Jay-Z Discusses Jaz-O Feud, Endorses Lupe Fiasco and Krug Champagne
After captivating the masses with a memorable performance of his entire debut CD on Sunday, Jay-Z took time out last night (June 26) to answer questions from his fans via Rocafella.com.
During the Q&A, the MC-turned- Def Jam President revealed why he dismissed Cristal, which CEO he "fears" the most, and why certain acquaintances didn't come out to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of his critically acclaimed album, Reasonable Doubt.
As previously reported, Jaz- O, who was featured on the song "Bring It On," was nowhere to be seen when Sauce Money, who also appeared on the song, took the stage with Jay-Z. Nas, who was expected to perform "Dead Presidents" because of his recent signing with Def Jam, also didn't appear at the event.
When queried about whether he tried to reach out to either Jaz-O or Nas, Hov said "Yeah I did, but he (Jaz-O) continued to air things in public, so I figured what's the sense. He's still holding on to baggage. As far as Nas, we already did the "I Declare War" show.
Since his well documented departure from rap in 2004, hip-hop loyalists have been seeking for the next rapper to take the place of the self proclaimed "Mike Jordan of rap". According to Jay, the up and coming rappers have a lot to offer, specifically one from Chicago.
"I believe the game moves in cycles and I believe there will be another wave of superstars to move the game forward. If I had to name one person, I would have to say Lupe. He is making the most creative, different new music. It's fresh".
Most CEO's would be more than happy to recline their seats knowing they have multi platinum rappers like Ludacris, LL Cool J and Young Jeezy on their roster, but Hov isn't quite comfy yet and doesn't hesitate to point out which CEO he feels is his biggest competition.
"I would say Jimmy Iovine, because not only is he a brilliant marketer and a businessman, he was also a producer, so he can speak from an artist's level."
Jay-Z recently made headlines earlier this month when he announced he would no longer support or serve Cristal via his brands (Rocawear) or his 40/40 franchises, because of comments made by the managing director of the high priced champagne.
In a recent edition of The Economist Magazine, Frédéric Rouzaud, the managing director of Louis Roderer Cristal, shunned the rap community's promotion of the drink.
"What can we do?" said Rouzaud, in an article titled "Bubbles & Bling." "We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."
After his performance on Sunday, Hov was seen flaunting bottles of Krug. Also as promised Jay replaced any mention of Cristal in his rhymes with Moet.
When fans asked how angry he was with Cristal when he found out about them being anti-hip-hop, Jay replied "I'm angry with anybody who is not absolutely 100 percent thrilled for us to endorse their products without being paid."
In related news, Jay-Z is preparing to go on a global tour this year. The tour will kick off in the UK in September. Hov also plans to perform in Kenya, France, Nigeria, Ireland, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, UAE, Russia, Poland, CzechRepublic, Ghana, Angola, South Africa, China, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.
During the Q&A, the MC-turned- Def Jam President revealed why he dismissed Cristal, which CEO he "fears" the most, and why certain acquaintances didn't come out to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of his critically acclaimed album, Reasonable Doubt.
As previously reported, Jaz- O, who was featured on the song "Bring It On," was nowhere to be seen when Sauce Money, who also appeared on the song, took the stage with Jay-Z. Nas, who was expected to perform "Dead Presidents" because of his recent signing with Def Jam, also didn't appear at the event.
When queried about whether he tried to reach out to either Jaz-O or Nas, Hov said "Yeah I did, but he (Jaz-O) continued to air things in public, so I figured what's the sense. He's still holding on to baggage. As far as Nas, we already did the "I Declare War" show.
Since his well documented departure from rap in 2004, hip-hop loyalists have been seeking for the next rapper to take the place of the self proclaimed "Mike Jordan of rap". According to Jay, the up and coming rappers have a lot to offer, specifically one from Chicago.
"I believe the game moves in cycles and I believe there will be another wave of superstars to move the game forward. If I had to name one person, I would have to say Lupe. He is making the most creative, different new music. It's fresh".
Most CEO's would be more than happy to recline their seats knowing they have multi platinum rappers like Ludacris, LL Cool J and Young Jeezy on their roster, but Hov isn't quite comfy yet and doesn't hesitate to point out which CEO he feels is his biggest competition.
"I would say Jimmy Iovine, because not only is he a brilliant marketer and a businessman, he was also a producer, so he can speak from an artist's level."
Jay-Z recently made headlines earlier this month when he announced he would no longer support or serve Cristal via his brands (Rocawear) or his 40/40 franchises, because of comments made by the managing director of the high priced champagne.
In a recent edition of The Economist Magazine, Frédéric Rouzaud, the managing director of Louis Roderer Cristal, shunned the rap community's promotion of the drink.
"What can we do?" said Rouzaud, in an article titled "Bubbles & Bling." "We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."
After his performance on Sunday, Hov was seen flaunting bottles of Krug. Also as promised Jay replaced any mention of Cristal in his rhymes with Moet.
When fans asked how angry he was with Cristal when he found out about them being anti-hip-hop, Jay replied "I'm angry with anybody who is not absolutely 100 percent thrilled for us to endorse their products without being paid."
In related news, Jay-Z is preparing to go on a global tour this year. The tour will kick off in the UK in September. Hov also plans to perform in Kenya, France, Nigeria, Ireland, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, UAE, Russia, Poland, CzechRepublic, Ghana, Angola, South Africa, China, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.
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