Turner Network Television has tapped Def Jam president Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter to star in a series of eight 30-second ads promoting the 2006-07 NBA season on TNT.
The first Jay-Z promo spot, dubbed “The Truth About Stardom,” begins airing nationwide today. The seven other spots will be rolled out in the coming weeks. The eight different ads, all filmed in New York, find Jay-Z sharing his thoughts on a variety of topics, including competition, talent, stardom and legacy.
An extended director’s cut of Jay-Z’s interview will be available on TNT OverTime at NBA.com. Additionally, discussions are currently taking place to have the spots shown in Regal Cinemas nationwide.
The Jay-Z spots—part of TNT’s larger “Let the Truth Be Told” marketing campaign—coincide with the release of Jay-Z’s comeback album, “Kingdom Come,” due Nov. 21 via Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam.
Turner Sports VP/creative director Craig Barry calls the Jay-Z promo series dramatic, smart and provocative. “Using Jay-Z’s own words and powerhouse persona, we wanted to showcase his sophisticated style to parallel the tenets of sports and music.”
Jay-Z’s deal with TNT arrives a few months after his branding partnership with HP, which featured the music mogul in a 60-second TV ad as part of HP’s “The Computer Is Personal Again” campaign.
