Jay-Z has extended his empire into sports management.
The rap mogul’s entertainment company Roc Nation today announced the launch of Roc Nation Sports, a full-service sports management company led by Jay-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Carter) and partnering with Creative Artists Agency.
The group also announced the signing of Roc Nation Sports’ first client, New York Yankees All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano.
“Because of my love of sports, it was a natural progression to form a company where we can help top athletes in various sports the same way we have been helping artists in the music industry for years,” Hov said in a statement.
The formation of the agency creates an array of branding opportunities for Roc Nation athletes, who could take advantage of the global cachet in the entertainment world that association with Jay-Z would bring,reports USA Today.
“At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors both on and off the field,” Cano, who is leaving agent Scott Boras to sign with Roc Nation, said in a statement.
“I am confident that the pairing of Roc Nation Sports & CAA Sports will be essential in helping me accomplish my short- & long-term goals.”
Roc Nation’s next move could be a jump into the NFL with New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz. The two have been friends for a while, with Cruz showing up at a few Jay-Z concerts last year.
Plus, Cruz added a twist to his touchdown celebrations last year. After his signature salsa, he flashed Jay-Z’s “Illuminati” symbol toward TV cameras.
Asked after a game in October if he and Jay-Z were working toward a business partnership, Cruz dodged the question.
“I’d rather keep that under wraps. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet.” Asked if he’d provide any clarity soon, Cruz said, “We’ll see in the upcoming weeks what happens.”
Cruz recently fired his agent and signed with CAA’s Tom Condon, which would seemingly set the stage for his aligning with Jay-Z in some capacity.
Jay-Z Launches Sports Agency; Signs NY Yankee Cano was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
