It was billed as Jay-Z’s retirement from rap and it carries a fitting emotional weight. The debut of the perfume was very successful, Parlux said in its suit, but celebrity promotion is key to keeping a signature scent profitable. If you’re a Jay-Z fan, The Black Album probably holds a special place in your heart. In the lawsuit, Parlux accuses the “Black Album” rapper of not fulfilling his end of the contract, which required six promotional appearances for the fragrance launched in October 2013. He doesn’t have to answer any questions (from Jay-Z) he doesn’t want to,” the judge said. Jay-Z kept trying to question the lawyer, leading the judge to give the Jigga Man a brief instruction on the law. “I had a year to complete these (appearances), correct? I don’t know if you answered my question,” Jay-Z said. Jurors giggled and smiled knowingly at each other behind their masks as the “Empire State of Mind” rapper entered the courtroom, wearing a black blazer, a white crew neck shirt and a black mask.īut at times as the afternoon progressed, Carter looked a little bored, resting his head in his hand and closing his eyes as he waited for the jury to return after a break.Īfter Viola asked Carter if he showed up at a Good Morning America appearance to promote the perfume, the rapper tried to turn the questioning around on the lawyer. It was promoted as his final studio album, which serves as a recurring theme, although Jay-Z returned to solo recording with Kingdom Come in 2006.The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 463, 000. “I’m not a lawyer,” he repeated, adding that his lawyers probably explained the deal to him. The Black Album is the eighth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released November 14, 2003, on Roc-A-Fella Records.
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“I did not read the contract,” Jay-Z said. Jay-Z responded by reminding Viola, just as he said in the hit song “99 Problems,” that he is not a member of the bar. The company, Parlux Fragrances, says the rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, failed to make the requisite appearances to promote a celebrity perfume called Gold Jay Z.Īnthony Viola asked Jay-Z if he knew when he signed the contract that he was agreeing to promote the perfume.