Showing posts with label jay-z. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jay-z. Show all posts
Privacy Group Asks FTC to Investigate Jay-Z's Samsung App
Two weeks ago, in the buildup to Jay-Z's release of Magna Carta Holy Grail, we asked: How much is too much information? The rapper paired with Samsung to release 1 million copies of the album through an exclusive app. The only catch was users had to grant Samsung access to storage, system tools, network communications, phone calls, and much more information.
But it seems the advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center, aka EPIC, has a problem with Samsung's data mining practices. They are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.
“Samsung failed to disclose material information about the privacy practices of the App, collected data unnecessary to the functioning of the Magna Carta App, deprived users of meaningful choice regarding the collection of their data, interfered with device functionality, and failed to implement reasonable data minimization procedures,” the group said in the complaint.
Samsung believes the complaint with the FTC is unwarranted and that the Magna Carta app's permissions are no different from any other apps on the market, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Samsung responded to the complaint in a statement: "Any information obtained through the application download process was purely for customer verification purposes, app functionality purposes, and for marketing communications, but only if the customer requests to receive those marketing communications. Samsung is in no way inappropriately using or selling any information obtained from users through the download process."
And Jeremiah Reynolds, an intellectual property lawyer, agrees with the electronics company.
“People may believe it’s intrusive, but as long is it’s correctly described and as long as the people give consent, I don’t see what the issue is,” he said.
To paraphrase Hov: Samsung's got 99 problems and a FTC investigation could be one.
Jay-Z Address Harry Belafonte.
Like wife Beyonce, Jay-Z often addresses public scandals in new music rather than in the press. On his new album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” he talks about the backlash against his daughter, Blue Ivy, his beef with Lil Wayne and more. One of the more glaring situations he addresses is his conflict with Harry Belafonte.
In August of 2012, Harry Belafonte went on record criticizing Jay-Z and Beyonce’s lack of social responsibility. He said to The Hollywood Reporter:
“I think one of the great abuses of this modern time is that we should have had such high-profile artists, powerful celebrities. But they have turned their back on social responsibility. That goes for Jay-Z and Beyonce, for example. Give me Bruce Springsteen, and now you’re talking. I really think he is black.”
The quote received a lot of attention, prompting Beyonce to respond in The Wall Street Journal with a short list of all the “unselfish” work she’s done. Jay-Z remained mum until now.
On a new track, “Nickles and Dimes,” he says:
“I’m just trying to find common ground/ ‘Fore Mr. Belafonte come and chop a n*gga down/ Mr. Day O, major fail/ Respect these youngins boy, it’s my time now/ Hublot homie two door homie/ You don’t know all the sh*t I do for the homies.”
It could be argued that both Belafonte and Jay-Z hit below the belt, but some felt Jay-Z went too far in his disrespect of the actor and social activist.
“The other thing that jumps out about this verse is how abrasive Jay is with Mr. Belafonte. Harry Belafonte is 86-years-old. At this point in his life, there shouldn’t be anything at all the aging gentleman could say that should warrant someone 40 years his junior rapping profanities in his direction. It’s not about who’s right or who’s wrong, it’s about respecting your elders. [...] Age aside – this is Harry Belafonte we’re talking about. This is a man who’s spent his entire life dedicated to causes of freedom, human equality and social justice. Calling him Mr. Day-O, a mocking allusion to his biggest hit “Banana Boat Song,” is wrong, calling him “boy” while urging him to respect you because it’s “our time now,” is dead wrong.”
There’s also the fact that racist white men often referred to black males as “boy” regardless of their age as a way to disrespect them and insult their masculinity. “Boy” is a weighted term for an older black man, and I’m sure Jay-Z is well aware of its significance.
What do you think, Clutchettes? Did Jay-Z go too far?
JAY-Z PLATINUM BEFORE THE ALBUM RELEASE.
If 1 Million records gets SOLD and billboard doesnt report it, did it happen? Ha. #newrules #magnacartaholygrail Platinum!!! VII IV XIII
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) June 17, 2013
BEYONCE SIPS WINE AND GET COZY WITH JIGGA-MAN A MIDST PREGNANCY RUMORS.
Beyonce drinks wine on Jay-Z's lap in new images posted to her Tumblr while she was in Berlin for her tour.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Beyonce proved it when a photo of her with husband Jay-Z sipping wine at a restaurant in Berlin was taken during some downtime on a tour stop, reports Global Grind.
The singer has been busy on her “Mrs. Carter Show World Tour” and hasn’t addressed the pregnancy rumors directly.
