Jay-Z Calls For “Death Of Auto-Tune” With “Blueprint 3” Cut
When Kanye West said there would be no Auto-Tune on Jay-Z‘s upcoming Blueprint 3, he meant it emphatically: The first single off Jigga’s third Blueprint, fittingly called “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune),” debuted June 5th on New York hip-hop station Hot 97. The No I.D.-produced song, which samples heavily Janko Nilovic and Dave Sucky’s “In the Space,” takes aim at the ringtone-happy state of rap while also calling for a cease-and-desist to all artists using the voice manipulating Auto-Tune. Ironically enough, Kanye himself is one of the most notorious users of the technology, as evidenced by his 808s & Heartbreak.
The premiere of “D.O.A.” was the culmination of weeks of rumors surrounding Jay-Z, as the rapper was reportedly considering record label suitors to distribute his Blueprint 3 after buying out his Island Def Jam contract. While there’s been no confirmation, Jay-Z — who was seeking a distributor for both TB3 and the output released through his Roc Nation label with Live Nation — will distribute 3 through Atlantic Records, while his Roc Nation artists will be distributed through a deal with Sony Music, MTV reports. The Blueprint 3 will reportedly be released on September 11th, exactly eight years after the original Blueprint hit stores.
Last night at Hot 97’s Summer Jam all-star concert in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Jay-Z made a surprise appearance to perform “D.O.A.” with T-Pain, another producer and artist who has had a hand in Auto-Tune’s return to prominence. As Jigga says in “D.O.A.,” “You rappers singing too much, Get back to rap, you T-Pain-ing too much.” Check Nah Right for video of Jay’s “D.O.A.” at Summer Jam.
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