Jay-Z Sports Agency: Roc Nation Signs Yankees' Robinson Cano
Famed rapper and music mogul Jay-Z is venturing into the world of athlete representation after he signed New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano from popular sports agent Scott Boras.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, used his Roc Nation company to partner with CAA Sports and the two entities formed Roc Nation Sports.
Cano officially changed his sports representation with the Major League Baseball Players Association on Tuesday, making the change from Boras to CAA Sports agent Brodie Van Wagenen.
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''CAA is built on a culture of collaboration and this relationship is no different,'' Van Wagenen said in a statement. ''Jay and I will both be involved in all aspects of Robinson's representation on and off the field.''
Cano is in the final year of a 6-year $52 million contract and will be able to become a free agent at the end of the season.
''At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors both on and off the field,'' Cano said in a statement.
Jay-Z, who is part owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, revealed that he made the decision to venture into the sports representation market because he feels he can help athletes just like he has helped artists under his label.
''Because of my love of sports, it was a natural progression to form a company where we can help top athletes in various sports the same way we have been helping artists in the music industry for years,'' Jay-Z said in a statement.
However, given that Jay-Z is a part owner of a NBA team as well as having other agreements with Major League venues and their owners as a performer, MLB union representatives have yet to issue full certification to Jay-Z and Roc Nation Sports.
''The Roc Nation personnel who will be working in baseball must become certified as either general or limited agents,'' union special adviser Rick Shapiro told the Associated Press.
''These people have applied for, and been granted, temporary limited certification. His ownership in the Nets is an issue we will look into when we receive the full application package," he added.
