- Biography
Since 1996, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and 21-time GRAMMY award-winner, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter has been a dominant force in popular culture. In his own words, he’s more than a businessman, he’s a “business, man.” With multiple ventures under his belt and accolades across the recording industry, JAY-Z personifies the “American Dream.” A student of the game, JAY came up under the tutelage of The Notorious B.I.G. and took his top-tier lyricism and undeniable swagger to the mainstream, forming Roc-A-Fella Records with Dame Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke. In 2004, JAY became president of Def Jam records, where he helped cultivate the careers of Rihanna and Kanye West, among other notable artists. Over the years, he’s sold 55 million solo albums worldwide, including the 5x Platinum selling Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, 2x Platinum selling The Blueprint, and 3x Platinum selling The Blueprint II: The Gift And The Curse. After “retiring” in 2003 with The Black Album, JAY returned and has since released five albums including 2017’s 4:44, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Last year, Forbes estimated his net worth at $810 million, making him the second-richest hip-hop artist and it’s clear from his catalog he’ll go down as one of the greatest rappers—and businessmen—of all time. He teamed up with his wife Beyoncé in 2018, dropping a surprise album EVERYTHING IS LOVE.
Releases
