Jay-Z and Stargate have teamed-up to form a new record label called StarRoc.

According to sources, Jay Z and Norwegian producers Stargate have formed a new label called StaRoc and the duo have moved their studio to Jay-Z's Roc The Mic Studios in Manhattan.

Stargate is the production team responsible for co-writing worldwide hits including "Don't Stop The Music" and "Take A Bow" for Rihanna, "Because of You" and "Closer" for Ne-Yo, "Irreplaceable" for Beyonce, and "With You" for Chris Brown. 

Their songs picked up five nominations at this year's Grammy Awards for “Hate that I love you” (Rihanna), “Because of you” (Ne-Yo), “Wait for you” (Elliott Yamins) “Irreplaceable” (Beyoncé) and “Tattoo” (Jordin Sparks), while "Beautiful Liar" (performed by Beyonce and Shakira) earned them the Ivor Novello award for Best British Song.  They were named Hitmakers of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine earlier this year.

Stargate is comprised of Erik Harmansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen.  The group started as a trio but the third member, Hallgeir Rustan, refused to come to New York and remains a producer in Norway.  The three men began their career by remixing American Hip Hop and R&B songs for the European market before deciding to move to America to follow their dream.  “We knew that to make the records we really wanted to make, we had to go to America,” said Eriksen.  

They finally settled in New York in 2005.  Since relocating they have written songs for  Mary J Blige, Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Jessica Simpson, Jordin Sparks, Nas, Elliott Yamin, Enrique Iglesias, Mario, Usher and Kelly Rowland, just to name a few.

Their first big break came when they met Ne-Yo, by chance, in a hallway at Sony Music Studios.  Recalling their first meeting Ne-Yo said, “They told me they did R&B, and honestly I didn’t believe them".

Ne-Yo gave the producers a chance and the rest is history.  In their first session they wrote six songs, among them the hits "So Sick" and "Sexy Love".  

The reclusive team love their anonymity as they rather let their music take the center stage.  “We have the No. 1 record in the country for 10 weeks, but when we walk down the street no one knows who we are,” said Hermansen, “It’s great.”  Well the secret is out now.