JAY-Z

Having sold over 100 million records globally and holding the solo artist record of 14 Billboard 200 #1 albums, JAY-Z is possibly the most talented, accomplished, and respected rapper ever. In 2023, during hip-hop's 50th anniversary, JAY-Z was named the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard and Vibe magazines. Over his 30-year career, he has released 13 studio albums and five collaborative albums.

Born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969, JAY grew up in the Marcy Houses, also known as the Marcy Projects, in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. He attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School with rappers Busta Rhymes and The Notorious B.I.G. but dropped out and hustled in the streets. Known as “Jazzy” for his laid-back demeanor, he transformed that into JAY-Z, while also being known as Jigga and Jay-Hova.

He initially entered the music industry by working with fellow Brooklyn rapper Jaz-O, also known as Big Jaz, appearing on Jaz’s 1989 single “Hawaiian Sophie” and in its music video. JAY appeared on stage with Brooklyn legend Big Daddy Kane around the time he appeared on Kane’s 1994 posse cut “Show and Prove.” He also made notable appearances on tracks like Original Flavor’s “Can I Get Open,” Big L’s “Da Graveyard,” and Mic Geronimo’s “Time To Build,” which also included early appearances by future Def Jam labelmates Ja Rule and DMX. This led to the independent release of his 1995 debut single “In My Lifetime,” with “I Can’t Get Wid Dat” as the B-side.

JAY-Z released his debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996, but his prominence rose with his third album, 1998’s Vol 2… Hard Knock Life, his first #1 album on the Billboard 200, certified 5x platinum, and winner of a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. He released an album every year from 1996 through 2004, the last being Unfinished Business, his second collaborative album with R. Kelly following their 2002 album The Best of Both Worlds. Starting in 1998, all of his subsequent albums through 2009’s The Blueprint 3 reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart.

Three of his albums, Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album, are considered landmarks in the genre and are included in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Hov has won 24 Grammy Awards from 88 nominations, making him the 10th most awarded artist of all time.

Legendary for never writing down his lyrics, JAY-Z’s flow is considered one of the greatest in the genre, with unmatched wordplay and metaphorical ability, and his live shows redefine what it means to be a hip-hop artist. His MTV Unplugged appearance introduced the concept of a full band (The Roots) backing up a hip-hop artist at major concerts,