Tickets will be available on Monday, January 30 at 11:00 AM EST at www.carnegiehall.org, CarnegieCharge: 212-247-7800, or at Carnegie Hall's Box Office at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue. VIP ticket packages that offer exclusive access to pre- and post-events are also available during the public ticket sale.  For information on sponsorship opportunities or VIP tickets, please contact jayzconcerts@uwnyc.org. 

Poverty has the strongest correlation to dropout rates. New York City has the largest income gap in the U.S., and thirty percent of children in New York City live in poverty. Because of statistics like these, coupled with the fact that thirty-nine percent of New York City students who enter high school will not graduate on time, United Way of New York City, The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation and Shawn "JAY Z" Carter are coming together to get children and youth the education they deserve and to put higher education within reach.

The WATCH THE THRONE TOUR, produced by Live Nation, will play two nights in select cities including the tour kick off inAtlanta, Georgia on October 28th and 29th at the Philips Arena.  Additional two night stands include New Jersey at the IZOD Center on November 5th and 6th; New York City at Madison Square Garden on November 7th and 8th; Toronto, Canada at the Air Canada Centre on November 23rd and 24th; Chicago at the United Center on November 30th and December 1st; and Los Angeles at the Staples Center on December 12th and 13th. The tour is scheduled to make a 33 date trek across North America, wrapping in Vancouver, Canada at the Rogers Arena on December 17th and 18th.  

All fans who purchase their tickets online will receive a digital copy of the album.  

Citi® card members also have access to presale tickets for the newly announced shows on October 19th at 10:00 am local time through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Citi® is the official credit card of the WATCH THE THRONE TOUR.

Collectively JAY-Z & KANYE WEST have sold more than 65 million albums, have garnered 27 Grammy Award wins and have 17 #1 albums. Together they are a musical force unlike any other, admired by music fans, critics and peers from all genres around the globe.  

For additional ticket and tour information, please visit Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.

WATCH THE THRONE TOUR (Powered By VoyR)

10/28/11 - Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
10/29/11 - Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
10/30/11 - Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
11/1/11 - Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
11/2/11 - Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
11/3/11 - Washington, DC Verizon Center
11/5/11 - East Rutherford, NJ IZOD Center
11/6/11 - East Rutherford, NJ IZOD Center
11/7/11 - New York, NY Madison Square Garden
11/8/11 - New York, NY Madison Square Garden
11/14/11 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL Bank Atlantic Center
11/15/11 - Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
11/18/11 - Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
11/19/11 - Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
11/21/11 - Boston, MA TD Garden
11/22/11 - Montreal, QC Bell Centre
11/23/11 - Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
11/24/11 - Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
11/26/11 - Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
11/27/11 - Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center
11/29/11 - Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
11/30/11 - Chicago, IL United Center
12/1/11 - Chicago, IL United Center
12/3/11 - New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena
12/5/11 - Houston, TX Toyota Center
12/6/11 - Dallas, TX American Airlines Arena
12/9/11 - Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
12/10/11 - San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
12/12/11 - Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center
12/13/11 - Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center
12/16/11 - Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
12/17/11 - Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
12/18/11 - Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena 

SOURCE Live Nation

HISTORIC ALBUM LAUNCH CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF WITH 4-DAY iTUNES EXCLUSIVE, HITTING #1 ON iTUNES WORLDWIDE IN ALL 23 GLOBAL TERRITORIES WITHIN 24 HOURS!

NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2011 -- WATCH THE THRONE, the critically-hailed first collaborative album by mega-platinum superstars JAY-Z and Kanye West on the Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/Roc Nation imprint, soared to a well-deserved #1 Soundscan debut on first week sales of 436,078 units, it was jointly announced by Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown, and Steve Bartels, President/COO, Island Def Jam Music Group. 

WATCH THE THRONE has also broken the record for the all-time highest 1st week sales on iTunes in the U.S. with nearly 290,000 units sold, besting the previous record held by Coldplay and hitting #1 on iTunes worldwide in all 23 global territories within 24 hours.  With no leaks, the innovative WATCH THE THRONE launch campaign kicked off with a four-day exclusive on iTunes before being made available to all retailers on Friday, August 12th.  A deluxe physical version with extra tracks is available exclusively at Best Buy until August 22nd.

WATCH THE THRONE marks the 12th #1 album debut at Soundscan by JAY-Z, and the 5th #1 album debut by Kanye West.

"This is one of those rare occasions where the amazing music on this album actually matches the event status of the pairing of these two iconic, generational artists," said Mr. Weiss. "The proof is in the pudding with the sensational sales this week. Needless to say we are thrilled to be involved with this huge worldwide cultural event."

"It is so exciting to be able to share and work on Jay-Z's and Kanye West's partnership and vision for this special collaboration," said Mr. Bartels.  "Great music, great artists and a great team effort coupled with an out of the box launch approach, resulted in no leaks and all the fans getting the music at the same time.  The results are exciting and this is just the beginning."

