Jay-Z Infected W/ March Madness, Spotted Along W/ Ashely Judd & Shaq At Final Four

Rap mogul Jay-Z took a trip down to the Big Easy over the weekend to watch the NCAA Mach Madness college basketball tournament, specifically the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals.

Jay and other celebrities including actress Ashely Judd and retired NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal were also spotted at Saturday night's match-up.

Jay-Z was suffering from a case of March Madness this past weekend. Hova took his boys down to the Final Four Saturday in New Orleans, and the rapper was spotted outside the Kentucky locker room in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome before the Wildcats' national semifinal game against Louisville. Thanks in part to his relationship with basketball power broker William (Worldwide Wes) Wesley, a consultant for CAA who reps Kentucky coach John Calipari, Jay-Z has become a big Kentucky fan. Clutching the jersey of Kentucky forward (and New Jersey native) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the hip-hop legend sat close to the Kentucky bench, not far from rabid Wildcats fan Ashley Judd and Nike founder Phil Knight. Other celebs in the crowd included Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Robbins. (New York Daily News)

The rap mogul-turned-NBA co-owner was fined for an unauthorized visit inside the Wildcats' locker room last year.

The New Jersey Nets have been fined $50,000 for Nets minority owner Jay-Z's presence in the Kentucky locker room after the Wildcats clinched a Final Four berth, according to sources with knowledge of the penalty. Word circulated around the league Friday that an unnamed team -- which sources confirmed to ESPN.com is the Nets -- was fined for violating league rules that prohibit contact with players who still have collegiate basketball eligibility remaining. (ESPN)

A week prior, an NBA investigation was confirmed by a league spokesperson.

An NBA spokesman confirms that the league is investigating Jay-Z's presence in Kentucky's locker room after the Wildcats clinched a Final Four berth. The rapper visited the players after their victory over North Carolina on Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J, home of the Nets. Jay-Z is a part-owner of the team and attended the Nets' 120-116 loss at New York on Wednesday. (Billboard)

Jay's ownership in the New Jersey Nets restricts his distance from ineligible NBA draft players.

NBA rules prohibit team personnel from having contact with players who are not yet draft eligible, and spokesman Tim Frank told the Associated Press the league is looking into it. The investigation was first reported by CBSSports.com. (Daily News)