Jay-Z’s new album leaks, no longer a Samsung exclusive

Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail arrived on a million Samsung phones today, courtesy of a pioneering cross-promotional deal that will see the Brooklyn MC’s new album hit platinum status before it even arrives in stores. But it’s also everywhere online (except stores), thrown up on scores of blogs and torrent trackers almost immediately after the midnight ET launch.

With Samsung rumored to have paid in the neighborhood of $20 million to secure the endorsement, it all seems a little futile in retrospect. But what Samsung receives is more valuable than just an incentive to buy their devices. The company gets its name plastered across the internet alongside one of the most desirable brands in music.

In fact, the people that seem to be the most burned by the release are Samsung owners. Twitter is full of complaints about gateway errors when trying to download the album from the company’s servers. Similarly, the app’s listing on the Play store is heavily skewed between five-star and one-star reviews, with many describing frustration with the rollout.

The 15-track album includes features from Rick Ross and Beyonce, with ‘Suit and Tie’ collaborator Justin Timberlake singing on the title track, ‘Holy Grail.’ The official release of the album is July 9th.

Update: An earlier version of this story contained a factual error. The Samsung app for Magna Carta Holy Grail does allow users to download their choice of clean or explicit versions provided they are over 18 years of age.