Rap icon Jay-Z took it to the Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs game to announce the release of his 12th studio album in less than one month.
Jay-Z teamed up with Samsung to create a different kind of launch for "Magna Carta Holy Grail." The entire album download will be given to the first 1 million Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 owners who download a special app available on June 24.
According to CNET, the app is said to provide an "unprecedented inside look into the album personal stories and inspiration." The lucky 1 million users will be able to download the album on July 4, three days before the official release of "Magna Carta Holy Grail."
Samsung and Jay-Z revealed their partnership in a three-minute television ad that aired during the NBA Finals Sunday night. The video featured the rapper working in the studio with famous music producers Rick Rubin, Pharrell Williams, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.
"The album is about this duality," Jay-Z said in the ad, "of how do you navigate your way through this whole thing, through success and through failures, and remain yourself?"
The Wall Street Journal reported Samsung paid $5 per copy for the million album the company is providing for its users. If this marketing technique works, "Magna Carta Holy Grail" would reportedly be the first album to go platinum weeks before being released.
"We don't have any rules, everybody is trying to figure it out," Jay-Z said. "That's why the Internet is like the Wild West. The Wild Wild West. We need to write the new rules."
Another rapper, and friend of Jay-Z, kept his album in a shroud of secrecy until four days before his release date. Kanye West was set to release "Yeezus" on June 18 without any leaks when an industry insider failed to keep the album from the public.
Jay-Z's "Magna Carta Holy Grail" will be officially released to the public on July 7.
