Kanye West to produce Jay-Z's Blueprint 3

photo courtesy of ConcreteLoop.com

[Above: Kanye West and Jay-Z at Miami's American Airlines Arena in March]

Since the most recent preview of Jay-Z's new post-"retirement" project came at a Kanye West concert last week, it's not too surprising that news comes today, via hip-hop producer Mick Boogie, that West has been confirmed as head producer for "most, if not all" of the tracks on the forthcoming Blueprint 3 album.

"Remember back in the day when an artist would do a whole album with one producer for cohesiveness? Think classic Snoop or Jeru with Primo ... and forward it to 2008," said Boogie on his blog. Also revealed was that Blueprint 3's first single, "Jockin Jay-Z," will be released after its third verse is recorded. And the album will include a track called "Victory," about which little is known other than, as Boogie put it, "the rumor mill says [it] is simply amazing."

This Kanye-loving news may come as a bit of a blow for fans of Timbaland, who had been touting himself as the principle producer of the project.  But Jay-Z explained in July that this was not quite so secure. “You know I love Timbaland, he is like a brother to me, but until the music is done it’s premature," Jay-Z told Rolling Stone. "I’m a person that works off music. If Timbaland makes 10 great tracks then he produces the album, if Kanye West makes 10 great tracks then he produces the album; if he makes three, I’ll take three. I let the music dictate the direction.”

Now, with the direction dictated, it seems we're that much closer to having the tertiary installation in Jay-Z's Blueprint series, though no official release date has been announced. For the moment, the preview of "Jockin' Jay-Z" is still available here.

Related links:
Jay-Z at Rocafella.com
Cover Story: Kanye West: Pomp and Circumstance
KanyeUniverseCity.com

Got a news tip for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.