bigted Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Nas Launching Own Imprint With Def Jam January 27, 2006, 11:00 AM ET Gail Mitchell, L.A. When Nas' first album under his new Def Jam Recordings pact is released later this year, it will be on his own imprint, the Jones Experience. The joint venture is a key component of the newly minted agreement between the artist and Def Jam president Jay-Z, which has Nas switching labels from Columbia to Def Jam. The jump follows on the heels of the rap icons' headline-making, onstage truce last October during a New York concert. "I've been in this business a long time and know what a great deal is," Nas (born Nasir Jones) tells Billboard in his first interview since news of the pact was reported. "I signed a significant and excellent situation." The deal's terms have Def Jam parent Island Def Jam and Columbia parent Sony Music participating as financial partners in Nas' first two albums under the four-album deal. Def Jam will provide A&R, promotion and distribution for the two sets, while the labels will share marketing. The recording budget for each album is $3 million. It has been reported that the $3 million includes advances for Nas, but sources familiar with the deal say the rapper received a separate, substantially higher advance. Sony retains ownership of the masters from Nas' 11-year tenure with Columbia as well as the right to release a greatest-hits collection not shared with Def Jam. Under terms of the pact, Nas will deliver two new tracks for a Sony hits package. Sony may also include up to three tracks from the joint albums on a hits compilation. The company's executives declined to comment. "Hip-hop needed this," says Mark Pitts, who, along with his management partner Wayne Barrow, scheduled a pre-truce sitdown between their client Nas and Jay-Z last fall. Barrow hopes the truce between the rappers can usher in a "different sensibility to hip-hop and take it back to the origin of what a beef is. Battling over lyrical prowess is one thing, but to turn it into a violent scenario is another. Kids are mimicking these situations as if they're real." As for the Jones Experience imprint, it will concentrate "first and foremost on hip-hop," Nas says, adding that he is open to other genres. Signings will be announced shortly. "This is so much bigger than me and Jay-Z," he adds. "We're both excited by what this could potentially mean for hip-hop as a whole." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 i thoguht his new album was called nastaq jones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 'The Jones Experience' is the name of the record label that Nas is starting distributing through Def Jam, well I think Nas is planning on retitling the title for the album.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfuqua23 Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 To add to this Nas news, check out this freestyle... http://www.zshare.net/download/nas-2006fre...-dirty-mp3.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted January 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Yeah I heard about Nas doing a new freestyle, some were saying that he dropped a few subliminals to G Unit in it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfuqua23 Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 I think it's basically to anybody that wants to take offense. Whatever G-Unit. (and I'm being nice). Hey Ted, maybe we should try to get on "The Jones Experience" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted January 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 :word: That'd be awesome! :2thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Wait, what happened to Ill Will Music? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted January 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 (edited) Nas said that he wanted to start something new in an interview, maybe that means Bravehearts are retiring, a lot of the other artists that were on Ill Will ended up having beef with him and they left anyway, did Nas ever sign Quan to Ill Will?... Edited January 29, 2006 by bigted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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