[noisereductions]

Jay Z was involved in an alleged extortion plot concerning master recordings that were previously thought to be lost, TMZ reports. Producer Chauncey Mahan, who worked with Hov from 1998 to 2002, was questioned by the Los Angeles police department on Friday regarding his possession of master tapes that Jay Z's camp assumed went missing in 2002.
Mahan allegedly contacted Live Nation, the concert promotion company that is partnered with Jay Z on Roc Nation, and said he would either let the tapes go up for auction or accept $100,00 for them. After agreeing to $75,000, he went to meet Jay Z's people, who had already contacted the LAPD. Mahan was then detained for questioning by the LAPD, who took possession of the tapes while it's determined who owns them.
TMZ reports that the tapes are worth $15 to $20 million. Mahan wasn't arrested, but the Beverly Hills police department is investigating him for extortion, while Jay Z's people have filed a grand larceny complaint with the NYPD.

uh so I think the thing to really take out of this is - maybe we'll get an album of unreleased 98-02 songs???