S. Samuel
Rap mogul Jay-Z continues to build up his Roc Nation army by adding the likes of pop singer/rapper M.I.A. to his budding roster.
While details are still coming together, M.I.A.’s new association turned public Thursday (May 24) afternoon.
M.I.A. has always been a rock star, but now it’s official. The “Paper Planes” rapper has inked a management deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. The announcement was made today on Roc Nation’s website. She joins a roster that includes Rihanna, Wale, Shakira, Santigold, Ester Dean, Meek Mill, and Melanie Fiona. Rihanna welcomed her to the family, tweeting, “welcome home MIA.” M.I.A.’s fourth album Matangi is due this fall on Interscope Records. She is also readying a remix to her single “Bad Girls” featuring Missy Elliott, Azealia Banks, and Rye Rye. (Rap-Up)
The news comes just weeks after Rick Ross protege Meek Mill signed to Roc Nation.
“That’s the new deal I put together,” Meek said in an interview. “Me coming up in this rap game, I was always an underground artist coming up by myself and making all of the moves by myself. And my manager – he’s just like me, we’ve been coming up in the streets by ourselves. So we just decided to partner up with Roc Nation and take things to another level. … I think it’s going to take me to the next level. I’ve got Warner Bros. behind me, Maybach Music Group, and Roc Nation; some of the most powerful people in the game. That’s like 80 percent of the game right there. You know, Ca$h Money, they like family. So it’s like you’ve got everyone on your team at one time, and it feels good to have all that behind you at once. It’s like a force that can’t be stopped.” (Life + Times)
Over the winter, talks stirred up suggesting pop star Shakira had her eyes set on Jay’s company.
The superstar Colombian singer has signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation for management, XXLMag.com has learned. The news definitely marks a coup for Roc Nation. With worldwide appeal, Shakira has sold more than 60 million albums and won 12 Billboard Latin Music Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards and two Grammy Awards. With the signing to Roc Nation for management, Shakira joins the likes of Rihanna, Wale, Santigold and Melanie Fiona, who are all signed under Roc Nation’s management umbrella. Managed producers under Roc Nation include Jahlil Beats, No I.D. and S1. Signed Roc Nation artists of course include the company’s founder, Jay-Z, J. Cole, Jay Electronica, Rita Ora and Willow Smith, the daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. (XXL Mag)
Late last year, Hov spoke on the label side of operating Roc Nation.
“I think running a label is a bit like having kids,” Hov told MTV News while in New York to promote two charitable Carnegie Hall concerts in February. The Roc Nation CEO’s answer came in response to criticism that he could have done more to endorse J. Cole, who dropped his debut, Cole Word: The Sideline Story, in September. “When you know someone needs more help, you help them,” Jigga said. “When you see that someone can make it on their own … you see Kanye or J. Cole, you see that sort of talent — you let that talent be. You let that talent find its way.” (MTV)
