Jay-Z + Apple = record label?

You're Apple, and you want to sell more content -- which, in turn, sells more iPods / iPhones / iWhatevers. But you don't want to stay beheld to those fickle, waffling, DRM-obsessed labels. You want to cut out the middle man -- not unlike Starbucks and its homegrown behemoth, Hear Music. And, if the Boy Genius is right, your next step is to hire away none other than the Young Hov, Jiggaman, J-Hova -- Jay-Z -- from his gig as prez of Def Jam records to run your new game. Oh sure, Apple getting deep into the content business is possible. But damned if this one doesn't feel a little funny, even if the rumor does turn out to be true.

[Vatche K. @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:22AM]

Big Pimpin (remix) - Jay-Z feat Steve Jobbs!

[blade417 @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:33AM]

It's the Hard Knock Mac for us...

[Adam @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:25AM]

couldn't sleep Ryan?

This would be REALLY cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yoshi @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:39AM]

This is a really old rumor. The original rumor included Apple Computer becoming Apple, Inc., buying out Apple Records, making a record label, and having the Beatles as part of that label.

And, the Beatles releasing their songs for digital download has been...um...delayed for unknown paperwork issues. Hmmm......

[Hookey @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:26AM]

Bad idea. Look at Sony for an example of how keeping your content business happy causes your hardware biz all kinds of problems.

[Leonard Nimrod @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:58AM]

i have been predicting this move for a long time. Apple needs to show the labels that DRM-free music can work. Now, that one label has pulled out and the Warner CEO that called Jobs crazy for suggesting removing DRM is now selling it on Amazon but not iTunes is the perfect time for Apple to do this.

I'm not saying it will work, but Jobs has a long history of turning something that others can't imagine will work from either a lack of vision or lackluster attempts into successes.

[Todd @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:33AM]

"I got 99 problems but Steve Jobs ain't one..."

[Rynth @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:01AM]

Hit him!

[Leo M. @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:07AM]

you calling stevy a bitch? not cool :)

[eliot1785 @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:54AM]

Doesn't this run a huge risk of record labels retaliating and pulling all of their content?

[601210 @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:30AM]

A past settlement between Apple Records and Apple comes to mind...

[bob @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:00AM]

only if they want to loose what is becoming there main income source, im sure their share holders would love that.

[Akshat @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:54AM]

This idea could have real potential ... if the business model works, and it's without DRM, Apple will come off looking like the good guys and gain a lotta leverage on the music labels, who might even get scared of Apple tapping up their artists ...

[Leonard Nimrod @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:06AM]

That is what I think will happen. Apple will pay the artists directly for music and video sales on iTunes at a percentage that is more in tune to what they are paying the labels. This gives the artists a huge incentive to go to Apple. Apple can still use distributors for the physical media, which is something that Jay-Z would have experience with. Apple will then offer the labels a contract that forbids them from taking their artists so long as they keep their iTunes intact.

I've thought this will occur after two things happen: 1) Apple starts to loss a hold over its labels to other online distributors; 2) Apple rises to the number 1 slot in purchased music. I don't think the latter has yet occurred, so I guess I'm wrong; but I still think it is the next logical move for Apple.

[James Grinter @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:49AM]

There's always services like TuneCore - which is more flexible for an artist - they can place music in more than one online service.

(I do like the transparency of TuneCore - you can see which online services are truly a good deal for the music supplier, and which aren't. Their FAQ is illuminating.)

[daria99 @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:05AM]

I like Jay-Z:)

[GEMININIKE @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:17AM]

Finally a solution! Without the infrastruture costs they could turn a profit from day one, not to mention the potential of Apple selling to the often ignored black community. "J" Tunes is crazy enough to work.

[Rupert @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:38AM]

Surely this will have an effect on the agreement with Apple,inc and The Apple record company

[Iain @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:18AM]

It'll be just like last time - contracts are legally binding and IP laws are sacred... unless Apple wants to screw someone over.

[manfesto @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:34AM]

Oh what the hell - I stated this a bit lower but may as well reply here too.

Actually, the case between Apple Inc. and Apple Corps was resolved in 2007 - as per the settlement, Apple Inc. owns the trademarks related to "Apple" and licenses some of the trademarks back to Apple Corps.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/02/05apple.html

Though the cryptic part of this is that the "terms of the settlement are confidential," so it is indeed possible that the "Apple Inc. cannot be a record label" clause is still in there. However, it seems that in this case, Apple Inc. had a lot more bargaining power than Apple Corps, so I personally find it doubtful.

//though I'm not perfect and may be wrong

[3rdsun @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:49AM]

Ryan did you write that rhyme. nice you got skillz

[W00ter @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:53AM]

Umm, what's up with you guys for the last week???

Giz has had almost every story at least 3 hours before you guys. For example, the iphone 1.1.3 firmware was posted 12+ hours after Giz's post.

