Published at 4:30 PM on September 1, 2009

By Michael Saba

T-Minus 10 Days Until Blueprint 3: Where in the World is Jay-Z?

We're so glad you asked! We're only a little more than a week away from the release of Jay-Z's eleventh (!!) studio album, Blueprint 3, which drops Sept. 11 on his Roc Nation label (if you just can't wait or don't know how to use the internet, MTV is currently streaming the whole album on The Leak). There's no doubt Hova is one of the hardest working men in the industry (remember, he's a business, man), but he's so busy we've barely been able to keep track of him. So, here's a brief primer on his late-summer exploits.

1) Jay and Beyoncé are Grizzly Bear fans, or at least rep Brooklyn:
Sightings of hip-hop's royal family at Grizzly Bear's free outdoor concert last weekend sent bloggers a-tweeting, tweeters a-blogging, etc. Solange Knowles, little sister to Beyoncé, has been buddying up with Grizzly Bear, and likely got Beyoncé and Jay to attend. Or maybe Jay is just really, really serious about going hard for Brooklyn. Either way, it made the internet's brain explode.

2) 9/11 charity concert at The Garden:
Jay-Z's seminal album Blueprint had the odd fortune of being released on Sept. 11, 2001. Eight years later to the day, Blueprint 3 will drop and Jigga will host a charity concert at New York City's Madison Square Garden. All proceeds from tickets and merchandise will benefit the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund.

3) The best commercial ever created for a music download service:
And that's not hyperbole. Apple has been coasting on the U2-and-Coldplay combo for a while to hawk songs on iTunes. Frankly, we can only handle so many different permutations of Chris Martin and Bono strutting in front of neon backdrops. Enter Rhapsody and Jay-Z, who cut an awesome commercial that sees Mr. Carter re-enacting every one of his album covers. Apple's gonna have to step their game up after this:


4) The leak, OR, How I learned to stop worrying and love the internet:
As is the way of music in the digital age, Blueprint 3 just leaked to the internet. Artists have mostly grown to accept leaks as a hazard inherent to the profession, especially when it comes to massively-hyped releases like this. Hova has taken a decidedly upbeat view to the whole thing: "I may be the most bootlegged artist in history," he said at a press conference yesterday. "It's a preview. I'm excited for people to hear the album. I'm very proud of the work I've done, so enjoy it."

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