Block of Jay Elec: The Curious Case of Jay Electronica’s Roc Nation Signing

(Editor's Note: In light of this weekend's events, RefinedHype has put together a "Block of Jay Elec". Enjoy.)

In between the hours of 7:00 PM Friday and 7:00 AM Saturday, something hit me and it felt like I had witnessed it and felt it before. It was fall yet again, winter was creeping up and by and large – Jay Electronica had captured hip-hop’s collective imagination. He did it some three years ago with "Act I: Patents of Nobility". He definitively did it last year with the mind-blowing “Exhibit C”. Now Jay-Z gets wee bit narcissist and finds a way to sign hip-hop’s most nomadic rhymer to his Roc Nation label?

Wait … that’s better than him signing with Diddy right?

Well, after some 72 hours and the dust cleared some things had to be held accountable. First, we’re talking about a guy who has had so many false starts even if he puts out a single breath everyone will attempt to catch it. The fact that he even came away from his computer and in public to do something new is newsworthy. I’ve heard word of "Act II" for an entire year and nothing, not even a tracklist to even go. Not to mention, Jay Elect may have done something no mortal man can even do – hurt Diddy.

Diddy’s words went like this, “Damn it hurts in a whole other way when someone you felt mean really felt was your Friend, Betrays you. It hurts when Breathe.”

The reactions of Da Band, Loon, Black Rob, The LOX, Carl Thomas, Yung Joc, Craig Mack, 8Ball & MJG and any other artist signed to Bad Boy since the passing of The Notorious B.I.G.? Uproarious laughter.

As much as his label would have enjoyed having Jay Elect on it, Diddy knows damn well that the work done on “The Ghost of Christopher Wallace” showcased Diddy’s classic shit talking more than Elect’s verse and he’d be promoting himself more than his artist – yet again. Which would lead to a messy split resulting in Erykah Badu teaching one of Mr. Combs kids about the Kaballah and I don’t think that mixes with Ciroc.

But, let’s look at the other side of this. For one, Jay Elect’s new boss already has a stable of capable rhymers: one in Wale who released a panned debut album and has had his buzz neutered by a line in Complex and J. Cole who on the same day as Electronica’s announcement dropped a mixtape which will end up on many blogs and critics year end list. Oh, and Cole had a huge lead single to an album that won’t arrive til maybe March 2011. And for the most part – Jay-Z has never been the greatest leader of a label.

Leader of self? Of course. But we can always look at Memphis Bleek and wonder what could have been. Then again, that super squad of weed carriers hasn’t come through for Bleek either so take it with a grain of salt. Back to topic however. If Jay hasn’t pressed the button on Cole then when will he press the button on the New Orleans voodoo master? Time will tell but at least we know something – Jay Electronica is once again making progress to the eventual debut album.

If we ever get it.




(For more of the "Block of Jay Elec", click here.)