[Constable Odo @ Jan 3rd 2008 9:26AM]

Does it make that much difference that this sort of news is late? The firmware probably isn't a final version, anyway. Just as long as they gather most of the news other sites have in a 24 hour period should be good enough.

[Ryan Block @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:07PM]

We beat sites like those on a lot of stories too. There's a give and a take, and we work in terms of priorities. This, to me, is not a super high priority story.

[Shawn @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:54AM]

so, I guess the out come of Apple v. Apple didn't say anything about a record label. This is going to be go for everyone; Apple, The Jiggaman, and us...the consumer.

[Iain @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:21AM]

The original contract between Apple and Apple Corps states that Apple are not allowed to enter the record industry.
But, then again, some idiot judge ruled in their favour in that last case when they should probably have lost, so the contract probably means nothing because Apple doesn't want to honour it...

[pigfister @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:03AM]

Lets hope this will change the way music is obtained and the gatekeepers of media (mpaa/riaa) face a quick demise!

Call the cok suckers what they are:

The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.

The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.


sony, disney and fox are the MPAA they use piracy to scare monger ppl then make DRM secuROM, xcp and sell it to movie/game/cd makers and get paid from all sides and get fat while its the consumers that lose out as we are told we are pirates by sony for wanting to play our legally purchased cd's on our ipods,

because sony want 1 licence per device per user to quadruple their profits from each household, kinda like the military industrial complex.


Steal this film 2 a great FREE bittorrent documentary about the record/movie industry's demise and the gatekeepers of media are now being bypassed and they are scared as hell. http://www.stealthisfilm.com/Part2/

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071002-sony-bmgs-chief-anti-piracy-lawyer-copying-music-you-own-is-stealing.html

FTA: Sony BMG's chief anti-piracy lawyer: "Copying" music you own is "stealing" October 02, 2007

[pigfister @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:20AM]

follow on:

and we all know that sony are the only RIAA member still using DRM on their digital downloads!

[Leo M. @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:10AM]

OH NOES!!!! GIZ had the news 3 hours before...I am going to die for not knowing this 3 hours ago!

Seriously, it's not a big deal.

[Leo M. @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:11AM]

the comment above was supposed to be a response to W00ter but it didn't btw.

[ChrisXS @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:48AM]

Somebody is going to have to Giz on you.

[jared @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:13AM]

Didn't Apple get sued by Apple (music) and the result was that they were not a music label, so they could keep the Apple name. Part of the settlement was that apple could not be a music label. I thought I read that somewhere.

[manfesto @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:25AM]

Actually, the case was resolved in 2007 - as per the settlement, Apple Inc. owns the trademarks related to "Apple" and licenses some of the trademarks back to Apple Corps.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/02/05apple.html

Though the cryptic part of this is that the "terms of the settlement are confidential," so it is indeed possible that the "Apple Inc. cannot be a record label" clause is still in there. However, it seems that in this case, Apple Inc. had a lot more bargaining power than Apple Corps, so I personally find it doubtful.

//though I'm not perfect and may be wrong

[Matt-NL @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:37AM]

Did his Hewlett Packard notebook broke down?...

[kodekn @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:43AM]

People here are talking like Apple would be any different from the record labels, and not doing it only for the money. Oh please, Apple has never been in the business for charity, since Apple is about Jobs and not about Wozniak, which probably is better for the profit but not for the soul.

Personally I wish Apple would just concentrate on makings macs (hardware+software) better and stay out of the content business. There must be other things to innovate besides making the dock have a mirror underneath it. I love my macs, but I don't love Apple.

[manfesto @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:58AM]

Yes, of course Apple would be doing it for the money - they're a publicly traded company with wide profit margins and a very driven CEO.

I fail to see how this is intrinsically a bad thing - especially in this case, Apple's greed isn't hurting or taking away from anybody (except RIAA-record labels, who have far overstayed their welcome anyway).

This is one such situation in which Apple's goal is in common with my own, regardless of their motivation. Artists will get a better deal than they currently are from their record labels (which, really, isn't that hard to do), and I will get my music in a DRM-free, high quality format (provided Apple sells tracks in iTunes Plus format, which I'm quite sure they would if this rumor is true).

[Chris McDowell @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:25PM]

The best deals in business are ones where all parties are happy. If Apple can setup a service where they pay the artists more. More content is sold through them. Customers get DRM free music downloads. Everyone is winning and Apple and the artists are raking in the money and not running a charity while the people get to buy without restrictions on their products. It could work and would not necessarily be bad.

[CTE @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:52AM]

Gee...I wish I could devolope a business from the profits I made selling crack and then have the "industry" pat me on the back and treat me like a god. Oh I forgot Im white. Oh well I guess I'll have to depend on congress which means Im hit. Screw Jay-Z Ghetto for real.

[Richard @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:49AM]

Don't say such things - JayZ's idea of conflict resolution is to stab people he does not like. What a class act Apple might join up with.