The #1 Soundscan debut for WATCH THE THRONE marks the second highest opening sales week for any album so far in 2011.  This caps a groundbreaking launch campaign that began on Monday, August 8th at 12:01 a.m., when the two versions of WATCH THE THRONE were released exclusively via iTunes: the standard 12-song version, and the deluxe 16-song version. Including the record-breaking figure in the U.S. the album has sold over 366,000 units on iTunes worldwide in its first week.

At the same time, tickets also went on sale August 8th for the 2011 North American WATCH THE THRONE TOUR, produced by Live Nation.  Due to overwhelming demand, three additional dates have been added: Atlanta (Oct. 28th); Miami (Nov. 15th); Atlantic City (Nov. 19th).  The 24-city tour of the U.S. and Canada opens October 28th at Philips Arena in Atlanta, and concludes at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on December 18th.  Fans who purchase their tickets online will receive a digital copy of the album. 

WATCH THE THRONE's lead track, "Otis" weaves a sample of the legendary Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness."  The video for "Otis," directed by the renowned Spike Jonze, premiered last Thursday night on the MTV, MTV2, mtvU, BET and Centric networks, and simultaneously on MTV.com and VEVO.

Over a year in the making, WATCH THE THRONE was a truly global affair, as Jay and Ye recorded in London and Bath in the UK, Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Paris, and New York City.  Shrouded in secrecy prior to its release, the album has now been heralded a 'masterpiece' by those who have heard it.  Producers include the RZA, Swizz Beatz, Q-Tip, The Neptunes, Pete Rock, and Kanye's longtime collaborator Mike Dean.  The short list of featured vocals includes Odd Future singer Frank Ocean, Beyonce, La Roux's Elly Jackson, and Mr. Hudson. 

SOURCE: Island Def Jam Music Group

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 26, 2011 -- Overbrook Entertainment partners James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have formed a joint venture with Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter to develop and produce major motion pictures. One of the projects being discussed is the re-imagination of the classic Broadway musical ANNIE as a vehicle for Willow Smith to star. The film will be developed with Sony Pictures Entertainment and produced by Overbrook Entertainment and Mr. Carter.

The partnership began over dinner with Jada, Will, James Lassiter and JAY-Z, where they decided to co-invest in the now successful beauty products line Carol's Daughter. They continued this partnership as co-producers of the successful Broadway production Fela!, which earned a total of eleven Tony Award nominations in 2010.

Additionally, Willow Smith, managed by OE Executive Miguel Melendez, signed onto JAY-Z's record label, Roc Nation which produced her first single titled "Whip My Hair" has been certified Platinum. JAY-Z previously sampled the classic Annie song "It's the Hard Knock Life" in his chart-busting single "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)."

"The time is right to bring back ANNIE to the big screen. Of course, we're true believers in Willow's talent and believe she will be perfect in this role," said Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad. "Combining Willow with the Overbrook team that re-imagined Karate Kid and the spectacular JAY-Z makes this a dream project. A decade ago, JAY-Z proved that the power of the underlying Broadway property remains, by showing how these songs could be reinterpreted for a new generation with Hard-Knock Life. We couldn't be more thrilled to be working with our friends at Overbrook as they launch this new venture."

"We are excited to partner together to develop and produce a wide variety of films with our longtime friend JAY-Z, with whom we share a common global vision, both commercially and philosophically, and look forward to collaborating once again with the incredibly talented executives at Sony," said Overbrook Co-Founder James Lassiter.

Stated Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter, "The Overbrook Entertainment family and I have a unified vision. We've already produced a Tony Award winning play and we're developing a true superstar in Willow. This venture into film development and production is a perfect next step with teams that are accomplished, creative, and innovative."

Overbrook Entertainment, founded by partners James Lassiter and Will Smith, is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment focused in film and television and has produced a diverse slate of both critically acclaimed and blockbuster feature films, which have generated more than $2.5 billion dollars in worldwide box office receipts and even more in home video sales. Some of Overbrook's most successful films include ALI, HITCH, PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, I AM LEGEND, HANCOCK, SECRET LIVES OF BEES, and most recently THE KARATE KID.

Roc Nation is a groundbreaking, multi-tiered, multi-genre music and entertainment company. Founded in 2008 by Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter in collaboration with Live Nation, Roc Nation encompasses artist, songwriter, producer and engineer management; music publishing; touring & merchandising; new business ventures; and a music label.

The Broadway musical "Annie" is based upon the popular comic strip and features songs with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. The show originally opened on April 21, 1977, and immediately became a hit, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In 1982, Columbia Pictures released a film adaptation directed by John Huston and starring Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Tim Curry, and Aileen Quinn as Annie.

