Jay Electronica signs to Jay-Z's Roc Nation

[dtownsfinest]

Freestyle



- "Put you niggas in a box like the WB..."


Jay-Z, J. Cole, Jay Electronica....if you got Jay in your name you're good to go on Roc Nation. Whether you see a release date or not is a whole different story.

Roc Nation solidifying its squad. But IMO, he would've been more suited for a label like GOOD. Jay building a squad but ain't none of them seeing a release date before Willow.

 

[2 ONE 3]

Already some heavy hitters on Roc Nation.

Cole, Jay, Willow.

A good look.

​

 

[Duffle_Bag]

Seems like career suicide for Jay Electronica

 

[cartempire]

damn home many "jays" Jay going sign lol

 

[kwazdog]

Seems like career suicide for Jay Electronica

Perhaps, but it damn sho aint pocket suicide.

 

[Hellfish]

Waits for the Jay Electronica Illuminati conspiracy's

 

[therealjondoe]

rocnation needs one more j....j doe

 

[LennyNero1972]

Well he better put a album out.

 

[Alaskanredman]

Seems like career suicide for Jay Electronica

I have to agree. Jay E doesn't seem like the type to pump out singles or sell to the masses... The indy route would have allowed a lot of flexibility for his style.

I think Jay-Z may push him back to eternity or drop the shit without any marketing. I know Roc-a-fella pushed its artist hard but that seemed like Dame's doing more than Jay cause when he took over Def Jam a lot of artist got the back burner treatment. Watch Jay E might drop a official record to little buzz after Willow is on her 4th album.

 

[Duffle_Bag]

I have to agree. Jay E doesn't seem like the type to pump out singles or sell to the masses... The indy route would have allowed a lot of flexibility for his style.

I think Jay-Z may push him back to eternity or drop the shit without any marketing. I know Roc-a-fella pushed its artist hard but that seemed like Dame's doing more than Jay cause when he took over Def Jam a lot of artist got the back burner treatment. Watch Jay E might drop a official record to little buzz after Willow is on her 4th album.

Jay couldn't do anything with the last few rap niggas he signed (Uncle Murda, Tru Life), J. Cole has had good buzz all year and he don't even have a release date, so I don't know what he can do with Electronica who isn't really marketable. I hope Jay just signed a deal with Roc Nation like Wale where another label handles the album and Roc Nation handles the touring.

 

[2 ONE 3]

Jay signing with Hov is a much better look than signing with Diddy.

And he was 1 of the first niggas co-signing Jay Elec​

 

[dtownsfinest]

Jay couldn't do anything with the last few rap niggas he signed (Uncle Murda, Tru Life), J. Cole has had good buzz all year and he don't even have a release date, so I don't know what he can do with Electronica who isn't really marketable. I hope Jay just signed a deal with Roc Nation like Wale where another label handles the album and Roc Nation handles the touring.

Naw he's official Roc Nation like Willow and J. Cole. Wale just like Melanie Fiona and Rihanna are just managed by Roc Nation.

And Uncle Murda and Tru Life were bums who were too hood for record labels.

Whether Jay Electronica is marketable I don't know. Because I look at artists like Mos Def and he's in the same lane. I think this is a signing to validate Hov's label. He can't fill it up with artists like Willow, Rita Ora, etc. Jay Electronica gives his label credibility.

I mean Jay wasn't doing shit anyway. The nigga rarely releases material. So if he never drops on Roc Nation atleast he can fall back on doing shows with Jay-Z because he wasn't really doing shit without the deal. He can only go up from here.

 

[Alaskanredman]

Jay couldn't do anything with the last few rap niggas he signed (Uncle Murda, Tru Life), J. Cole has had good buzz all year and he don't even have a release date, so I don't know what he can do with Electronica who isn't really marketable. I hope Jay just signed a deal with Roc Nation like Wale where another label handles the album and Roc Nation handles the touring.

I agree. J. Cole is signed to one of the biggest labels and he is essentially a glorified mixtape artist. Shit crazy ass Max B might drop a real album before that nigga and Cole is dope..... Not just on a spitting tip either cause I think Cole has a few classic albums in him. If they just put the marketing there, he might flop but if he gets a third of the Memphis Bleek push.... He will put out enough material that the masses would catch up and take notice... eventually

 

[jemstar]

Seems like career suicide for Jay Electronica

Jay has done enough to undermine his career by not releasing music. Dude has had music floating around for over half a decade and still no album, not even a official mixtape(the mixtapes floating around are fanmade, the only thing he's officially put out is Act 1).

