Joey Badass Is Still Confused As To How He ‘Botched’ A Deal With Jay-Z’s Roc Nation

After taking time away to focus on his acting career, Joey Badass is diving head first back into music. Yesterday (May 13), the “Tell Me” rapper appeared alongside Uproxx cover star Big Sean and Ab-Soul for the Red Bull Spiral freestyle.

But Joey Badass had something besides bars to hand out. He also had a few origin stories to share. During a sit-down with Red Bull, Joey spoke about his early days in the underground Brooklyn rap scene and how his path eventually crossed with fellow BK native Jay-Z.

According to Joey Badass, he nearly inked a management deal with Roc Nation. Unfortunate for him, it slipped through his fingers.

When asked about remaining steadfast to the independent route, Joey made the shocking confession.

“I didn’t necessarily opt to go the indie route,” he said.

“It was a chain of communication that I didn’t have any part in,” he continued referring to the failed partnership. “You gotta understand, at that point I’m a 17-year-old kid from Brooklyn, that was the dream, the highest honor you can have.”

Joey then chimed: “Jay is my favorite rapper, even to this day, and within a year of being in the game he wanted to sign me. But he didn’t want to sign me as an artist, he wanted to manage me. I had a manager at the time and I always wonder if that’s how it got botched.”

Eventually, the pair would attempt to connect for another venture, Western film The Harder They Fall (produced by Jay-Z and directed by Jeymes Samuel). Joey Badass was supposedly approached to joining the movie’s cast but ultimately had to decline as he had recently committed to his role in 50 Cent’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan.

If only for a sense of Brooklyn unity, fans hope to see Jay-Z and Joey Badass work together at some point.