However, according to the Daily Mail, she did momentarily have an Instagram post that slammed “low life people” who started the buzz but it was quickly removed and it wasn’t clear if she herself was the one that wrote it.
“I can’t stop the rumors from starting, and I can’t really change people’s minds who believe them, all I can do is sit back and laugh at these low life people who have nothing better to do than talk about me.”
But the photo of her drinking seems to confirm there’s no second child coming.
Beyonce posted an image of wine to her Tumblr while she was in Berlin for her tour.
Jay-Z reportedly told New York City radio station Hot 97’s programming director, Ebro Darden, that the rumors were untrue.
“I emailed on some congratulations, send my love to the family, blah, blah, blah,” Darden said. “He emailed me back and said it’s not true.”
So maybe this is Mrs. Carter’s way of setting the record straight?
Either way, the couple looked to be having a great time together as they were both dressed casually and made stops around town to take photos.
One included a snapshot of Jay-Z holding his wife as she did a high kick in front of some street art. Another showed them cuddling up at an eatery where they enjoyed Barolo red wine together.
Jay-Z reportedly told New York City radio station Hot 97’s programming director, Ebro Darden, that the rumors were untrue.
“I emailed on some congratulations, send my love to the family, blah, blah, blah,” Darden said. “He emailed me back and said it’s not true.”
So maybe this is Mrs. Carter’s way of setting the record straight?
Either way, the couple looked to be having a great time together as they were both dressed casually and made stops around town to take photos.
One included a snapshot of Jay-Z holding his wife as she did a high kick in front of some street art. Another showed them cuddling up at an eatery where they enjoyed Barolo red wine together.
Jay-Z Cheers On Brooklyn Nets at Playoff Game
He may have sold his ownership stake in the team, but Jay-Z will be a Nets fan forever. Days after relinquishing his investment, the hip-hop mogul was spotted courtside at the Nets vs. Chicago Bulls playoff game at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Saturday.
Wearing a black Hooligans sweatshirt, gold chain, and backwards Nets hat, he cheered for his home team alongside Roc Nation executive Ty Ty.
After bringing the Nets to Brooklyn, Jay-Z was forced to sell his stake in the team so that he could pursue his latest venture, Roc Nation Sports, which signed New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano as their first client.
“My job as an owner is over but as a fan it has just begun,” he wrote in an open letter on his website.
Jay-Z Covers TIME Magazines "100 most influential people in the world"
From the corners of Marcy Projects to the cover of Time magazine, the global icon Jay-Z is the latest to be featured on their new “100 most influential people in the world” issue. The article piece was written by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg:
Jay Z embodies so much of what makes New York New York. A kid from a tough neighborhood who grows up in public housing, overcomes lots of bad influences on the street, never lets go of his dream, makes it to the top — and then keeps going, pursuing new outlets for his creativity and ambition. When no one would sign him to a record contract, he created his own label and built a music empire — before going on to design clothing lines, open sports bars and, most recently, represent professional athletes. He’s an artist-entrepreneur who stands at the center of culture and commerce in 21st century America, and his influence stretches across races, religions and regions. He’s never forgotten his roots — “Empire State of Mind” was a love song to our city — and as a co-owner of the NBA Nets, he helped bring a major league sports team back to Brooklyn, not far from his old neighborhood. In nearly everything he’s tried, he’s found success. (He even put a ring on Beyoncé.) And in doing so, he’s proved that the American Dream is alive and well.
Jay-Z And Beyonce Celebrate Five-Year Wedding Anniversary In Cuba
Jay-Z and Beyonce are used to causing a stir wherever they go and their most recent trip down to Cuba is no different. The power couple, celebrating their five year wedding anniversary today (April 4), managed to send the public in a small frenzy as they dined at a restaurant in Havana. The couple was flocked by fans as they dined at La Guarida in Havana to the point where the police had to step in to keep the crowd under control. The crowd took to calling out Beyonce’s name until she finally came out into the balcony to wave hello to all her fans. Snapshots of Bey and Jay show them touring colonial Old Havana today. B has a camera in hand while Jay, looking very summery, is puffing away on a Cuban cigar. Beyonce’s new Pepsi commercial dropped today, after much speculation that Queen B was dropping new music (considering that April 4 is a symbolic date for her and Jay.) It’s nice to see the couple taking a break from their busy lives to celebrate their marriage with a well-deserved vacation- I mean Jay-Z is only a few steps away from basically dominating every industry.
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