Exclusive: Roc Nation Names Jason Iley Label President

Roc Nation Records, home to J. Cole, Rita Ora, Jay Electronica and Bridget Kelly, has named Jason Iley as its president. He comes to the newly minted position from his most recent post as president of Mercury Records in the U.K. Iley will be based in New York.  

“Jason has a vision that extends beyond the status quo,” says Roc Nation founder/CEO Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter in announcing the appointment. “He’s innovative, has an ear for what’s ‘next’ and sees past mundane, by-the-numbers marketing.”

Named Mercury president in 2005, Iley worked with Elton John, Paul McCartney, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Rihanna and Jake Bugg, among others. During his 15-year career with Universal Music U.K., Iley also held senior executive posts at Polydor and Island.

“Jay-Z is not only a great artist but also has the sharpest business mind in entertainment,” states Iley. “And I’m delighted to join [president] Jay Brown, Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith and the rest of the Roc Nation team in the biggest music market in the world.”

The label's next big release is J. Cole's sophomore album Born Sinner, which bows on Tuesday (June 18). 

In April, Roc Nation entered into a multi-year, worldwide partnership with Universal Music Group. The pact allows the label to operate as a standalone within UMG. Financial terms of the deal, which became effective immediately, were not disclosed.