Jay-Z is a US rapper and record executive from Brooklyn, New York. Born Shawn Corey Carter in 1969, he begins recording music in the late 1980s as a protégé of Jaz-O. He is associated with East Coast hip hop and is known for complex lyricism, wordplay, braggadocio, and songs that often follow a rags-to-riches narrative.

Career

In 1994, Jay-Z co-founds Roc-A-Fella Records. The label releases his first two studio albums, Reasonable Doubt and In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, both of which receive critical acclaim. He follows them with a long run of studio albums including Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & Curse, The Black Album, Kingdom Come, American Gangster, The Blueprint 3, Magna Carta Holy Grail, and 4:44.

Several of these albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200. He has 14 number-one albums on that chart in total, which places him joint-third historically. His number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 include “Empire State of Mind” as a lead artist and “Heartbreaker”, “Crazy in Love”, and “Umbrella” as a featured artist.

Business and industry roles

From 2004 to 2007, Jay-Z serves as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings, where he supports the careers of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo. He co-founds the clothing retailer Rocawear in 1999 and the 40/40 Club bar chain in 2003. In 2008, he launches Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency, and later acquires Aspiro in 2015, expanding the Tidal streaming service.

Collaborations and group work

His collaborative albums include The Best of Both Worlds and Unfinished Business with R. Kelly, Watch the Throne with Kanye West, and Everything Is Love with Beyoncé as the Carters. He is also linked with THE CARTERS, Murder Inc., Roc-A-Fella Family, High Potent, The Security Of The First World, Roc Boys, and The Commission.

Recognition

Jay-Z sells over 140 million records worldwide and wins 25 Grammy Awards. He also receives the NAACP President’s Award and three Emmy Awards, including two Primetime Emmys, and he is nominated for a Tony Award. He is the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first solo living rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Time includes him in its 2013 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Other details

He marries Beyoncé in 2008, and they have three children. He is widely described as one of the best-selling music artists, and his work is associated with boom bap, chipmunk soul, east coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop, hip hop, and pop.