Ten years ago, Jay-Z was behind one of the most successful runs by a record label in hip hop history. When they had it, there was not a single soul that could knock Roc-A-Fella Records off of their game. The label even survived “Ether.”
The saying goes “all good things must come to an end.” In 2004, the Roc fell to pieces. Kanye West rising to stardom the same year saved the demise of the label from going completely public. Finally, last year, the Roc-A-Fella artists realized that things would never be the same, so they left the label.
Almost a year ago, Jay-Z made the announcement that he was leaving Roc-A-Fella Records. Jay ended up leaving the label for his new label, Roc Nation. The current Roc Nation roster consists of J. Cole and Wale and some rising R&B acts.
Next year will bring about the releases of these artists’ debut albums. Will the roster of Roc Nation have the talent to rise to the level of the late 1990s and early 2000s Roc-A-Fella Records? Is Roc Nation going to become a hip hop dynasty?