 

[Duffle_Bag]

Naw he's official Roc Nation like Willow and J. Cole. Wale just like Melanie Fiona and Rihanna are just managed by Roc Nation.

And Uncle Murda and Tru Life were bums who were too hood for record labels.

Whether Jay Electronica is marketable I don't know. Because I look at artists like Mos Def and he's in the same lane. I think this is a signing to validate Hov's label. He can't fill it up with artists like Willow, Rita Ora, etc. Jay Electronica gives his label credibility.

I mean Jay wasn't doing shit anyway. The nigga rarely releases material. So if he never drops on Roc Nation atleast he can fall back on doing shows with Jay-Z because he wasn't really doing shit without the deal. He can only go up from here.

My point with bringing up Uncle Murda and Tru Life is that Jay signs rappers and doesn't really do anything with them. You could even say that he isn't really doing anything with J. Cole either. Jay-Z is good at controlling his own career, but I wouldn't trust him with mine. So I don't really know what Jay-Z plans to do with Electronica. This signing seems more beneficial to Jay-Z than Jay Electronica. I'd just hate to see him stuck in record label purgatory, crying about not getting a release date.

 

[Alaskanredman]

Naw he's official Roc Nation like Willow and J. Cole. Wale just like Melanie Fiona and Rihanna are just managed by Roc Nation.

And Uncle Murda and Tru Life were bums who were too hood for record labels.

Whether Jay Electronica is marketable I don't know. Because I look at artists like Mos Def and he's in the same lane. I think this is a signing to validate Hov's label. He can't fill it up with artists like Willow, Rita Ora, etc. Jay Electronica gives his label credibility.

I mean Jay wasn't doing shit anyway. The nigga rarely releases material. So if he never drops on Roc Nation atleast he can fall back on doing shows with Jay-Z because he wasn't really doing shit without the deal. He can only go up from here.

Jay E could have been banking his music for the proper time, but once you sign on the dotted line you lose a lot of control on when, what and how you release music.

 

[dtownsfinest]

My point with bringing up Uncle Murda and Tru Life is that Jay signs rappers and doesn't really do anything with them. You could even say that he isn't really doing anything with J. Cole either. Jay-Z is good at controlling his own career, but I wouldn't trust him with mine. So I don't really know what Jay-Z plans to do with Electronica. This signing seems more beneficial to Jay-Z than Jay Electronica. I'd just hate to see him stuck in record label purgatory, crying about not getting a release date.

Yea we'll see. I won't hold my breathe on a nigga dropping on Roc Nation. Makes you wonder why he signed him though because that shit wasn't cheap. Jay Electronica had everyone bidding to sign him for about 2 years now.

 

[Duffle_Bag]

Yea we'll see. I won't hold my breathe on a nigga dropping on Roc Nation. Makes you wonder why he signed him though because that shit wasn't cheap. Jay Electronica had everyone bidding to sign him for about 2 years now.

If I had to guess, I think Jay-Z signed Electronica to make it seem like he still cares about real rap, but Jay-Z got a history of signing rappers for ulterior motives:

Tru Life - Jay signed him so Tru can go at Jim Jones for him

Uncle Murda - Got signed cause I guess Jay got tired of people saying he doesn't fuck with New York rappers

He signed M.O.P. years ago and they never dropped shit.

 

[Complex]

Getting signed by a label isn't a big deal, the hard part is putting an album out.

Ask another artist who's worked with Just Blaze, Saigon.

And dudes need to stop bragging about the indy route, talk to Joell Ortiz, they're just as shady and fucked up.

If I had to guess, I think Jay-Z signed Electronica to make it seem like he still cares about real rap, but Jay-Z got a history of signing rappers for ulterior motives:

Tru Life - Jay signed him so Tru can go at Jim Jones for him

Uncle Murda - Got signed cause I guess Jay got tired of people saying he doesn't fuck with New York rappers

He signed M.O.P. years ago and they never dropped shit.

MOP never dropped an album on G-Unit

Game and Jeezy haven't dropped albums.

It's funny how you're giving those reasons as facts.

For the record Tru Life and Jim were cool when he first got signed, he was signing artist that had mixtape buzz, and back then Grafh, Uncle Murda and Tru Life had probably the biggest mixtape buzzes.

