from mtv:

Music industry Web site Hits Daily Double first reported on Tuesday (May 28) that Jay-Z is close to inking a deal with Sony Music for distribution for his Roc Nation banner. According to the report executives for Sony and members of Jay-Z’s business team have been spotted in recent weeks both in New York and Los Angeles meeting together to discuss a deal.

It’s being speculated that Jay-Z’s long-awaited Blueprint 3 album will be released this fall through a Roc Nation/ Sony Music union; Jay has a longstanding connection with Sony Music head/ hit producer Rick Rubin, who helmed Jay’s “99 Problems” and appears in the song’s video.

On Thursday, New York’s Daily News reported that Jay-Z is also in talks with Warner Music Group to launch Carter Music Group, a label that may see the rapper release his own solo albums on Atlantic Records after his next effort.

Warner is headed by veteran Jay-Z allies Chairman Lyor Cohen and Executive Vice President Kevin Liles. All three men once worked together during Def Jam’s heyday, when Jay-Z released albums through a partnership with the label. After Liles left Def Jam to work with Cohen at WMG, it opened the ranks for Jay-Z to assume the presidency of label, a position he held for three years.

In January of this year, Jay-Z spoke with MTV News about this plans for Blueprint 3 and his partnership with concert-promotion giant Live Nation. The rapper reportedly signed a $150 million deal with Live Nation in April 2008, following in the footsteps of U2 and Madonna who also signed hefty 360-styled deals with the company. Part of Jay-Z’s pact included the launch of Roc Nation, a separate company to develop talent and to which Jay-Z has already signed pop producers Stargate to a deal.

“Well, whatever it is, it’ll be Roc Nation. It’s gonna be a partnership with someone,” Jay-Z said earlier this year about his next album. “So whether it’s going to be Def Jam or someone [else], that’s yet to be determined.”

No official word on when either deal will be finalized has been made public as of press time.