Jay-Z Releasing New Album 'American Gangster', Coincides with Movie

Hip-hop mogul and rapper Jay-Z will release his second album in a year entitled, "American Gangster", which will be released on November 6. The album will coincide with the highly-anticipated film, also named "American Gangster", produced by Brian Grazer and starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington. The film will be released November 2.

Def Jam Records president and boyfriend of pop star Beyonce' will release his first single off the album entitled "Blue Magic", which is produced by music super-producer Pharrell, on September 21. The song is named after the product name of heroin that Lucas sold in the film.

Jay-Z told New York Times that he has completed nine songs, each inspired by a specific scene in the movie. "It was like I was watching the film, and putting it on pause, and giving a back story to the story," he stated.

The album will feature new material inspired by the new film, which is based on the life of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, played by Washington, who shipped heroin to the U.S. in the coffins of killed soldiers in Vietnam.

The album will feature T.I. and Common, both of whom are in the film. It will also feature the RZA of Wu-Tang Clan as well as others.

Jay-Z’s last album "Kingdom Come", his first album since his retirement in 2003, was released in December 2006. It has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States.

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