Jay-Z (born Shawn Corey Carter, December 4, 1969) is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Manhattan-based talent agency Roc Nation. It is widely recognized that he is one of the most influential hip-hop artists. In his capacity as the CEO of Def Jam Recordings, he has played a pivotal role in the creative and commercial success of artists such as Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole. The rapper Jay-Z was born and raised in New York City; he co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and released his debut studio album Reasonable Doubt in 1996.
As a result of its release, the album received widespread critical acclaim and cemented his position as a leading musician. His subsequent albums include The Blueprint (2001), The Black Album (2003), American Gangster (2007), and 4:44 (2017). In addition, he has also released two full-length collaborative albums with Kanye West and Beyoncé, Watch the Throne (2011) and Everything Is Love (2018). Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire through his business ventures.
A decade later, he founded Rocawear, a clothing retailer, and 40/40 Club, a luxury sports bar chain. The two businesses have grown to become multi-million-dollar corporations, which allowed him to establish Roc Nation in 2008. In 2015, he acquired Aspiro and became the CEO of its media streaming service Tidal. He launched a line of cannabis products called “Monogram” in 2020. Having sold over 140 million records worldwide, Jay-Z holds the joint-most Grammy awards of any rapper, along with Kanye West, with 24.
Furthermore, Jay-Z holds the record for the number-one album by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 (14). As well as being the recipient of the NAACP President’s Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Sports Emmy Award, he has also been nominated for a Tony Award. The first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first solo living rapper to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jay-Z is ranked by Billboard and Rolling Stone as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Time magazine named him one of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2013.
Jay-Z Bio/Wiki
The table below reveals concise information about Jay-Z. It allows you to read through the famous American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Manhattan-based talent agency Roc Nation’s profile as quickly as possible.
Birth Name/ Real Name | Shawn Corey Carter |
Nickname/ Popular Name | • S-dot • Young Hov • Jazzy (or Jay-Z) • Hova, Jigga • J-Hova • Jiggaman • Iceberg Slim • Lucky Lefty • Joe Camel • Hov |
Age | 54 Years (as of 2023) |
Religion | Christianity |
Sun Sign/Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
Birth Place | Brooklyn, New York, NY |
Date of Birth | 4 December 1969 |
Nationality | American |
Residence | Bel Air, Los Angeles |
Home Town | Bedford-Stuyvesant area, Brooklyn |
Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
Hobbies | Reading, Listening and Writing Music, Art, Philanthropy |
Parents/Family |
|
Mother's Name | Gloria Carter |
Father's Name | Adnis Reeves |
Brother(s) | Eric Carter |
Sister(s) | • Andrea Carter (Corrections officer at Rikers Island) • Michelle Carter |
Girlfriends/Affairs |
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Affairs/Girlfriends | • Blu Cantrell • Aaliyah • Rosario Dawson • Karrine Steffans • Shenelle Scott • T-Boz • Carmen Bryan • Marie “Free” Wright • Cathy Michelle White |
Marital Status, Wife and Children |
|
Wife/Spouse | Beyoncé Knowles (m. 2008) |
Children | Daughter(s)- • Blue Ivy Carter • Rumi Carter Son(s)- Sir Carter |
Education |
|
School | • Eli Whitney High School, Brooklyn • George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, Downtown Brooklyn • Trenton Central High School |
College/University | Not Available |
Educational Qualification | High School drop out |
Professional Profile |
|
Profession | Rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Manhattan-based talent agency Roc Nation |
Genre | Hip hop |
Debut | Reasonable Doubt (1996) |
Years Active | 1986–present |
Organization | Shawn Carter Foundation |
Title | • Founder of 40/40 Club and Roc Nation • Co-founder of Rocawear • CEO of Project Panther Bidco |
Board member of | • Tidal • Aspiro |
Labels | • Roc Nation • Atlantic • Def Jam • Roc-A-Fella • Freeze • NorthWestSide • Priority • Payday • FFRR |
Member of | The Carters |
Formerly member of | • The Commission • High Potent • Murder Inc. • The Throne |
Website | lifeandtimes.com |
