Jay-Z Ready to Take on Corporate World

NEW YORK (AP) _ Jay-Z took the job as president of Def Jam Recordings for a couple of reasons: He needed a challenge and he wanted to prove he's more than just a rapper. <br/><br/>``I'd been in

Monday, August 29th 2005, 9:54 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Jay-Z took the job as president of Def Jam Recordings for a couple of reasons: He needed a challenge and he wanted to prove he's more than just a rapper.

``I'd been in my comfort zone for a while,'' the rapper and mogul told The New York Times for its Sunday editions. ``I was bored. I didn't want to be doing rap just to do it: Oh, it's November again. Time to put out another record.''

Jay-Z, who's real name is Shawn Carter, said the limited number of black executives in the music industry was also a concern.

``I know people think that this is a vanity job or that I'm the guy that just brings in talent and I'm out of the office three months a year and I only come in once in a while,'' he said. ``But yes, I'm really there.''

Jay-Z, 35, released 10 albums in less than a decade that have sold more than 33 million copies. He also won four Grammy Awards.