Willow Smith, 9, Signs Record Deal With Jay-Z

September 9, 2010

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Willow Smith, the nine-year-old daughter of actor Will Smith, has signed a record deal with rapper Jay-Z and her first single is already kicking up a storm on the Internet.



Jay-Z told radio host Ryan Seacrest in an interview on Thursday that he thought Willow had a superstar career in front of her based on her first hip-hop single "Whip My Hair."

"I heard the record first before I knew that it was recorded by a nine year old and I was like, man that record's a smash," the performer and record producer told Seacrest. "I believe in superstars. I believe on big records on superstars and I think she has both."

"Whip My Hair" had been viewed more than 100,000 times on YouTube after just a day of being released.

"She has a child's innocence but she has a clear vision of who she is and who she wants to be," Jay-Z said, comparing Willow to a young Michael Jackson.

Jay-Z's record label Roc Nation said in a statement that Willow "has an energy and enthusiasm about her music that is truly infectious...Willow is about to embark on an incredible journey and we look forward to joining her as she grows in all aspects of her career."

Jay-Z, one of the most influential artists in the U.S. music industry, signed R&B artist Rihanna when she was a teenager. Willow's distinctive lop-sided hair cut and debut single have both been compared to Rihanna's.

Jay-Z brushed aside suggestions that Willow may be too young at nine years old to launch a music career. "When you have that sort of talent, there is no such thing as too young," he said on Thursday.

Willow, the daughter of "Men in Black" actor Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, follows her brother Jaden in an early start to a high profile career. Jaden Smith, 12, starred in the movie "The Karate Kid" earlier this year.

Source: Reuters

 

*The Next Big Thing In Hollywood*

 

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She's cute and the song's catchy. She sounds like Rihanna on the hook. I actually prefer this to RihRih's new song.

 

I was about to criticize Jay but the song is crack. Gotta admit that.

 

Good for her. Must be nice to have Will Smith as your dad. Talk about networking

 

She got it going on.

 

Doesn't this girl look like she belongs in Young Money with her weird ass dress sense?

 

They did some serious tuning on her voice, no way possible is her voice that deep at 9 years old. You know technology is out there when you can make a 9 year old sound like Rhianna lol.

 

I actually like it too. I am sure with two talented parents she is full of talent and what it takes to make it. And yes having the connections won't hurt either.