Height, Weight, and Figure Measurements |
|
Height (Approx.) | in centimeters- 188 cm in meters- 1.88 m in feet inches- 6'2" |
Weight (Approx.) | in kilograms- 83 kg in pounds- 182 lbs |
Figure Measurements |
|
Chest Size | 44 inches |
Biceps Size | 14 inches |
Waist Size | 36 inches |
Extra Ordinary Features |
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Race / Ethnicity | Afro-American |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
S*xual Orientation | Straight |
Distinctive Features | • Multi-talented personality • Broad nose |
Dress Size | 8 U.S. |
Shoe Size | 10 U.S. |
Favorite Things |
|
Favorite Color | Blue |
Favorite Pet Animal | Dogs |
Favorite Drink | Aemand de Brignac Champagne |
Favorite Perfume | Gold Jay Z |
Favorite Game | Basketball |
Favorite Food | Pasta, Cereal |
Favorite Books | The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav, The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, and The Odyssey by Homer |
Favorite Film | Godfather 2 |
Favorite Song | "Respect" by Aretha Franklin, "I can't get no satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones, "Imagine" by John Lennon, "Like a Rolling Stone" by The Rolling Stones |
Favorite Music | Hip-hop |
Favorite Rappers | Kool G Rap, Eminem |
Favorite Album | Reasonable Doubt |
Favorite Cigar | Montecristos, Cohiba Comador Cigar |
Controversies | • The song "Drunk in Love" by Jay Z and Beyonce was sued for using the voice of a Hungarian artist. • He has been sued by "The American Dollar" artists Richard Cupolo and John Emanuele for not paying them full royalties. • He was sued for using Hamdi's 1957 hit 'Khosara Khosara' in the creation of 'Big Pimpin.' |
Jay-Z Childhood, Family, And Education
Jay-Z a.k.a. Shawn Corey Carter was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Marcy Houses, a housing project in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, is where he was raised. In the aftermath of the abandonment of their father, Adnis Reeves, Jay-Z, and his three siblings were raised by their mother, Gloria Carter.
In 2003, Reeves met Jay-Z and reconciled with him shortly before passing away. Jay-Z claims in his lyrics that in 1982, at the age of 12, he shot his older brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry. In addition to rapper AZ, he attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn until it was closed.
A stint at Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, where he did not graduate, followed by a stint at nearby George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School with rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, followed by a stint at Trenton Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School. During this period, he sold crack cocaine and was shot three times, according to his interviews and lyrics.
Jay-Z used to bang out drum patterns on the kitchen table to wake up his siblings at night, according to his mother. His interest in music was sparked when she gave him a boombox for his birthday, and he began freestyling and writing lyrics.
Initially known as “Jazzy” in his neighborhood, he adopted the stage name “Jay-Z” in homage to his mentor Jaz-O. There is a brief appearance by Jay-Z on several early Jaz-O recordings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including “H.P. Gets Busy”, “The Originators”, and “Hawaiian Sophie”.
During the early 1990s, Jay-Z engaged in several battles with rapper LL Cool J. On the 1994 Big Daddy Kane album Daddy’s Home, he became known to a wide audience with the posse cut “Show and Prove”. During this time, Jay-Z has been referred to as Big Daddy Kane’s hype man, although Kane explained that Jay-Z did not play the traditional role, but rather made cameo appearances.
In 1995, Jay-Z appeared in a popular song by Big L, “Da Graveyard”, and Mic Geronimo’s “Time to Build”, which included early appearances by DMX and Ja Rule. When I left the stage to change outfits, I brought out Positive K and Jay-Z and let them freestyle until I returned to the stage.
His first official rap single was “In My Lifetime,” for which a music video was released in 1995. There was also an unreleased music video produced for the B-side “I Can’t Get With That.”
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Jay-Z Wife And Children
The song “03 Bonnie & Clyde” was written by Jay-Z and Beyoncé in 2002. He also appeared on Beyoncé’s hit singles “Crazy in Love” and “That’s How You Like It” from her debut album Dangerously in Love. She appeared on the singles “Déjà Vu” and “Upgrade U” from her second album, B’Day.