 

[Duffle_Bag]

Getting signed by a label isn't a big deal, the hard part is putting an album out.

Ask another artist who's worked with Just Blaze, Saigon.

And dudes need to stop bragging about the indy route, talk to Joell Ortiz, they're just as shady and fucked up.



MOP never dropped an album on G-Unit

Game and Jeezy haven't dropped albums.

It's funny how you're giving those reasons as facts.

For the record Tru Life and Jim were cool when he first got signed, he was signing artist that had mixtape buzz, and back then Grafh, Uncle Murda and Tru Life had probably the biggest mixtape buzzes.

I guess you missed the part where I said "I guess," because nobody knows why Jay-Z has signed artists that don't have a lot of commercial appeal and don't end up releasing shit.

As for Tru Life, I follow the mixtape rap scene but I never really heard of dude until he dropped this:

And Jay never did any work with dude outside of this mixtape either. So he might have had a lot of buzz, but I didn't really see his name pop up on mixtapes (Big Mike, Cutmaster C, DJ Absolut, etc.) until he started going at Jim Jones.

And I don't understand what Game and Jeezy have to do with this discussion.

 

[NinjaspiT]

meh...
clearly J elec goes way over peoples heads,I dont see his album on roc nation being anywhere near what he typicaly rhymes about...like "that black elohim annunaki rap"

 

[Complex]

Tru Life was known for going at Mobb Deep. You probably never noticed him, because he's not that good of a rapper. Tru Life explained the Jim shit later, but I didn't care enough about it to remember.

And I mentioned Game and Jeezy because you mentioned MOP not coming out, well most artist signed to a label don't come out.

50 signed Hot Rod, Mazi, Mike Knox, Spider Loc

It's cheaper to sign an artist with little buzz, and then make them hot. Like I'm sure Mos Def's deal with GOOD Music is better than Big Sean's. They think they can make them hot.

 

[Duffle_Bag]

Tru Life was known for going at Mobb Deep. You probably never noticed him, because he's not that good of a rapper. Tru Life explained the Jim shit later, but I didn't care enough about it to remember.

And I mentioned Game and Jeezy because you mentioned MOP not coming out, well most artist signed to a label don't come out.

50 signed Hot Rod, Mazi, Mike Knox, Spider Loc

It's cheaper to sign an artist with little buzz, and then make them hot. Like I'm sure Mos Def's deal with GOOD Music is better than Big Sean's. They think they can make them hot.

I definitely don't remember Tru Life going at Mobb Deep, but my point was Jay-Z did not give a fuck about him until he started going at Jim Jones. And when the Jim Jones beef died down, you haven't heard shit about him since other than the murder case he caught.

As for Game and Jeezy, they are both proven commerically viable rappers who are in a rut musically. Uncle Murda and Tru Life were rappers every one knew wasn't gonna sell shit and seemed like odd signings by Jay-Z. To me, it seemed like Jay-Z purposefully signed loosing artists that he knew were destined to sit on the shelf, but benefited Jay-Z's image.

And the argument that Jay-Z signed them to make them hot seems absurd because there were a whole lot of artists over the past couple of years that Jay could have signed that had a way more buzz and/or commercial appeal, but he passed on, like Asher Roth or Lupe.

 

[cozmic33]

congratz to him...maybe this will force his ass to release more material

 

[Complex]

He tried to sign Lupe, ummmmm, that's why he executive produced his first album.

Asher Roth His album bricked, so he has limited commercial appeal.

Just because you want an artist, doesn't mean you can sign them. It's like a high school player picking a college.

And why do you act like Jay-Z is the one solely responsible for signing artist. You think he sits there listening to mixtapes and demos? People bring him artist. There might have been ulterior or another motive, but you don't know. Grafh doesn't have commercial appeal, but Dame signed him anyway. Did you think Mazaradi Foxx or Mike Knox were ever going to put an album out on G-Unit?

And of course a label signs an artist thinking they can make them hot or get them to sell records.

You think Corey Gunz, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz will be coming out on Young Money?

 

[kewlphucker]

It's too late/early for all of the haters but i'm sure they'll be here later.

