Jay-Z facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay-Z
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Carter in 2011
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Shawn Corey Carter
December 4, 1969 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
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| Years active | 1986–present |
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| Children | 3, including Blue Ivy |
| Awards | Full list |
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| Genres | East Coast hip-hop |
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Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known as Jay-Z, is a famous American rapper, music producer, and businessman. Many people, including Billboard and Vibe magazines, have called him the greatest rapper ever. He started his own entertainment company, Roc Nation, and used to be the head of Def Jam Recordings.
Jay-Z grew up in New York City and began his music journey in the late 1980s. In 1994, he helped create his own music label, Roc-A-Fella Records. His first album, Reasonable Doubt, came out in 1996 and was praised by critics. Since then, he has released twelve more successful albums, like The Blueprint (2001) and The Black Album (2003). He also made albums with other artists, such as Watch the Throne with Kanye West and Everything Is Love with his wife, Beyoncé. Jay-Z holds the record for the most number-one albums (14) by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 chart.
Through his many businesses, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019. He started a clothing company called Rocawear in 1999 and a chain of luxury sports bars called 40/40 Club in 2003. These businesses grew very large, helping him launch Roc Nation in 2008. In 2015, he bought a technology company and helped grow Tidal, a music streaming service. He is one of the richest musicians in the world.
Jay-Z is one of the best-selling music artists ever, with over 140 million records sold. He has won 24 Grammy Awards, which is tied with Kanye West for the most by any hip hop artist. He has also received other important awards, like a Primetime Emmy Award. Jay-Z was the first rapper to be put into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first living solo rapper to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Shawn Corey Carter was born on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York City. He grew up in the Marcy Houses, which are public housing projects in Brooklyn. His mother, Gloria Carter, raised him and his three older siblings. His father, Adnis Reeves, left the family but later reconnected with Jay-Z before he passed away in 2003.
Jay-Z went to Eli Whitney High School and George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn. He also attended Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, but he did not finish high school.
His mother shared that Jay-Z used to bang out drum rhythms on the kitchen table at night. She bought him a boombox for his birthday, which made him even more interested in music. He started making up rhymes and writing songs. People in his neighborhood called him "Jazzy." Later, he chose the stage name "Jay-Z" to honor his mentor, Jaz-O.
Music Career Highlights
Jay-Z's voice can be heard on some of Jaz-O's early songs in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He became more widely known on a song called "Show and Prove" from Big Daddy Kane's 1994 album, Daddy's Home. His first official song as a rapper was "In My Lifetime", released in 1995.
Starting Roc-A-Fella Records
Since no major record label would sign him, Jay-Z started selling his own CDs from his car. In 1995, he teamed up with Damon "Dame" Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke to create Roc-A-Fella Records. This was their own independent music label. After making a deal with Priority to distribute their music, Jay-Z released his first album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. It featured beats from famous producers like DJ Premier and Super DJ Clark Kent, and even had an appearance by The Notorious B.I.G.. The album reached number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart and was loved by critics. It later became a platinum album, meaning it sold over a million copies.
In 1997, after signing a new deal with Def Jam, Jay-Z released his next album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. This album also sold over a million copies in the U.S.
Breakthrough Success and More Albums
In 1998, Jay-Z released Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. This album had his biggest hit song at the time, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". Vol. 2 became his most successful album, selling over five million copies in the United States. It also won a Grammy Award.
In 1999, Jay-Z worked with Mariah Carey on her song "Heartbreaker". This song became Jay-Z's first number-one hit in the U.S. That same year, he released Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, which sold over three million copies.
In 2000, Jay-Z released The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. This album helped introduce new producers like The Neptunes, Just Blaze, and Kanye West, who all became very successful. The Dynasty sold over two million copies in the U.S.
The Blueprint and The Black Album
On September 11, 2001, Jay-Z released his sixth album, The Blueprint. This album was written in just two days and sold over 427,000 copies in its first week, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It quickly sold over two million copies in the U.S. Eminem was featured on the album, producing and rapping on the song "Renegade". Four songs were produced by Kanye West.
In 2002, Jay-Z released his seventh album, The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse, which was a double album. It also debuted at number one and sold over three million copies in the U.S. This album included two hit songs, "Excuse Me Miss" and "'03 Bonnie & Clyde", which featured his wife, Beyoncé.
After a trip to France, Jay-Z announced his eighth album, The Black Album, in 2003. He worked with many producers, including Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Timbaland, and Eminem. Popular songs from this album included "What More Can I Say", "Dirt Off Your Shoulder", and "99 Problems". The Black Album has sold over three million copies in the U.S.
On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This concert was called a "retirement party" and was later shown in his film Fade to Black. All the money from the concert went to charity. Many other artists performed with him, including Beyoncé.
Collaborations and Return to Music
In 2004, Jay-Z worked with the rock band Linkin Park. They released a remix album called Collision Course, which mixed their songs together. The song "Numb/Encore" won a Grammy Award.
Later in 2004, Jay-Z became the president of Def Jam Records. This meant he took control of both Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records.