She humorously imitates his appearance in the video for the latter song. During their dating relationship, they kept a low profile and were married on April 4, 2008. On April 22, 2008, their relationship became public knowledge, however, Beyoncé did not reveal her $5 million Lorraine Schwartz-designed wedding ring until the Fashion Rocks concert on September 5, 2008.
Their home is located in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles and costs $88 million. Generally, they do not discuss their relationship, and Beyoncé believes that this has contributed to their success, while Jay-Z stated in a People article that they do not “play with their relationship.”
As part of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2006, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were cited as the most powerful couple. Forbes ranked them as Hollywood’s top-earning couple in January 2009 with a combined income of $162 million. Their combined total of $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009 placed them at the top of the list the following year.
During the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé announced that she was pregnant with their first child. The couple’s daughter, Blue Ivy, was born at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital on January 7, 2012. On January 9, 2012, Jay-Z released a song dedicated to their child called “Glory”.
The song details the couple’s pregnancy struggles, including Beyoncé’s miscarriage. As Blue’s cries appear at the end of “Glory”, she becomes the youngest person ever (at two days old) to appear on the Billboard chart when the song debuts at number 74 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
In June 2017, Beyoncé’s father Mathew Knowles announced that she and Jay-Z had welcomed twins: a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir.
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Jay-Z Net Worth
As of 2023, Jay-Z’s net worth is estimated to be $1.7 Billion, making him the richest rapper of all time and hip-hop’s first billionaire.
Salary & Net Worth Updated 2023 |
|
Estimated Net Worth in 2023 (Approx) | $1.7 Billion |
Estimated Net Worth in 2022 (Approx) | $1.5 Billion |
Estimated Net Worth in 2021 (Approx) | $1.3 Billion |
Annual or Per Year Salary | $150+ Million |
Endorsements | • Brooklyn Nets • Samsung Galaxy • Reebok • Budweiser • Hewlett-Packard • Hublot • Rhapsody • Carol's Daughter • Bing |
Income Source | Rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Manhattan-based talent agency Roc Nation |
Business Ventures | • Rocawear • 40/40 Club • Roc Nation |
House(s) | • Tribeca apartment ( $6.85 million) • Trump World Tower apartment (Rent - $65000 a month) • Indian Creek village ($9,300,000) |
Cars Collection | • Maybach Exelero • Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport • Pagani Zonda • Rolls Royce Phantom • Ferrari F430 Spider • Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet |
Plane | Bombardier Challenger 850 ($40 million) |
Furthermore, Jay-Z has established himself as a successful entrepreneur with a business empire that includes clothing lines, beverages, real estate, sports teams, and record labels.
In an interview, he stated, “I consider my brands to be an extension of myself. They are close to me. It is not like running General Motors, where there are no emotional attachments.”
Jay-Z’s Clothing Brand Rocawear
A 2003 Reebok collection featured Jay-Z advertising the S. Carter Collection. Jay-Z and Damon Dash founded the urban clothing brand Rocawear. There are clothing lines and accessories available at Rocawear for men, women, and children. After a disagreement with Dash, Jay-Z took over the line in early 2006.
Iconix Brand Group acquired the rights to the Rocawear brand from Jay-Z in March 2007 for $204 million. In addition to maintaining his stake in the company, he continues to oversee marketing, licensing, and product development.
Jay-Z’s Alcohol Beverages Brand Armand de Brignac
As part of his financial investment portfolio, Jay-Z invested $200 million in Armand de Brignac champagne in 2014, which at the time was owned by Sovereign Brands, a New York-based wine and spirits company.
As the gold bottles are often referred to in the media, the brand is popular with high-profile artists. Before he purchased the entire company, he had been associated with Armand de Brignac since 2006, and he received millions of dollars per year for his association with the company.
In his role as co-brand director for Budweiser Select, Jay-Z collaborates with the company to develop marketing strategies and creative advertising campaigns. His responsibilities include providing direction for brand programs and advertisements that appear on TV, radio, print, and at major events.
Jay-Z’s Investments In Technological Brands
Jay-Z purchased Aspiro, a Norwegian media technology company, in March 2015 for $56 million, which operates the subscription-based music streaming service Tidal, which was launched in October 2014.