 

[Kush]

I think Jay signed Jay Elec because A) He really fucks with his style and respects his content. Remember Jay is/was conscious to some degree since back in the Hawaain Sophie days. B) He is on that same shit Kanye is on trying to "save real hip hop" and he knows both J. Cole and Elec have the prospect of doing just that, once they get the proper singles placed. I also think J Cole needed some grooming before he was ready for prime time. Sure he has skills, but he needed both 'refinement for prime time radio play' and the opportunity to build up a buzz a'la his single wit that R&B dude "All I want is You." People need to get used to hearing his voice on radio, which can give him some leeway as to the type of material he can release. And Jay has so much influence that when he puts the product together for both of these artists, he'll be albe to get it the proper shine it deserves. It would also behoove him to put Willow's shit out first so that Roc Nation can build some initial mainstream exposure and credibilty.
Almost like putting out a well built Sonata before you try to get people to fuck with the 55k luxury Hyundai. That little chick will be on Ellen and mainstream will be like "Oh, Jay Z has a record label and signed Will Smith's daughter. How cute." Then when Jay Elec drops the new single with Erykah on the hook, they can slide right up in there.

 

[dtownsfinest]

I definitely don't remember Tru Life going at Mobb Deep, but my point was Jay-Z did not give a fuck about him until he started going at Jim Jones. And when the Jim Jones beef died down, you haven't heard shit about him since other than the murder case he caught.

As for Game and Jeezy, they are both proven commerically viable rappers who are in a rut musically. Uncle Murda and Tru Life were rappers every one knew wasn't gonna sell shit and seemed like odd signings by Jay-Z. To me, it seemed like Jay-Z purposefully signed loosing artists that he knew were destined to sit on the shelf, but benefited Jay-Z's image.

And the argument that Jay-Z signed them to make them hot seems absurd because there were a whole lot of artists over the past couple of years that Jay could have signed that had a way more buzz and/or commercial appeal, but he passed on, like Asher Roth or Lupe.

There was a bidding war for Asher Roth so he could've just lost that. And I seem to remember Jay trying to sign Lupe but he wanted label backing for his 1st and 15th label that Atlantic gave him. Jay-Z still executive produced Lupe's first album Food and Liqour.

 

[Duffle_Bag]

He tried to sign Lupe, ummmmm, that's why he executive produced his first album.

Asher Roth His album bricked, so he has limited commercial appeal.

Just because you want an artist, doesn't mean you can sign them. It's like a high school player picking a college.

And why do you act like Jay-Z is the one solely responsible for signing artist. You think he sits there listening to mixtapes and demos? People bring him artist. There might have been ulterior or another motive, but you don't know. Grafh doesn't have commercial appeal, but Dame signed him anyway. Did you think Mazaradi Foxx or Mike Knox were ever going to put an album out on G-Unit?

And of course a label signs an artist thinking they can make them hot or get them to sell records.

You think Corey Gunz, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz will be coming out on Young Money?

Jay was the President of Def Jam and I assume the person in charge of Roc Nation, so yes, I do think the decision to sign certain artists is on him. While I don't think Jay spends his spare time surfing on datpiff, I'm pretty sure he's atleast has a Jay Electronica mixtape on his computer.

As for the mixtape artists you mentioned, there were/are only one hit away from dropping an album. I never thought a year ago that Waka Flocka would ever drop a major label album, but he made hits. I just felt that Jay signed rappers, got what he wanted from them, then shelved them with little to no support. Atleast Millz, Gudda Gudda, and Cory Gunz can do songs with Wayne and get featured on albums that actually get released. Tru Life got an intro on a mixtape from Jay, and Uncle Murda got a couple of collabos and that was it.

Regardless, we're just speculating on why Jay signed who he signed, I just hope he doesn't end up fucking over Jay Electronica's career.

 

[ScottyPiffen745]

Alright, Jay Elect-Hanukkah

 

[Cock Head Jones]

funny how jay signs rocnation artists to those slave 360 deals but he was on the warren buffet interview talking about how fucked up those deals are until he caught himself and remembered that he's putting artists in those deals himself.

instead of looking at the potential negatives imma just be happy that a real ass mc caught any big deal in 2010. that in itself is rare.

hopefully it'll inspire young cats to be themselves and stay on that official shit instead of putting out nursery rhymes and selling ringtones. there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[nukdollars]

Ok...We'll see what happens next...

 

[exiledking]

Ok...We'll see what happens next...

basically

 

[BDR]

Seems like career suicide for Jay Electronica

I agree with this... He should have signed with kanye on GOOD. That music is more his lane but I can see why he signed with jay, jay is more on that conscious shit now too.

 

[ICEBURG SLIM]

Shot outs to Jay Electronica signing to Roc Nation