8:40 PM PDT 6/16/2013 by Erika Ramirez, Billboard
- The record drops July 4, the rapper revealed in a Samsung commercial.
Rap fans rejoice: Jay-Z will release a new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, on July 4. The icon announced the news through a Samsung commercial which played during Sunday’s NBA Finals Game 5 (Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs).
In the three-minute ad, Jay-Z is seen recording and brainstorming in the studio withRick Rubin, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland andSwizz Beatz.
“The album is about, like this duality of how do you navigate through this whole thing, through success, through failures, through all this and remain yourself,” he tells Rubin of his twelfth studio album.
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“We don’t have any rules. Everyone’s trying to figure it out,” Jay says as a ringing, piano-driven instrumental plays in the background. “We need to write the new rules.”
Magna Carta Holy Grail will be available for free download on July 4, 12:01 a.m. EST, to the first one million Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy Note II users. Fans will be able to unlock the album on the phone’s Magna Carta app.
“The idea is to really finish the album and drop it,” Jay Z says at one point. “Giving it to the world at one time and letting them share it, and it goes out.”
“Great. Beautiful,” Rubin responds.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung paid $5.00 a piece for the 1 million copies that will be distributed to Samsung users.
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The kick off to Jay-Z’s album roll-out is similar to Beyoncé‘s. Queen Bey’ previewed new material through commercials: Pepsi (“Grown Woman”) and H&M (“Standing On the Sun”).
Jay-Z has been seen in the studio with Drake, Timbaland, Nas, Pharrell and Justin Timberlake. In April, The-Dream hinted on an upcoming album from Hov when talking to Hot 97. “Jay’s coming along pretty good; I don’t know if I can say that yet,” he told Hot 97’s Angie Martinez.