His company Project Panther Bidco Ltd. purchased the service (which is indirectly owned by Jay-Z’s S. Carter Enterprises, a company that holds interests in leading international music, media, and entertainment companies).
It combines audio and music videos with curated editorial content. This service aims to bring major revenue streams back to music artists themselves. Jay-Z is a major shareholder in the company. The idea of an artist-owned streaming platform was formulated in order to “restore the value of music by launching an artist-owned service.”
Carter invested significantly in JetSmarter in July 2015, an app that facilitates the booking of private executive plane flights. Sergey Petrossov developed the application.
Jay-Z’s Investments In Music Industry
Jay-Z served as president of Def Jam Recordings from 2005 to 2008. As a result of Jay-Z’s leadership, Def Jam launched the careers of contemporary R&B singers Rihanna and Ne-Yo. Following the release of American Gangster in 2007, Jay-Z decided not to renew his contract as president and CEO of Def Jam in order to begin Roc Nation, the new Live Nation venture.
According to reports, Jay-Z purchased Block Starz Music from Universal Music and Jive Records in April 2011.
Jay-Z’s Investments In Sports Industry
Jay-Z was a part-owner of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team from 2003 to 2013; he paid approximately $1 million for his share, which had declined in value to $350,000 by April 2013, according to Forbes magazine’s valuation of the team.
After the team relocated to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center (from New Jersey) in the 2012–2013 season, the Brooklyn Nets became known as the Brooklyn Nets.
In a press release published on the Life + Times website on April 18, 2013, Jay-Z announced that he would be relinquishing his ownership interest in the Brooklyn Nets. Eventually, the shares were sold to singer, rapper, actor, and entrepreneur Will Pan, making him the first American of Taiwanese descent to own a professional sports franchise in the United States.
In his bid, Jay-Z cited Pan’s athletic background (he played college basketball and was a high school team captain), his varied musical styles, his influence within the Taiwanese American community, and his business acumen and portfolio (including founding and leading Camigo Media and being a co-founder of N.P.C, streetwear boutique), among other reasons.
His stake in Barclays Center was sold for $1.5 million in September 2013.
Media reported on April 2, 2013, that Jay-Z plans to launch his own sports agency, Roc Nation Sports, focused on representing professional athletes. The sports management group is a partnership between Creative Artists Agency and the Sport Management Group.
With the launch of the agency, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Canó left Scott Boras to join the agency. According to the media, Jay-Z plans to become a certified sports agent, first in baseball and then in basketball and football. He would have to give up some of his ownership interest in the Brooklyn Nets in order to represent clients in basketball.
The English media reported in October 2005 that he was considering purchasing a stake in Arsenal F.C., an English soccer team. In January 2010, he was awarded a contract to operate a 4,500-slot machine racino at the Aqueduct Race Track through his conglomerate company Gain Global Investments Network LLC, which held a stake between 2 and 7% in Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG).
Jay-Z became interested in the project after New York Governor David Paterson, who awarded the contract, stated the owner of the project must reflect affirmative action. The contract was initially offered to Jay-Z by casino mogul Steve Wynn, who was also bidding.
Jay-Z and Flake withdrew from the project on March 9, 2010, and Paterson resigned.
Jay-Z’s Investments In Media
Jay-Z launched the popular culture and lifestyle online magazine Life + Times on April 5, 2011. He showcases his high-end tastes in clothing, appliances, and automobiles on the site.
With sports and music-related posts accompanying those concerning fashion and design, the site design is aesthetically geared towards the upwardly mobile young male demographic. The Decoded series is based on Jay-Z’s memoir of the same name and features a select group of rappers decoding their own lyrics.
When Funkmaster Flex was contacted by the webzine in January 2015, he revealed that he had been contacted in 2013 for a story about the digital app he had created at the time, but that the information was allegedly used to assist with the launch of Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Samsung application following the release of the album. In response to Vibe, Flex stated, “But I was good with that. I ate that. Everyone is out here hustling.”.
His two-year exclusive film and television deal with the Weinstein Company gave them first-look options to develop scripted and unscripted TV and film projects, and those projects were in production.
As part of his contract with the Weinstein company, he produced a documentary series about Kalief Browder, who was imprisoned for three years and committed suicide once released. A conscious effort was made to address racial profiling and police brutality.
