JAY-Z COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT

Green Day takes on retail censor, Jay-Z leaves home, and Mariah Carey reveals new album.

Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z has retired from rap music before but his latest retirement which began in 2003 appeared to be final as the mogul accepted a job as Def Jam Records president. Now it seems that the mogul can’t resist the urge to get back in the recording studio. A source told New York’s Daily News, “He’s looking to get an album out by the beginning of summer. It’s on his radar.He’s been talking with [Island Def Jam chairman] L.A. Reid about it. The guest spots made him miss recording. He looks around and knows there aren’t a lot of people, except maybe Kanye [West], who can touch him.”

Jay-Z hasn’t been totally out of loop. In addition to performing on a failed joint tour with R. Kelly last year, the rapper released a new song, ‘Dear Summer,” on his protege Memphis Bleek’s album and he’s made guest appearances on sogs by Mariah Carey, Young Jeezy, and Kanye West.

Jay-Z’s last official release was 2003’s Black Album.