Jay-Z emerging from his rap retirement

NEW YORK - Call him the Michael Jordan of rap. Jay-Z, who declared that 2003's "The Black Album" would be his last, is coming out retirement and releasing a new CD.

"Kingdom Come" will hit stores this fall, Entertainment Weekly magazine reports in its new issue, due on newsstands Monday.

"It was the worst retirement in history," Jay told the magazine.

Actually, his post-retirement career looked pretty good. In 2004, the rap icon (real name: Shawn Carter) became president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings. He became part owner of the New Jersey Nets that same year. Also on his resume: Not-So-Secret Boyfriend of Beyonce.

Despite naysayers' doubts, the 36-year-old Jay-Z thought he was retired from music-making: "I believed it, yeah. I believed it for two years."

But since his "retirement," he's gone on a world tour, performed on hit records with Beyonce and other entertainers, and had a profile higher than most working rappers. There were rumblings that he was working on a new album. And in an interview with The Associated Press this summer, he said he was thinking about coming out of retirement.

He told Entertainment Weekly that he began tinkering in the studio over the summer.

"Something, when you love it, is always tugging at you and itching, and I was putting it off and putting it off. I started fumbling around to see if it felt good," he said.

The result: "Kingdom Come."

The disc is "more in the vein of `The Black Album' than `The Blueprint,'" he tells the magazine. "I've been experimenting with things, different types of music."

He's already recruited some A-list producer-collaborators: Timbaland, Kanye West and Dr. Dre. Even Coldplay frontman Chris Martin produced a track called "Beach Chair," he said.

So — for real now — when does he plan to retire?

"If I wake up one day and the best material has passed me by — and that's going to happen," he said, "then it's time to move on. I've said what I wanted to say."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060914/...mu/music_jay_z

Needless to say I'm practically doin' backflips over here. I'm a huge fan of music, all typsa music n' Rap was my first love. To hear that arguably (I'll throw arguably in there b/c I don't feel like gettin' off topic n' into that yit) one of the greatest rappers/lyricist is commin' outta his "retirement" n' droppin' a new album before the end of this year (21st of Nov.) is...like X-mas is commin' early. Couple that with that fact that another legendary rapper n' lyricist, Nas, is droppin' "Hip Hop is Dead" shortly before that on the 7th of Nov. n' you may as well slap me now :dance:

I've been trying to find a site that shows upcommin' musical releases n' finally came across one: http://www.metacritic.com/music/upcomingreleases.shtml

Few interesting releases other than the above mentioned one's in there. I'll be grabbin' that new Evanescence also, along with Talib Kweli's new joint.

[soulbrotha]

Yeah, I am anticipating his comeback also. I just hope he leaves the Camron beef alone.

[Corals]

Retirement? I don't see that as retirement, just a break to concentrate on other things. I suppose it will be hard to move away from recording when everyone around you, and also those close to you are on form.

Ooh, I'm so surprised. I love Jay's music though (Nas too) so this is good news. But the whole "retirement" thing is played.

[urfan2c]

Yeeeeeeeessssssssssssssss!! Love Him!!

Originally Posted by soulbrotha

Yeah, I am anticipating his comeback also. I just hope he leaves the Camron beef alone.

I've never heard of a beef between the 2 of them but I highly doubt Jay's even thinkin' 'bout that crackerjack, pink SUV drivin' rapper. They're just not on the same level. But then again you never know, I always wondered why Eminem even acknowledged Benzino n' kept their brief beef goin'. Made no sense to me. Benzino?? May as well've made a diss song about me, shyt.

[shankems2000]

You gotta be kidding me. Jay-z's my favorite rapper and all and I've always bought his cd's the first day they dropped in stores, but after this "retirement" he pulled I'll never spend another dollar on a Jay-z album. but I'll be getting this one off of limewire.

Though Jay is one of my fav rappers, I expect this offering to be mediocre. His last few albums have been pretty bad. I do look forward to Nas's album, but he has seemed to have taken an overtly commercial turn with it, so I'm a little apprehensive.

How did you miss the Jay v.s Cam beef, X? Jay's verse from "Hustling" (remix) was a response to Cam disses.

[MzKwietStorm]

I'm looking forward to Nas' album. I've never been a real big fan of Jay-Z, but when he announced his so called "retirement" I knew he would be coming back.

Originally Posted by shankems2000

You gotta be kidding me. Jay-z's my favorite rapper and all and I've always bought his cd's the first day they dropped in stores, but after this "retirement" he pulled I'll never spend another dollar on a Jay-z album. but I'll be getting this one off of limewire.

Lol, sounds like your a little upset about the whole retirement shenanigan Jay pulled on us. I feel you tho, no album in 3 years :(. But you can't knock 'em tho, the man had to spread his wings a bit (more). You know, NBA partnerships n' such. I own every Jay CD (save the Best of Both Worlds b.s.) n' this will be no exception. I feel like this; if they've earned my respect as an artist n' I know they're gonna come correct then the $12 bucks is well spent. An eye for an eye. So every Jay, Nas, Wayne, Fab, Shawnna, Dre (wth is Detox droppin'? In the makin' since '01, that's a bit ridiculous) Kanye, n' Em CD that drops, I'll be one of the first there. Everything else? "off of limewire" as you stated, gotta love it.

Originally Posted by Afro Saxon

Though Jay is one of my fav rappers, I expect this offering to be mediocre. His last few albums have been pretty bad. I do look forward to Nas's album, but he has seemed to have taken an overtly commercial turn with it, so I'm a little apprehensive.

How did you miss the Jay v.s Cam beef, X? Jay's verse from "Hustling" (remix) was a response to Cam disses.

Mediocre...pretty bad? Why don't you just shoot me? Did you not enjoy "The Black Album"? "Are you not entertained??!? ARE YOU NOT EN-TER-TAINED???? Is this not why you are here??

Moving on, um.. I just listened to the Hustlin' Remix by Ross (again) n' yeah I see 'em flippin' off but I didn't realize before it was aimed at Cam b/c I've never heard Cam dissin' Jay, 'til now that is. 'Far as Nas goin' commercial, I haven't heard the new single of his yet but I'm sure it's due to him signin' on with Def Jam. I can't imagine him sellin' out (anymore that is...get into that some other time maybe), he's been and is one of the realist and illist rappers of all time. Hence, Illmatic, Stillmatic.