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Jay-Z returned to music with his album Kingdom Come on November 21, 2006. The album sold 680,000 copies in its first week, which was the highest first-week sales of his career at that time. This album has sold two million copies in the U.S.
He released his tenth album, American Gangster, on November 6, 2007. This album sold one million copies in the U.S. On January 1, 2008, Jay-Z stepped down as president of Def Jam.
The Blueprint 3 and Watch the Throne
In 2008, Jay-Z became the first major hip-hop artist to headline the Glastonbury Festival in Britain. He also performed at other big festivals that summer. On May 21, 2009, Jay-Z announced he was leaving Def Jam and signed a big deal with Live Nation. With Live Nation, he started his own company called Roc Nation, which is a record label, talent agency, and music publishing company.
Jay-Z's eleventh album, The Blueprint 3, was released on September 8, 2009. It became his eleventh album to reach number one on the Billboard 200, breaking Elvis Presley's record for solo artists. Jay-Z also helped produce the Broadway show Fela!, a musical about the Nigerian star Fela Kuti.
In January 2010, Jay-Z released a song called "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" with Rihanna, and U2's Bono and The Edge, to help raise money for Haiti. In June 2010, Eminem and Jay-Z announced they would perform together in a series of concerts called The Home & Home Tour.
In 2011, Jay-Z and Kanye West released a joint album called Watch the Throne. The album was very successful, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and selling 436,000 copies in its first week.
Magna Carta Holy Grail and Recent Work
In May 2012, Jay-Z was announced as the main performer for the first "Budweiser Made in America" festival in Philadelphia. He and Rihanna were also the main acts for BBC Radio 1's 2012 Hackney Weekend music festival.
On July 4, 2013, Jay-Z released his twelfth album, Magna Carta Holy Grail. This album also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 528,000 copies in its first week. In December 2013, Jay-Z received nine nominations at the 2014 Grammy Awards, more than any other artist that year.
In June 2017, Jay-Z released his album 4:44. This album was praised by critics for its emotional and personal songs. It quickly became a platinum album and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it his 13th album in a row to top the chart.
On June 16, 2018, Jay-Z and Beyoncé released a surprise joint album called Everything Is Love under the name The Carters. They also released a music video for the song "Apeshit".
In 2021, Jay-Z was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also appeared on songs by Kanye West and Drake. In 2022, he was featured on songs by Pusha T and DJ Khaled. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award as a producer for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show.
Musical Style and Influences
Musical Roots
Jay-Z says he first heard music through his parents' record collection. They mostly listened to soul artists like Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway. He enjoys music that has "soul" in it, whether it's rap, R&B, or pop. He often uses parts of these older songs as samples in his own music, especially in the songs produced by Kanye West on The Blueprint.
Rapping Techniques
Other rappers like Royce da 5'9" and Fredro Starr have described Jay-Z's focus on his flow. Starr said that Jay-Z is "a master of the flow—he can flow fast, he can flow slow". Jay-Z is known for writing his lyrics in his head, a style used by many other rappers. Shock G of Digital Underground noted that Jay-Z's live performances are smooth and use clever wordplay to keep the audience entertained. His fast rapping style, sometimes called the "triplet rhyme," was developed early in his career with his mentor Jaz-O.
Business Ventures
Jay-Z is also a very successful businessman with many different companies. He once said that his brands are like an "extension of me" because he feels a strong connection to them.
Rocawear Clothing
Jay-Z and Damon Dash started the clothing brand Rocawear. Rocawear sells clothes and accessories for men, women, and children. In 2007, Jay-Z sold the rights to the Rocawear brand for $204 million, but he still helps with its marketing and product development.
Reebok Partnership
Jay-Z was the first rapper to sign an endorsement deal with Reebok footwear. He appeared in advertisements for his S. Carter Collection in 2003. His deal with Reebok ended in 2006.
Technology Investments
In March 2015, Jay-Z bought Aspiro, a Norwegian technology company that runs the music streaming service Tidal, for $56 million. He bought Tidal through his company, Project Panther Bidco Ltd. The main idea behind Tidal is to give more money back to the music artists themselves, as it is an artist-owned streaming platform. Jay-Z is still a major owner in the company.
In July 2015, Jay-Z also invested in JetSmarter, an app that helps people book private plane flights.
Music Industry Leadership
From 2005 to 2008, Jay-Z was the president of Def Jam Recordings. Under his leadership, Def Jam helped launch the successful careers of singers like Rihanna and Ne-Yo. At the end of 2007, Jay-Z decided not to renew his contract with Def Jam to start his new company, Roc Nation, with Live Nation.
Sports Business
For ten years (2003–2013), Jay-Z was a part-owner of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team. He helped move the team to Brooklyn's Barclays Center in the 2012–2013 season, when they became the Brooklyn Nets.
In April 2013, Jay-Z announced he would sell his share in the Brooklyn Nets. He then launched his own sports agency, Roc Nation Sports, which helps professional athletes. This agency works with Creative Artists Agency.
