2009 (Eminem’s 'Crack a Bottle'), but still he managed to climb to the top of Forbes list of highest-earning musician of this decade. He earned […]

They've got Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila with their video 'Roman' ("strength that celebrates Muslim women"), Radiohead with 'Lotus Flower' ("if it’s a risk, that’s probably a good thing”, Thom Yorke later said), Danny Brown with 'Grown Up' because it "highlights the guileless joy that anchors his music", Robyn and her 'Call Your Girlfriend', FKA […]

Jay-Z will produce the Super Bowl halftime show, as part of the new, multi-year deal with the National Football League, and many people are surprised at best; betrayed at worst. The Guardian reminds Jay-Z how he name-checked Fred Hampton, a Black Panther party leader murdered by the police, who insisted: “We say you don’t fight […]

Billionaire rapper Jay-Z joined California company Caliva as a "chief brand strategist" in which he will focus on outreach and the creative direction of the company. “We want to create something amazing, have fun in the process, do good and bring people along the way,” the rapper said in a statement, CNN reports.

Jay-Z's wealth is worth 1 billion dollars, and that's a conservative estimate, Forbes reports. They added his entire media empire, from Roc Nation to Rocawear to Tidal and D’Ussé cognac and got the 10-figure sum. Diddy and Dr. Dre rank as the second and third wealthiest rappers, with a net worth of $820 and $770 […]

Jay-Z-'s 2001 album, 'The Blueprint', is among the latest 25 selections for the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, together with Curtis Mayfield's 'Super Fly', Cyndi Lauper's 'She's So Unusual', and 'The Best of Schoolhouse Rock'. Only seven other rap recordings have earned recognition by the National Recording Preservation Board - Gil Scott-Heron's […]

Beyonce and Jay-Z posed in front of a portrait of Meghan Markle wearing a crown as they accepted the Brit Award for best international group. Writing on Instagram, Beyonce said: "In honour of Black History Month, we bow down to one of our Melanated Monas. "It’s no stretch to interpret the display as a show of […]