UPDATE:

Marc Ganis’ comments quoted in the NY Times article, reported below, were originally meant to support Jay-Z’s efforts in launching Roc Nation Sports. In an email statement to TheDrop.fm, Ganis shares that the NY Times reporter chose to use one quote from “a 10-minute interview where I supported and extolled the benefits Jay-Z can bring to the table.”

Ganis believes “fully that Jay-Z will be successful in this venture and his clients will benefit in many, perhaps non-traditional ways as well.” In addition, he sees the rapper as “an exceptional businessman, very smart, very successful and I suspect he will extend his string of success to athlete representation."

"Among the things that distinguish him from the lawyers and accountants who make up the traditional agent pool will be his ability to connect with the star athletes," Ganis states. "The pressures and temptations these young wealthy superstars have before them are many, as they were for Jay-Z. He can help guide them from his own experiences. That is something few agents can do.”

Original story below:

Soon after Jay-Z announced his new sports management company, Roc Nation Sports, with the signing of Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees, some of the sports world's major executives have been criticizing his move into the industry.

Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp, a Chicago-based sports business consulting firm that developed the new Yankee Stadium and Verizon Center, thinks that Jay-Z will use his life experiences to make deals with athletes. While that may be true, Ganis' examples of how Hov will be doing such a thing are not only ridiculous but definitely hitting below the belt.

“What a Jay-Z brings to the table is an ability to connect with the athletes in a way that a player agent who came up as a lawyer or accountant never will,” Ganis told the New York Times. “Jay-Z can say, ‘We both came from humble beginnings, both of us have women chasing us, both of us want to make a lot of money, but not pay a lot in taxes.’ Then, there’s the aura around him.”

Basically Ganis is saying Jay-Z can help athletes like Cano because he also deals with thirsty women wanting to get close to his riches and likes small tax payouts too. Weird reasoning aside, Ganis seems to think the rapper is capable of tapping the sports market. However, there's another agent who isn't supporting 'The Blueprint' creator's new venture and believes Roc Nation Sports is more of a marketing ploy.

“I don’t know a lot about writing songs, and he probably doesn’t know about negotiating player deals,” said the agent, who wished to remain unnamed.

We're sure this individual as well as Ganis doesn't know how to sell out shows or write hit tracks, but they clearly haven't done their homework when it comes to Jay-Z's business know-how.

Not only has he been able to build himself a powerful brand with millions in record and ticket sales, but Jay-Z owns his own management company and label, which represents artists including Rihanna and J. Cole. He also owns a good portion of the now Brooklyn Nets -- formerly called the New Jersey Nets -- and founded urban clothing brand Rocawear, which he sold to Iconix Brand Group for $204 million.

Did we also mention that Forbes named him one of the wealthiest rappers?

Watch Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' Feat. Alicia Keys

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