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Other Business Involvements Of Jay-Z
In addition to owning the 40/40 Club in New York City, Jay-Z also owns clubs in Atlantic City and Chicago. During 2008, Las Vegas’ 40/40 Club was closed and repurchased by the hotel following a steady decline in attendance.
Jay-Z became an investor in Carol’s Daughter in 2005, a company that offers beauty products for hair, skin, and hands.
His business partners, Juan, and Desiree Perez joined him in a deal with Delaware North to expand the 40/40 Club sports bar chain into as many as 20 airports. Earlier this year, Jay-Z published a memoir titled Decoded, which was published on November 16, 2010.
As a result of the failure of Jay-Z’s cologne, Gold, Parlux fragrances sued him for $18 million. As a result of Jay-Z’s lack of social media posts and interviews regarding the cologne, they claim that the cologne has failed.
In the first year after launch, Parlux anticipates selling $15 million, and $35 million in the second and subsequent years. The fragrance sold $14 million in its first year and $6.1 million in its second year. In addition to losing money on the venture, Parlux has had to return unsold inventory on a regular basis.
Cohiba collaborated with Jay-Z to launch his own cigar line.
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation will partner with Long Island University to establish the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment in August 2020.
Jay-Z was announced in November 2020 as the Chief Visionary Officer of TPCO Holding Corp., a newly formed cannabis products company.
Beginning Of Jay-Z’s Music Career With “Reasonable Doubt”
- In 1995, Jay-Z, without a record deal from a major label, sold CDs out of his car and founded Roc-A-Fella Records as an independent label with Damon “Dame” Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke.
- In 1996, Jay-Z released Reasonable Doubt, which featured beats from DJ Premier and Super DJ Clark Kent, plus an appearance by The Notorious B.I.G.
- Critics generally favored the album, which reached number 23 on the Billboard 200.
- Eventually, the album reached platinum status and was included in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
“In My Lifetime”, “Vol. 1”
- A new distribution deal with Def Jam enabled Jay-Z to release In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. ‘Puff Daddy’ produced it, which sold more than his previous effort.
- Later, Jay-Z explained that the album was made when he was grieving over the death of The Notorious B.I.G.
- It was a personal revelation for Jay-Z as he told stories of his difficult childhood. Compared to his first release, the album’s glossy production stood out, and some fans felt he had “sold out.”
- Some beats were produced by DJ Premier and Ski, who worked with him on Reasonable Doubt.
- The sequel to In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 earned platinum status in the United States.
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Vol. 2, Vol. 3, And “The Dynasty”
- ‘Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)’ was Jay-Z’s biggest hit at the time from Vol 2 Hard Knock Life.
- It was more about flow and wordplay, and he continued to mine beats from popular producers such as Swizz Beatz, an upstart in-house producer for Ruff Ryders, and Timbaland.
- Vol. Over five million copies of Jay-Z’s 2 have been sold to date; it was certified 5 times Platinum in the United States.
- DMX failed to receive a Grammy nomination, and Jay-Z boycotted the ceremony in protest.
- The song “Heartbreaker” is from Mariah Carey’s seventh album, Rainbow, released in 1999. In the US, the song spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
- The same year, Jay-Z released Vol. 3 Life and Times of S. Carter.
- Sales of over 3 million copies proved successful. Vol. 3’s most successful single was “Big Pimpin”, featuring UGK.
- Def Jam turned Jay-Z’s 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia into a compilation of Roc-A-Fella artists.
- In addition to The Neptunes, Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink, the album helped introduce newcomer producers.
- As well as being more soulful than Jay-Z’s previous albums, this album also uses rap.
- Over two million Dynasty units were sold in the U.S.
“Takeover”
- According to Jay-Z, Prodigy took issue with a line in Jay-Z’s “Money, Cash, Hoes” that alluded disparagingly to the dispute between Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Death Row Records and Mobb Deep.
- During Summer Jam 2001, he performed “Takeover”, which initially attacked Prodigy and revealed images of him dressed as Michael Jackson.
- On “We Will Survive”, Nas criticized him at the end of “Takeover”.