Contact:

Steve Elzer

Senior Vice President, Media Relations

Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group

310-244-7142

steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

The Hits Collection-Volume One offers the iconic anthem 'Hard Knock Life' from his 1998 release 'Hard Knock Life Vol.2. Club smash hit 'Big Pimpin' alongside 'I Just Wanna Love u (Give It To Me)' serve as great reminders of Jay-Z's earlier material. The Blue Print Vol. 1 track 'Izzo (H.O.V.A)' provides the much needed punch within the collection. Who can forget the collaboration with R&B artist and now wife, Beyonce on '03 Bonnie & Clyde' taken from The Blue Print 2-The Gift & Curse. The Rick Rubin assisted '99 Problems' also proved a major hit and many can recall the iconic performance of this track at the Glastonbury Festival in 2008. Also from the 2003 Black Album, we have 'Encore' and the Timbaland produced 'Dirt off Your Shoulder'. Recent hits including 'Run This Town' featuring Rihanna & Kanye West and 'D.O.A (Death of Auto-Tune)' complete the first offering from The Hits Collection-Volume One.

Tracklisting

1. Public Service Announcement (Interlude)
2. Run This Town Featuring Rihanna & Kanye West
3. '03 Bonnie & Clyde Featuring Beyonce Knowles
4. Encore
5. I Just wanna Love U (Give It To Me)
6. Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
7. D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)
8. 99 Problems
9. Empire State Of Mind Featuring Alicia Keys
10. Dirt off Your Shoulder
11. Hard Knock life (Ghetto Anthem)
12. Show Me What You Got
13. Roc Boys (And The Winner Is).
14. Big Pimpin'

Deluxe

1. Young Gifted and Black
2. Pump it Up (Freestyle)
3. My President Is Black (Remix)
4. Go Hard Remix-Jay-Z, Kanye West and T-Pain
5. Most Kings Featuring Chris Martin

Watch the video for '03' Bonnie & Clyde' featuring Jay Z and Beyonce:

Available as Standard Edition single-CD; Deluxe Edition with bonus CD of rarities; and Collector's Edition box set with both CDs and coffee table book

NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2010 -- Encompassing more than a dozen years of hit singles and signature album tracks, JAY-Z: THE HITS COLLECTION, VOLUME ONE, the first compilation of its kind ever issued in the U.S. on the 10-time Grammy Award-winning hip-hop megastar, will arrive in stores November 22nd on Roc Nation/Def Jam Recordings, a division of Island Def Jam Music Group

HITS COLLECTION, VOLUME ONE will be available in three separate packages:

• The Standard Edition, with the essential 14 tracks and a 12-page booklet in a digipak; 
• The Deluxe Edition slim-line jewel-box, with the essential 14 track CD plus a second disc of five impossible-to-find rarities, and an expanded 36-page booklet, with  a debossed white linen cover;
• The special Collector's Edition Box Set, with both CDs, along with a limited edition large format 100-page hard-cover cloth-bound coffee table book, featuring never before seen intimate photography documenting JAY-Z's career, all housed in a beautiful debossed white linen presentation box.

The essential 14 tracks on HITS COLLECTION, VOLUME ONE, each cut personally chosen by JAY-Z, are as follows:

1. "Public Service Announcement" (Interlude)
2. "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna & Kanye West (from The Blueprint 3, 2009)
3. "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" featuring Beyonce Knowles (from The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse, 2002)
4. "Encore" (from The Black Album, 2003)
5. "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" (from The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, 2000)
6. "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (from The Blueprint, 2001)
7. "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" (from The Blueprint 3, 2009)
8. "99 Problems" (from The Black Album, 2003)
9. "Empire State Of Mind" featuring Alicia Keys (from The Blueprint 3, 2009)
10. "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" (from The Black Album, 2003)
11. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (from Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, 1998)
12. "Show Me What You Got" (from Kingdom Come, 2006)
13. "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)…" (from American Gangster, 2007)
14. "Big Pimpin'" (from Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, 1999)

The five rarities contained on the HITS COLLECTION, VOLUME ONE Deluxe Edition second CD and Collector's Edition Box Setsecond CD comprise "Young Gifted and Black," "Pump It Up (Freestyle)," "My President Is Black (Remix)," "Go Hard Remix" by  JAY-Z, Kanye West & T-Pain, and "This Life Forever" (from the Black Gangster movie soundtrack, 1999).

JAY-Z's career began in 1996 with the classic "Reasonable Doubt." In 1997, he joined forces with Def Jam Recordings and began an unprecedented era of success propelling him to the position of trendsetter, entrepreneur and innovator that he is today. In 2009, JAY-Z released "The Blueprint 3" on Roc Nation and surpassed Elvis for the most # 1 albums for a solo artist. JAY-Z has effectively cemented his place in not only hip-hop, but as a spokesperson for innovation and originality; emphasizing the importance of expanding the boundaries of the culture.

JAY-Z has transcended being pigeon holed; opening doors for artists of every genre, introducing his music to venues and audiences never before thought to be traditional hip-hop outlets.   His career has sparked conversation and debate on topics ranging from hip-hop purity to various socio-political issues.  With the release of HITS COLLECTION, VOLUME ONE,  JAY-Z celebrates what he has already accomplished, while looking forward to the "first time ever" moments he has yet to create.

SOURCE The Island Def Jam Music Group

RELATED LINKS

http://www.jayzhitscollection.com