[David @ Jan 3rd 2008 9:37AM]

I am so tired of random thugs with minimal talent (if any) being pandered to, and given every award under the sun. There's been basicaly zero innovation in rap during the last 20 years. I guess you can't perfect crap, no matter how hard you try.

Isn't it high time for the world to become bored of this rap shit? It's so sad as music. Can we please move on???? Even grundge finally had the courtesy to fade away. I think all these rap "artists" should all be laughed out of the recording studios and told to get real jobs (at McDonalds).

I saw a recording session of Jay-Z's on YouTube. It was so lame. His lyrics are so stereotypical and OLD. I saw no talent there beyond being acting like a black thug, which I guess he's spent a long time honing.

Why must I suffer the skankiness of Snoop Dog at every turn? I mean, come on, what is his appeal? Surely not his looks or his music.

Keep it on the Hip-Hop charts if you must, but why must mainstream radio suffer it too?

Enough is enough with this rap shit already! Damn!

[Andrew Stone @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:52PM]

David... you sir, are an idiot. And possibly racist.

Should all artists who promote sex and drugs in their music be laughed out of the music business? Where does that leave the Rolling Stones? The Beatles? I think its safe to say lust has fueled songwriting as long as lyrics have been around, and drugs have fueled creativity as long as they've existed, so unless you are sitting at home listening to Beethoven's 9th, you are probably hearing some dudes who want to puff a little and have sex. You'll be ok.

Plus, anybody that buys in to mainstream gangster rap like its real is an idiot. A lot of people pay attention to Harry Potter too, but nobody thinks its true. Rap songs are, by and large, fictional. They rent those cars in the videos, hire those big booty hos... most of them live in mansions in the suburbs. Its pandering to an audience with an imagination, no different than the next Dan Brown novel.

Additionally, is poetry not art? Why does it become crap when you lay a bass line under it? Think you could do it? Fine, sit down and pound out an 8, 16 even 32 bar rhyme scheme that makes sense.

Or maybe you'd be better off just pulling your head out of your ass and actually... you know... listening to some music outside of what your local ClearChannel KISS Top 40 station feeds you.

Top 40 is stagnant, yes. Its also increasingly irrelevant. There are plenty of hip-hop artists with wholesome, positive messages... check out Talib Kweli, Common... hell, even Kanye West isn't a stereotypical "gangsta rap" artist. Its not all 50 Cent and DRE any more. Get on google and go over to the website for Rhymesayers Entertainment... these artists are lyrically talented, often socially conscious and political, and for your benefit, often white!

Your inability to accept hip-hop as culturally important and artistic sort of paints you in a bad light, huh? If John Lennon did some drugs he's creative, but if Snoop wants to have sex, he's a skank? Maybe next time lets keep our uninformed comments to our selves?

[Hung @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:05PM]

@ Mr. Stone

You, sir, have quite a way with logical and valid arguments.

[John B. @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:40AM]

I wouldn't mind this so much. I can't say I really listen to Jay-Z or any related artists, but if a big name like Apple were to have a completely DRM free record label, we can only hope that more labels would follow their lead.

[J_Teo @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:52AM]

What's from stopping musicians doing the same by selling their music directly to fans and getting close to 100% of profits?

[Leo M. @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:04AM]

Distribution

[Sam Stone @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:34AM]

Just reading the comments, It pisses me off to see what people think of rap - when most of these people probably have never listened to a non-commercial rap song all the way through.

Honestly, the ones saying about all the violence in rap, have you listened to a Jay-Z song in your life? Sure, there is a small portion of his songs that go on about violence - but he's trying to make people aware of what un-seen parts of America are like.

I agree people like 50 Cent, Soulja Boy and Lil' Wayne give rap a bad reputation, and that they haven't really got any talent at all.

However, most of Jay-Z songs are emotive, political or informative - and I believe that this would be a great move for Apple, to get someone with his business mind on-board. After all Def-Jam is massive, with most of the hard work coming from Jigga.

"Im not a business man, I'm a business....man!" - Jay-Z - 'Diamonds from Sierra Leone'

[R1cebrner @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:11AM]

Why you gonna go and bring gram into this. What did she do to you?

[Homeboy @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:12AM]

Don't diss Lil Wayne. He's got some sick lyrical talent, I didn't know it until I listened to Cater II. Now I've got around 7 of his Mixtapes on my Zune 80. The dude is very talented and is the best rapper from the South. Listen to Gossip on youtube, he performed it on last years BET awards. Sick!!!!!!!!!!

It's Weezy baby!!!!!

[Sam Stone @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:19AM]

Nah, Lil Wayne is far too commercialized - put him up against Eminem/Nas/Jay-Z, he could never win.

Anyways, I'm not here to argue about who's the best etc, I'm here to try and make the ignorant listen to this wonderful, poetic music

[Sam Stone @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:21AM]

..Oh, by the way, I'm white...