- A feud would start between Nas and Jay-Z when Nas responded with a diss track called “Ether” and Jay-Z straightaway added a verse to “Takeover” dissing Nas.
- They had settled their feud by 2005, and Jay-Z credited Mark Pitts.
“The Blueprint”
- He released his sixth studio album, The Blueprint, hours before the September 11 attacks, which received a five-mic review from hip-hop magazine The Source.
- With a sale of 427,000 copies, this album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and went Platinum in the U.S.
- Kanye West produced four tracks on the album, which was one of his first major hits.
- There are four popular songs on the Blueprint: Izzo (H.O.V.A. ), Girls, Girls, Girls, Jigga That Nigga, and Song Cry.
- Although 9/11 had overshadowed its initial success, the album sold 2.7 million copies worldwide as of February 2012.
- According to the Library of Congress, The Blueprint is culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant and should be preserved in the National Recording Registry.
- Jay-Z pleaded guilty to stabbing record producer Lance Rivera in 1999 at the Kit Kat Klub in New York City. Jay-Z was sentenced to three years probation for this second-degree felony.
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“The Blueprint 2”
- His next solo album was 2002’s The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse. Over 3 million units were sold in the U.S. alone, surpassing The Blueprint on the Billboard 200.
- In a single-disc version, The Blueprint 2.1, half the tracks were retained.
- Jay-Z’s then-girlfriend Beyoncé Knowles features on two hit singles from the album, “Excuse Me Miss” and “’03 Bonnie & Clyde”. As well as “Guns & Roses”, “Hovi Baby” was a successful radio single.
- Among the album’s tracks were “A Dream”, featuring Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G., and “The Bounce”, featuring Kanye West.
- In The Blueprint 2.1, Panjabi MC produced and featured tracks such as “Stop”, “La La La (Excuse Me Again)”, “What They Gonna Do, Part II” and “Beware”.
“The Black Album”
- During the opening of the 40/40 Club, Jay-Z announced work on The Black Album, his eighth studio album.
- Producers he worked with include Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Timbaland, Eminem, DJ Quik, 9th Wonder, The Buchanans, and Rick Rubin. Among the songs were “What More Can I Say”, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”, and “Change Clothes”.
- More than 3 million copies of The Black Album have been sold. He collaborated with R. Kelly and released the Best of Both Worlds album.
- As a retirement party, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 25, 2003, which became the subject of his film Fade to Black. Funds went to charity.
- A number of collaborators performed, such as the Roots (his backing band), Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Mary J. Blige, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown, Pharrell Williams, and R. Kelly. Voletta Wallace and Afeni Shakur, the mothers of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, both performed.
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Initial Retirement Of Jay-Z
- Despite Jay-Z’s retirement from making new studio albums, he continued to work on side projects.
- A greatest hits record was released, as well as Unfinished Business, Jay-Z’s second collaboration with R. Kelly.
- Linkin Park collaborated with Jay-Z in 2004, releasing a remix EP and concert DVD called Collision Course.
- Paul McCartney added verses from the song “Yesterday” to the album’s only single, “Numb/Encore,” which won a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
- Over 1 million copies were sold in the U.S. Fort Minor, the hip-hop side project of Linkin Park rapper Mike Shinoda was produced by Jay-Z. In 2004, Jay-Z also planned to retire.
- Jay-Z, Dash, and Biggs sold their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records in 2004 and Jay-Z took control of both companies.
- According to reports, Jay-Z and Dash disagreed about the direction Roc-A-Fella should take.
- Former partners Jay-Z, Dash, and Biggs hit each other in interviews after their split was publicized.
2005–2007: “Kingdom Come” And “American Gangster”
- Jay-Z headlined Power 105.1’s annual concert, Powerhouse, on October 27, 2005. Jay-Z’s “I Declare War” concert sparked intense speculation in the weeks preceding the concert on who exactly he would declare war on.
- The Powerhouse show was perceived as an all-out assault by Jay-Z on his rivals since he had previously declared war on them at other events.
- With an Oval Office mock-up on stage, the concert focused on Jay-Z’s position as CEO of Def Jam.