Media and Other Ventures
On April 5, 2011, Jay-Z launched Life + Times, an online magazine about popular culture and lifestyle. It features content about fashion, cars, and music.
Jay-Z also co-owns the 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar that started in New York City and has locations in other cities. In 2005, he became an investor in Carol's Daughter, a beauty product line.
In November 2010, Jay-Z published a memoir called Decoded. This book is part of his life story and explains the meaning behind some of his song lyrics.
In August 2020, Jay-Z's Roc Nation partnered with Long Island University in Brooklyn to create the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment. In December 2022, Roc Nation also announced a partnership to build and run a casino in Times Square.
Personal Life
In 2002, Jay-Z and singer Beyoncé worked together on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". He also appeared on her hit song "Crazy in Love" the next year. They kept their relationship private for a while and got married on April 4, 2008, in a private ceremony in Tribeca, New York City. They generally do not talk much about their relationship in public.
In 2006, Time magazine listed Beyoncé and Jay-Z as the most powerful couple. In 2009 and 2010, Forbes magazine ranked them as Hollywood's top-earning couple.
At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé announced she was pregnant with their first child. Their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, was born on January 7, 2012. Jay-Z released a song called "Glory" dedicated to Blue Ivy. Her cries were even included at the end of the song, making her the youngest person in Billboard history to be credited on a chart entry.
On June 18, 2017, Beyoncé gave birth to their twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir. In the months that followed, they bought a large home in Bel Air, Los Angeles. In 2023, they bought a house in Malibu, California for $200 million, setting a record for the most expensive home sold in California.
Giving Back to the Community
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Jay-Z has been involved in many charitable activities. In 2003, he and his mother founded the Shawn Carter Foundation. This foundation helps students who are facing financial difficulties attend and complete college.
In August 2006, he met with Kofi Annan, who was then the head of the United Nations. Jay-Z promised to use his upcoming world tour to raise awareness about the global water shortage. This effort was done with the UN and MTV, which made a documentary called Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life.
Along with Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jay-Z donated $1 million to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. Jay-Z has said that "the greatest form of giving is anonymous to anonymous," meaning giving without seeking recognition.
In March 2020, Jay-Z donated $1 million through the Shawn Carter Foundation to help with relief during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York. In April 2020, he and Meek Mill donated over 100,000 face masks to U.S. prisons to help protect inmates from COVID-19.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Reasonable Doubt (1996)
- In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997)
- Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998)
- Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
- The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000)
- The Blueprint (2001)
- The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse (2002)
- The Black Album (2003)
- Kingdom Come (2006)
- American Gangster (2007)
- The Blueprint 3 (2009)
- Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013)
- 4:44 (2017)
- Collaborative albums
- The Best of Both Worlds with R. Kelly (2002)
- Unfinished Business with R. Kelly (2004)
- Watch the Throne with Kanye West (2011)
- Everything Is Love with Beyoncé (as the Carters) (2018)
Filmography
- Streets Is Watching (1998)
- Backstage (2000)
- State Property (2002)
- Paper Soldiers (2002)
- Paid in Full (2002, producer)
- Fade to Black (2004)
- The Great Gatsby (2013, executive producer)
- Made in America (2013, documentary)
- Annie (2014, producer)
- Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story (2018, executive producer)
- Teddy (2023, executive producer)
Tours
Headlining Tours
- Reasonable Doubt Tour (1996)
- Hard Knock Life Tour (1999)
- Blueprint Lounge Tour (2001)
- Hangar Tour (2006)
- American Gangster Live (2007)
- Jay-Z Fall Tour/Blueprint 3 Tour (2009–2010)
- Magna Carter World Tour (2013–14)
- 4:44 Tour (2017)
Co-headlining Tours
- Rock the Mic (with 50 Cent) (2003)
- Best of Both Worlds Tour (with R. Kelly) (2004)
- Heart of the City Tour (with Mary J. Blige) (2008)
- Jay-Z & Ciara Live (with Ciara) (2009)
- The Home & Home Tour (with Eminem) (2010)
- Watch the Throne Tour (with Kanye West) (2011–12)
- Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour (with Justin Timberlake) (2013)
- On the Run Tour (with Beyoncé) (2014)
- On the Run II Tour (with Beyoncé) (2018)
Supporting Tours
- No Way Out Tour (with Puff Daddy & Bad Boy Records) (1997)
- Projekt Revolution 2008 Europe (with Linkin Park) (2008)
- Viva la Vida Tour (with Coldplay) (2008)
- U2 360° Tour (with U2) (2009–11)
Books
- Decoded by Jay-Z (2010: Spiegel & Grau, 336 pages), ISBN: 978-1-4000-6892-0. This book is part memoir and part a collection of Jay-Z's lyrics with the stories behind them.
Awards and Nominations
In 2006, he was given the title of Sarkin Waka in Kwara, Nigeria.
See also
In Spanish: Jay-Z para niños
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of best-selling music artists
- Murder Inc.
- The Carters
- The Throne
