Rumors of a romance between Jay Z and Rihanna have plagued Beyonce for months. Apparently the same rumors aren't affecting the Def Jam CEO and his protégé - who continue to have a close working relationship. But it now appears that Beyonce has had enough. MediaTakeOut.com learned that Beyonce has given Jay Z an ultimatum - to quit his job as head of Def Jam or find a new girlfriend.
MediaTakeOut.com spoke with a Def Jam executive who claims that Beyonce is pressuring Jay Z to step down as CEO. The source tells us, "Beyonce believes that the Rihanna rumors are affecting her public image and that the only way she can stop them is to get [Rihanna] away from her man." The source went on to explain, "[Jay Z] doesn't know what to do - he loves Beyonce, but he loves what he's doing at Def Jam too."
And Beyonce's stunning ultimatum couldn't be worse news for the record label. Before Jay Z took the reigns as head of Def Jam, the company was in serious financial trouble. Since the arrival of President Carter less than two years ago, however, Def Jam has become one of the most successful record labels - producing 6 platinum and 4 gold albums. The hip-hop CEO also refreshed Def Jam's roster by adding some of the hottest artists in urban music, including Ne-Yo, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Nas, and of course Rihanna.
But according to our Def Jam insider, the biggest loser in all of this may be Rihanna. The source explained, "Jay Z has really been pushing her career, and so far it's working ... who knows if the next CEO would give her the same amount of attention."