Jay-Z's Hard At Work W/ 'Blueprint III' Follow-Up, "He's Started Again"

Fans hoping to learn more about the progress of Jay-Z's Blueprint III follow-up can start getting even more excited as producer No I.D. promises the hip-hop mogul is chipping away at new music.

While minimal on the details, No I.D. said Jay is steadily crafting away records.

"Jay has started again," reveals No I.D., who worked with the hip-hop superstar on "Blueprint 3" hits like "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" and "Run This Town." "He played me a couple of things. I gave him some music while we were at the 'Watch the Throne' sessions. But with Jay, you never know what he's really doing, thinking, planning until it's really done... I'm sure he'll make a decision one day to make an album very quickly, like he usually does. He's one of the best, period. I think he's at a place where he has visions of what he wants to do, and it's not really dependent on any of us. It's dependent on his vision and he's gonna do it, [and] hopefully I'll be involved." (Billboard)

Watch the Throne contributing producer Verse Simmonds recently talked to SOHH about contributing to Jay's next solo effort.

"I'm really antcipating [his new album] and I'm really excited about it because we're really going to go hard and try to make sure we make a big stamp on that album as well," Verse told SOHH when asked how excited he is to contribute to Jay's upcoming solo LP. "I think when everybody listens to the [LP and the] Watch the Throne album and see our contributions to that too, it's going to make a lot of people really pay a lot of attention to us. You know what I'm saying? I'm really excited about." (SOHH)

Last September, rap veteran Q-Tip said he was working on Jay's solo LP.

"You know, I hate to sound self-involved but I feel like I haven't peaked yet. I have a lot to give still. I still look the part... I still got it. I'm getting ready to work on stuff for Mary J. Blige... Kanye [West] and I are gonna continue to work together. We're doing some stuff for Jay-Z's new album that's coming out in the spring, and then after Jay's thing I'm gonna start recording my new album...Kanye should be working on that, too." (XXL Mag)

In February 2010, Jay said he would not begin working on a new solo album until wrapping up the Blueprint III tour.

Mr. Carter tells The Associated Press that he has started thinking about his twelfth studio album. "Maybe after I finish [the 'BP3'] tour I'll start another album," he reveals, adding, "Maybe at the end of the year. We'll see if the inspiration hits me." But for now, he's concentrating on perfecting the second leg of his arena tour. "I've been working on my live show for 10 years now, just trying to get it better and better. I used to come out with just a DJ, now I got a band. The production's gotten bigger and the lighting guy takes off his shoes and he plays to the beat," he laughs. "The whole thing is being upgraded every single year." (Rap-Up)