Jay-Z speaks at a press conference for the 'Answer The Call' charity concert at Madison Square Garden. New York City, USA - 31.08.09 (Copyright: MJ Pool - photo supplied by WENN)

A handful of tracks from the album, which is set for release on 11 September (09), have made their way to the internet in recent weeks, but the whole album was available illegally over the weekend.

Hearing the news just before a press conference to promote his upcoming 11 September (09) New York concert, Jay-Z played the leak down, stating, "I may be the most bootlegged artist in history. It's a preview. I'm excited for people to hear the album. I'm very proud of the work I've done, so enjoy it."

Source: WENN