Jay-Z Reportedly Close To Deal With Sony

It looks like the Roc Boy is heading to Sony. Following his split with Def Jam last week, Jay-Z is apparently on the verge of signing a deal that will bring the highly anticipated Blueprint 3 and future recordings to Sony's Epic Records.

A Universal Music Group source recently told Billboard, "He definitely didn't want to release his album via Def Jam. And given his close relationship with (Columbia Records Co-Chairman) Rick Rubin, it comes as no surprise that he'd make the switch." Hopefully, we'll get an encore of this.

According to the Billboard article, the deal "is 95% complete," and a public service announcement from Jigga is expected in the coming weeks.

Jay, who still owed Def Jam one more album, bought out of his contract for a reported $5 million, and it initially looked like the new album would be released through his touring and publishing contract with Live Nation, which he signed last year for $150 million.

Last April, Jay hit the studio with Kanye West to begin work on the much anticipated follow-up to 2007's American Gangster.

Related links:
News: Jay-Z Splits with Def Jam
News: Kanye West to produce Jay-Z's Blueprint
Jay-Z on Myspace

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