JAY-Z

In 2023, Billboard and Vibe ranked Jay-Z the greatest rapper of all time. Born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969, the Brooklyn artist built a career around intricate double entendres, wordplay and braggadocio, often framing his writing through a rags-to-riches narrative. His work is rooted in East Coast hip-hop, and his records have moved between hard-edged rap, pop-facing hits and high-profile collaborations.

A protégé of the New York rapper Jaz-O, Jay-Z began recording in the late 1980s. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994, creating the outlet for his first two studio albums, Reasonable Doubt in 1996 and In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 in 1997. Both were critically acclaimed. His subsequent run included The Blueprint (2001), The Black Album (2003), American Gangster (2007) and 4:44 (2017), each among 11 later albums that debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. With 14 number-one albums on that chart, he holds the third-highest total in its history.

Jay-Z has reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 four times. His 2009 single with Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind,” was his lone chart-topper as a lead artist. His three other number-one appearances came as a guest on Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker,” Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love,” and Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” He has sold 125 million records and received 25 Grammy Awards, the eighth-most awarded total for any artist and the second-most for a hip-hop artist. His other honors include the NAACP President’s Award, three Emmy Awards, including two Primetime Emmys, and a Tony Award nomination. He was the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the eighth hip-hop act inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Time included him in its 2013 list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Beyond recording, Jay-Z served as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings from 2004 to 2007, helping launch the careers of Kanye West, Rihanna and Ne-Yo. He co-founded the Rocawear clothing retailer in 1999, founded the 40/40 Club luxury-bar chain in 2003, and launched Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency, in 2008. In 2015, he acquired Aspiro and led the expansion of its streaming service Tidal. He became the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019; after Block acquired a majority stake in Tidal in 2021, he joined the company’s board of directors. Forbes estimated his wealth at US$2.8 billion in 2026.