According to a report from hip hop blog, Spitfirehiphop, Jonathan Hay has sold his shares of SMH Records in a six-figure departure deal to pursue other business ventures.
The report by the site also indicates that Hay will continue with a distribution deal under SMH Records and will also appear in the first two episodes of the One Shot rap competition series in episodes that feature celebrity guest judges RZA and T.I.
Moving forward, Hay will place a bigger focus on his own musical production and is currently working on a debut production project called “Colorblind and Reclusive,” that will feature co-production from Mike Smith and DJ King Tech. The project is slated for a June release. Features in the product include Twista, Inspectah Deck of Wu-Tang Clan, KXNG CROOKED and Royce da 5’9 of Slaughterhouse. Cyhi the Prynce, DJ Revolution, Horseshoe Gang, Russ Smith, Shalé, Mitch Littlez, Madchild, Nino Bless, Kool G Rap, Sadat X, Skyzoo, Wordsworth, Frankie Porkchops, Troy Ave and others will also appear. “My passion is strategizing and developing new businesses,” said Hay in a released statement.
“Taking an idea from the ground floor and turning it into something real is what I love to do. The inner workings and the time it takes to materialize an idea and turn it into the perfect storm is where I do my best work. Once the idea has come to fruition and it’s out in the public eye, I feel like my work is done and it’s time for me to move on. At that point it’s best for me to pass the baton to people who can finish and win the race.”
According to hip hop blog Boombox, Hay’s new endeavors include an apparel and merchandising line called Urban Hitchcock. The brand will launch next week, with KXNG CROOKED of Slaughterhouse (Shady Records) as the first face of the line.
Daily Candid News indicates that Hay has also launched a secondary company called Jonathan Hay Celebrity which will focus on major celebrity projects. Daily Candid News also says that one of the first projects involves an upcoming movie with Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, a Louisville, Kentucky native.
Visit JonathanHayCelebrity.com for further info.
