From the Nokia press release:
On the heels of the recently released, chart-topping Black Album by superstar rapper and hip-hop artist Jay-Z, Nokia will produce a special edition of the Nokia 3300 music phone called the Black Phone. The Black Phone comes preloaded with the entire Black Album on a Multimedia Card for MP3 playback. Also exclusive to the Black Phone are Jay-Z True Tones (ring tones that sound like real music) and wallpapers. Registered owners of the Black Phone will receive weekly text messages and monthly voice messages from Jay-Z for a limited time. The Black Phone will be available for approximately $124 (after mail-in rebates) beginning Friday, December 19 at select Sam Goody and Media Play locations nationwide.
“Technology now provides us with the opportunity to deliver music in new ways. The Black Phone is at the forefront of the future which includes buying music instantly and taking itwith you wherever you go,” said Jay-Z. “Teaming with Nokia to develop the Black Phone provides me with a deeper connection to my fans through my music and mobile messaging.” An entrepreneur atheart, Jay-Z has risen to the top of the rap genre since starting his own record label, Roc-a-Fella Records, which was a risky strategy at a time when the practice simply wasn’t done or on such anambitious scale. His debut album, Reasonable Doubt, became a critical favorite and received gold single status. But it wasn’t until his third album, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life, that Jay-Ztranscended critically acclaimed status and achieved mainstream success. By the end of the ’90s, he was among the world’s most recognized rappers. With the much-anticipated recent release ofthe Black Album, Jay-Z has hovered in the number one spot on the Billboard charts for several weeks. “The Black Phone represents Nokia’s commitment to music and developing devices that matchthe lifestyles of consumers,” said Nada Usina, general manager of Nokia’s Entertainment and Media business unit. “This relationship pairs the leader in mobility with a leading artist to delivermusic and the full fan experience in a unique new way. Jay-Z has always been a trendsetter and he is continuing that by being the first artist to distribute his music and connect with fans in amobile environment. This is a move to watch.” The Black Phone will be available exclusively in stores at Sam Goody and Media Play starting Friday. Sam Goody, the mall-based musicretailer, and Media Play, the music, movies, books and games superstore, will carry the Black Phone in approximately 400 retail locations. “The Black Phone bridges the music and lifestylepreferences of our trend-conscious customers. This is an innovative beginning to how Musicland will build relationships with our customers on the go,” Musicland CEO Eric Weisman said. About the Black Phone The Black Phone is a special design of the Nokia 3300 music phone, which has a digital music player (supports MP3 and AAC), stereo* FM radio and a music hotbutton to instantly access music. It features a horizontal design with a full messaging keyboard optimized for quick text input in messaging and browsing. It supports multiple ways for textchatting including instant messaging (IM), e-mail, multimedia messaging (MMS) and text messaging. Built for stylish and trendy music lovers who need to message on the go, the Black Phone is meant toshow the personality of its users with True Tones, multimedia message templates and color wallpapers. The dual band (850/1900MHz) Nokia 3300 music phone also has a high-resolution color display(128 x 128). For more information about the Nokia 3300 music phone, visit Nokia’s Website.
