Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Is Getting into The Book Publishing Game
Variety reports that Roc Nation has formed a partnership with Random House, a division of Penguin Random House, to create Roc Lit 101.
This new venture is devoted to publishing “books at the intersection of entertainment and genre-defying literature, including exhilarating, innovative work from some of the biggest artists and most imaginative and incisive writers of our time on a wide range of subjects such as music, sports, pop culture, activism, and art.”
Per Variety, Roc Lit 101 will launch next summer with the following: “Till the End,” a memoir about MLB pitcher CC Sabathia by Chris Smith and music journalist Danyel Smith’s “Shine Bright,” a memoir/criticism of black women in music.
Other releases set to follow include “fantastical illustrated fiction” from Lil Uzi Vert, “personal narratives” from artists like Meek Mill, and “coming-of-age memoirs” from Fat Joe and Yo Gotti. The imprint will also publish illustrated books, cookbooks, kid’s books, and more.
Jana Fleishman, EVP of Roc Nation, revealed the reason for the creation of Roc Lit 101 in a statement to Variety.
“The goal of Roc Lit 101 is to provide a creative outlet for acclaimed wordsmiths and artists to share their visions with new audiences,” she said. “There are so many untold stories and we consider it a true privilege to be able to amplify diverse voices while exploring the uncharted worlds that are about to open to”