Jay-Z is currently not signed to any record label as an artist. Instead, he owns his own record label, Roc Nation, which he founded in 2008. This makes him one of the most successful independent artists in the music industry.

Throughout his career, Jay-Z has been associated with several record labels:

1993-1997: Priority Records/Payday Records
1997-2004: Roc-A-Fella Records/Def Jam
2004-2007: Def Jam Recordings (as President and CEO)
2008-Present: Roc Nation (as founder and owner)

It's worth noting that while Jay-Z releases his music through Roc Nation, the company is much more than just a record label. It's a full-service entertainment company that handles artist management, music publishing, touring, film/TV production, and sports management.

The last album Jay-Z released was "4:44" in 2017, which was distributed through Roc Nation and Universal Music Group. This partnership with Universal allows him to maintain creative control while leveraging their global distribution network.

For clarity, here's what makes Jay-Z's current situation unique:

- He owns his own label rather than being signed to one
- He has complete creative control over his music
- He can release music whenever he wants without label approval
- He maintains ownership of his master recordings

This independence has been a significant factor in Jay-Z becoming hip-hop's first billionaire, as he keeps a much larger share of his music earnings compared to artists signed to traditional record labels.

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