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Jay Z: ‘I Will Make Harry Styles The Biggest Star In The World’

By Sandra Hajda
Published on: 21:57 PST, Jan 2, 2016

Music mogul Jay Z would like to add One Direction star Harry Styles to his label, according to BT. The rapper and husband of singer Beyonce revealed that he would make it his mission to have Harry Styles become “the biggest artist in the world within a year.”

Harry Styles would be signed to Jay Z’s label, Roc Nation. The curly-haired Brit is currently on a hiatus from performing and recording with Simon Cowell-managed boyband One Direction, the X Factor‘s biggest success story.

While the legalities surrounding Harry’s hiatus term — and Styles’ remaining contractual obligations to Cowell and Syco — are not clear, Jay Z seemed to assume that Styles is still locked in some kind of contract. Thus, the rap star emphasized that he would be willing to work in tandem with Cowell to make Harry a megastar.

“I can get him working with the bigger artists, the biggest producers – and have him as the biggest artist within a year.

“I would love to sign Harry. Simon is going to want to carry on working with him, of course. But we could do a joint venture – we both have big qualities we can bring to the table.”

Should Harry take the plunge? A joint venture certainly seems like a great way to keep familiar ties while branching out to a label that is arguably more experienced in navigating the massive American market and lucrative urban music market.

Jay Z is not the first music boss with dollar signs in his eyes who has reached out to the One Direction boys. When Zayn Malik departed the group last year, rapper 50 Cent reportedly reached out to him, begging Zayn for a collaboration that he promised would storm the charts.

Perhaps it was a good thing Zayn didn’t take 50 Cent up on the offer — months later the beefy “In Da Club” hitmaker announced that he was bankrupt, as reported by Business Insider.

It seems 50 Cent didn’t just “want” a collaboration — he truly, desperately needed the money.

Could Jay Z be desperate to fix his “net worth problem” reported by Hollywood Take? It is reported that Roc Nation has experienced a slew of recent legal problems, many of them costly, and that Jay Z had issues with the profitability of the Tidal streaming service.

Most recently, X Factor judge and Simon Cowell buddy Rita Ora sued Jay Z, citing a “quagmire” of difficulties at the Roc Nation label. Perhaps Simon Cowell has heard whispers from his fellow judge and would be reluctant to get involved in business with the beleaguered Jay Z.

“The [Rita Ora] lawsuit is just the latest potential net worth problem for Jay Z. Tidal has been plagued by leadership problems, and it’s been struggling to make profits since it costs so much more than other similar streaming services. Then, earlier this year, Birdman and Cash Money sued the company for $50 million. Cash Money claimed it has exclusive rights to Lil Wayne’s FWA mixtape, which was streamed on Tidal.”

Ultimately, it is Harry’s call, but you can bet that Directioners will be dismayed should Harry give signals that the band and fellow heartthrobs Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne are not his top priority.

The One Direction guys have promised their distressed fans they will be back as a four-piece in 2017. Harry Styles was last seen putting on a flirty display for paparazzi with rumored love interest Kendall Jenner as the two sail around St Barths in a yacht, accompanied by friends and family.

[Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP]

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