Jay Z's Roc Nation imprint has added a new artist to the roster. Billboard has confirmed that Canadian rapper and The Weeknd collaborator Belly has joined the Roc Nation roster. His first album with the label is expected to be released in 2016.

Belly is known for co-writing six songs on The Weeknd's album The Beauty Behind The Madness, including the hit single "The Hills." Belly first earn recognition as a solo artist through his 2007 debut album The Revolution, which won a Juno Award for Best Rap Recording of the Year. Billboard spoke to Belly about his new deal with Roc Nation, who described how the partnership came to be.

"It's exciting stuff," Belly told Billboard. "I want to say it was just a complete focus on my craft and my music and I put together a project that I felt like was representative of me as an artist. And I think I just got the right ears with it to the point where Jay Z was interested and heard it and invited me over. And we had a conversation and that was that, you know? A man's handshake, that's all it takes sometimes."

More From XXL