Jay-Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail

Magna Carta Holy Grail (alternatively written and stylized as Magna Carta… Holy Grail) is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was made available for free digital download for Samsung customers via the Jay-Z Magna Carta app on July 4, 2013. It was released for retail sale on July 8, 2013, by Roc-A-Fella, Roc Nation, and Universal Music Distribution. The album features guest appearances by Justin Timberlake, Nas, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean and Beyoncé. Most of the album was produced by Timbaland and Jerome “J-Roc” Harmon, while other producers included Boi-1da, Mike Will Made It, Hit-Boy, Mike Dean, No I.D., The-Dream, Swizz Beatz, and Pharrell Williams among others. The album was promoted through various commercials presented by Samsung and was not preceded by any retail singles.

Upon its release, Magna Carta Holy Grail was met with mixed reviews from music critics. Some complimented the album’s production and composition, while others were disappointed with its overall theme and found many songs repetitive. On the day of its physical release in the United States, the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 1,000,000 copies. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 528,000 copies in its first week, making it Jay-Z’s 13th consecutive studio album to top the chart. On September 2, 2013, it was announced that Magna Carta Holy Grail was certified double Platinum by the RIAA, for shipments of two million copies in the United States. The album was nominated in six categories at the 2014 Grammy Awards winning the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration trophy for “Holy Grail” featuring Justin Timberlake.