JAY-Z AND MARK RONSON TO PRODUCE PHILLY RAPPER YOUNG CHRIS SOLO ALBUM, YOUNG CHRIS AND WALE ON THE WAY AND STATE PROPERTY IS GETTING BACK TOGETHER (PROPS TO XXL FOR THE STORY)
Jay-Z and Mark Ronson will executive produce the first solo album from Young Chris, Now Or Never, according to the Young Gunna in an interview with XXLMag.com last night (May 19).
“The distribution is gonna be either through Roc Nation of Interscope,” Chris told XXL. “We’re weighing out our options right now but it’s a good look however it comes out.” The Philly MC expects a deal to be signed “any day now.”
Though an the album won’t be released until the top of the next year, Chris will drop a Mark Ronson-produced buzz single, “Suga Suga,” featuring UK girl group, Sugababes, whom Hov recently inked to Roc Nation.
The relationship between Hov and Chris dates back to the Roc dynasty but Ronson muse Wale was the one to build the relationship between Chris and the British super producer’s production label, Allido Records. “One thing about me and Wale is there’s no egos —we’re like brothers from another,” he said. “Basically, one day, Wale just called me like, “Yo, I’ma holla at Rich [Klienan] and Mark [Ronson] and let them know they need to look at you— not sayin’ that you can’t get a deal but they need to do something with you before somebody else grabs you.’ I went over to Allido and once we figured out I was free — no attachments and basically ready to go — we just been working. Mark’s been giving me records, and me and Wale been touring and throwing records together — just building our relationship just so when the deal gets done, everything is a go.”
The immediate result will be a mixtape from the two, entitled The Odd Couple. “My man went to school — he did the school thing. That’s my man, love him to death. And me, I was in the streets before the rap thing so we just basically called it The Odd Couple. We’re alike but we’re totally different,” he said of the collaboration with Wale.
But first, Chris’s next move will be the feature-heavy mixtape The Network, featuring the likes of Bun B, Wale, J. Cole, and if scheduling works out, Drake as well.
As for his original partners-in-rhyme, State Property, rumors have been abound that a deal is in the works to bring the collective — the entire original squad in fact—to Roc Nation.
“Anything is possible,” said Young Chris, remaining cryptic about the speculation. “I don’t wanna speak too much on that. It shouldn’t be a problem getting back together as long as there’s a proper offer for us.”