- To hip-hop fans’ surprise, Jay-Z put many arguments to rest at the end of the concert. This show marked the end of Jay-Z and Nas’ infamous hip-hop rivalry.
- Former rivals Jay-Z and Nas performed Jay-Z’s “Dead Presidents” blended with Nas’s “The World is Yours”.
- On November 21, 2006, Jay-Z released Kingdom Come, his comeback album. In early October 2006, “Show Me What You Got”, Jay-Z’s comeback single was leaked on the Internet and received heavy airplay after its leak, causing the FBI to step in.
- His tenth album American Gangster was released on November 6, 2007. Ridley Scott’s film of the same name heavily inspired Jay-Z to create a new “concept” album depicting his experiences as a street hustler. Def Jam distributed the album, but it’s not the official soundtrack.
- The movie American Gangster inspired Jay-Z’s American Gangster. “Blue Magic” offers a dealer’s manifesto while referencing political figures of the late 1980s in the lyrics: “Blame Reagan for turning me into a monster, blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra for sponsoring contraband. We used to be in concerts before this rhyming stuff.”
- Jay-Z flashed €500 notes in the music video for “Blue Magic,” which Harvard Business School professor Rawi Abdelal called a turning point in American pop culture. Jay-Z resigned from Def Jam on January 1, 2008.
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Jay-Z In 2008–2011: “The Blueprint 3” And “Watch The Throne”
- Jay-Z became the first major hip-hop artist to headline Britain’s Glastonbury Festival in 2008. Quickly sold out.
- In 2008, he headlined Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Hove Festival in Norway, and O2 Wireless Festival in London.
- On August 6, 2008, at Madison Square Garden, Jay-Z performed a new song and announced that it was for The Blueprint 3.
- In May 2009, Jay-Z announced he was leaving Def Jam and signing up with Live Nation, where he would set up Roc Nation, which would be both a record label, talent agency and music publishing company, as well as a record label called StarRoc in partnership with Stargate production team.
- As a result of increased anticipation, Jay-Z’s 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 was released on September 8, 2009, in North America instead of September 11, 2009.
- International release followed on September 14. The album is his 11th to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, surpassing Elvis Presley’s previous record.
- Jay-Z’s North American tour for The Blueprint 3 kicked off on October 9, 2009.
- During the Hope For Haiti Now telethon, Jay-Z performed “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)” with Rihanna, Bono, and The Edge.
- A pair of Detroit and New York concerts were announced by Eminem and Jay-Z in June 2010.
Jay-Z In 2012–2016: Magna Carta Holy Grail And Other Ventures
- The collaboration between Jay-Z and M.I.O on “XXXO” achieved fair success, and was remixed by several producers.
- The first annual Budweiser Made in America festival will take place on September 1 and 2, 2012, at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. Jay-Z is the curator and headliner.
- The single “Clique”, from the album Cruel Summer, was released on September 6. The track features Kanye West, Big Sean, and Jay-Z. On October 6, 2012, Jay-Z took the subway to The Barclays Center.
- The Coldplay and Jay-Z concert is set for December 31 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
- As of September 23, 2010, Q-Tip confirmed he was working on Jay-Z’s follow-up to The Blueprint 3.
- Roc Nation producer Jahlil Beats was reported to be working with Jay-Z on new music in May 2012. He told the media: “Me and Jay-Z have been talking.
- In its first week, Magna Carta Holy Grail sold 528,000 copies, exceeding its predicted debut of 350,000 to 400,000 copies.
- Jay-Z received nine Grammy nominations, more than any other artist, in December 2013. His wife Beyoncé’s fifth studio album, Beyoncé, features a song titled “Drunk in Love” by Jay-Z.
- During the 56th Grammy Awards opening, they performed this song. In 2015, the song and its accompanying album won three Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Performance.
- Joel McDonald was sued by him in 2016 over the song “Made in America” by Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean.
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2017–Present Journey Of Jay-Z: “4:44” And “Everything Is Love”
- A Tidal-related project called 4:44 was promoted in New York City and Los Angeles in early June 2017.
- Sprint and Tidal customers received 4:44 through Roc Nation and Universal Music Group.
