Jackson Wang has signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation for management, and he’s marking the moment with the rollout of a new song and video.
The video for “Thank You,” Jackson’s first taste of new music since joining Roc Nation, is directed by the 32-year-old artist himself alongside Ojun Kwon. The two opted to shoot the video in black and white using the new iPhone 18 Pro, which was unveiled at the latest Apple Event in Cupertino earlier this month.
Joining Jackson on set were fans from around the globe who scored the chance to take part in the shoot after applications from over 80 countries were fielded, with the pool ultimately whittled down to 30 lucky participants.
In a lengthy note shared to Instagram, Jackson explained how the video represented the latest manifestation of what he sees as the responsibility of artists.
“I don’t need a middle person or a filter standing between me and my fans,” he wrote. “Because from day one, it has always been about me and my fans. I want to make sure my fans know as much as possible about who I am and what I am as a human being. There shouldn’t be guessing. There shouldn’t be assumptions.”
Jackson’s Roc Nation management signing brings him under the same umbrella as ASAP Rocky, Clipse, Lil Uzi Vert, Megan Thee Stallion, Rihanna, and more.
“Before all this, Wang was a Junior Olympic-level saber fencer, and that competitive fire still burns through everything he touches,” Roc Nation reps said in a press release on Monday (Sept. 21) when detailing Jackson’s numerous career milestones. “It's the spirit of someone who refuses categories: athlete, artist, entrepreneur, creative director. And there's no indication he's stopping anytime soon.”
Watch the iPhone-shot “Thank You” video up top.