Skip to main content

Rumor: Samsung and Jay-Z to sign $20 million deal, possibly connected to music streaming service

Jay ZSamsung could be the latest mobile tech firm to leap aboard the celebrity endorsement train, as it’s rumored to be in the process of striking a deal with rapper Jay-Z, one which could be worth $20 million. The news comes from The New York Post, where it’s alleged the paperwork is ready to be signed in the coming weeks, and that it’s, “The biggest of its kind.”

So what is the nature of the partnership? It’s not exactly clear, although the Post speculates it’s linked to the launch of an exclusive music streaming service. This could be used to promote artists signed to his own Roc Nation record label, according to MTV, and the deal may have been made easier by both Samsung and Jay-Z recently partnering with Universal Music Group.

Whether the world needs another music streaming service, especially one which sounds more than a little self-serving, is open to debate; but any deal Samsung does strike with Jay-Z may end up being pushed aside in the column inches stakes if Apple does launch iRadio, or whatever it’ll be called, at WWDC next week.

Of course, Samsung may also rope Jay-Z into becoming yet another celebrity spokesperson, a growing trend in the tech industry. As anyone who has been watching tech events for the past six months, putting a celebrity on stage to talk about your product has become the thing to do. Microsoft enjoyed Jessica Alba’s company at the launch of Windows Phone 8, while Alicia Keys has been working hard to promote BlackBerry hardware ever since she was announced as global creative ambassador (or something) at the end of January. Even Intel, playing to the home crowd, got superstar Taiwanese singer and dancer Jolin Tsai up on stage to talk about two-in-one devices at Computex this week.

Samsung has an event planned for June 20 in London, where it’s rapidly running out of hardware to announce, so perhaps we’ll find out more about this mysterious deal then.

Topics
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Don’t buy this new Motorola phone — get this other one instead
Renders of the Moto G 5G (2024) and Moto G Power 5G (2024).

the Moto G 5G (left) and Moto G Power 5G Digital Trends

Budget phones can slip under the radar when shiny, powerful flagships launch. But if you're in the market for a smartphone that gets the job done and won't blow a four-figure hole in your bank balance, then a great budget smartphone is the way to go.

Read more
Get 32% off the cellular model of the iPad Pro 12.9 this weekend
The iPad Pro on a desk next to a stylus and AirPods.

If you've been thinking about getting the iPad Pro with cellular connectivity but you've been hoping to buy the tablet from iPad deals for a discount, this may be what you've been waiting for -- a 32% discount from Amazon's Woot on the 12.9-inch, Wi-Fi + Cellular model of the 2021 Apple iPad Pro with 128GB of storage. From $1,199, it's down to just $810, which is a steal price for this device with savings of $389. However, while there are still several days left on this offer, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase immediately because there's a chance that stocks don't last that long.

Why you should buy the 2021 Apple iPad Pro 12.9
It's not the latest version of Apple's top-of-the-line tablet -- the honor goes to the 2022 Apple iPad Pro -- but the 2021 Apple iPad Pro is still a pretty powerful device by today's standards. That's because it's equipped with Apple's M1 chip, which promises fantastic speed and excellent graphics when you're working on your multimedia projects, multitasking between several apps, or playing console-level games. With its 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR touchscreen, you'll enjoy high-brightness and high-contrast content, and its mini-LED display provides deeper black levels and more vibrant colors.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy A55 vs. A54: all the big changes, explained
Renders of the Samsung Galaxy A55 next to the Galaxy A54.

Galaxy A55 (left) and Galaxy A54 Digital Trends

Samsung has been on a roll with new phone releases in 2024. At the end of January, Samsung released the flagship Galaxy S24 lineup. It's fantastic, but not everyone can afford the latest and greatest flagship. Thankfully, Samsung also makes budget-friendly alternatives, and that’s the appeal of the new Galaxy A55.

Read more