- Sprint and Tidal have partnered to release a series of music exclusives. On July 2, Tidal offered free digital downloads of the album. On July 7, a physical edition was released with three additional tracks. Apple Music, Google Play Music, and Amazon Music made the album available on the same day.
- The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, Jay-Z’s 13th consecutive top album. Several music videos, directed by a variety of high-profile collaborators, accompanied the album’s two singles, “4:44” and “Bam”.
- As part of the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, the title track was nominated for Song of the Year, while “The Story of O.J.” was nominated for Record of the Year.
- In Cardiff, United Kingdom, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé kicked off the On the Run II Tour. Ten days later, at their final London show, the Carters unveiled Everything Is Love, their much-anticipated joint studio album. Beyoncé’s official YouTube channel also released the video for “Apeshit.” During the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, the song won two awards.
- Jay-Z and LL Cool J were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Furthermore, he was featured on Kanye West’s 2021 album Donda’s song “Jail,” which won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, and Drake’s 2021 album Certified Lover Boy’s song “Love All.”
- “Neck & Wrist” featuring Pharrell Williams was his first feature in 2022 with fellow rapper Pusha-T.
- As a producer of the Super Bowl LVI halftime show, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
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Facts About Jay-Z
- Is Jay Z a smoker? The answer is yes
- Is Jay Z an alcoholic? The answer is yes
- For his music as well as for other categories, Jay Z has received 21 Grammy Awards.
- In addition to owning the New York sports bar 40/40 Club, he is also the co-founder of Rocawear (annual revenue – $700 million). Furthermore, he founded Roc Nation and co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records. Owns and operates the Life+Times website.
- He met his father after 33 years and forgave him after being raised by a single mother.
- As a result of stealing Jay Z’s jewelry, Jay Z’s elder brother was shot in the shoulder.
- During their time at the same school, Jay Z and Busta Rhymes had a rap battle in the cafeteria.
- Despite being close friends with Barrack Obama, he does not wish to become a politician.
- After Hurricane Katrina, he pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross.
- With a combined income of $162 million, Jay Z and his wife Beyonce were named the most powerful couple in the world in 2009.
- He does not write down his lyrics anywhere, he simply creates them in his head.
- The name Jay Z is derived from his old nickname Jazzy.
- An online leak of his song ‘Show Me What You Got’ prompted the FBI to investigate the matter.
- Until he founded his own record label with Damon Dash and Kareem Biggs, Jay Z sold CDs from his car.
- When Jay Z sold crack for money, he used a rubber band as a money clip.
- Colleek D. Luckie died in 2005 while driving the Chrystler 300 that Jay Z had given him as a graduation gift.
- Every Sunday, Beyonce and he goes out for pizza.
- Jay Z was one of the few people who spoke with Biggie on the phone before he died.
- As a child prodigy, he was tested at the level of a twelfth-grader when he was only in sixth grade.
- He lost his father the night before his club’s opening ceremony.
- There are more number-one albums by Jay-Z than by Elvis Presley.
- The Brooklyn Nets basketball team is co-owned by Jay Z.
- According to reports, Beyonce and Jay Z are collaborating on an album. It is said that the album has already been completed, but there has been no word on its release date as of yet.
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FAQs
There are numerous reasons why Jay Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, is considered a classic. Since Hov dropped the disc at the age of 26, he had a wealth of life experience to draw upon.
Jay-Z has become the first hip-hop billionaire through his business ventures. In 1999, he established Rocawear, a clothing retailer, and in 2003, he founded the luxury sports bar chain 40/40 Club. It was from both of these businesses that he was able to establish Roc Nation in 2008, which has grown into a multi-million-dollar corporation.
Most recently published a list of the wealthiest hip-hop artists in 2023 by an authorized source. According to the source, JAY-Z has a fortune of $1.7 billion USD, making him the richest person on the list.
At the tender age of 12, JAY-Z shot his older brother in the shoulder over some stolen jewelry before he claimed to have shot himself three times while selling crack. When he was hospitalized, his brother, who was addicted to crack at the time, did not press charges.
An Appreciation Note For Your Consideration
Thank you for reading this engaging article about the life journey of Jay-Z. Hopefully, Jay-Z’s biography has made you believe that patience and persistence can overcome anything.
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