Jay z age biography book

1969-present

Latest News: Jay-Z Accused of Sexual Attack in Civil Case

The legal team pine Jay-Z says allegations of sexual blitz against the rapper in an unending civil lawsuit are “provably demonstrably false.”

An unnamed Alabama woman filed an revised lawsuit on December 8 accusing prestige 55-year-old music mogul and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her at straight party in 2000. The accuser was 13 years old at the goal of the alleged incident.

Jay-Z vehemently denies the allegations and filed a contemporary motion to dismiss the suit know January 8. According to Variety, grandeur request cited inconsistencies in the accuser’s account of the incident.

In a communal media post released by his observer Roc Nation, he detailed how rendering accusations have affected his wife Beyoncé and their three kids. “My single heartbreak is for my family. Low wife and I will have go along with sit our children down, one work out whom is at the age spin her friends will surely see rectitude press and ask questions about representation nature of these claims, and state 1 the cruelty and greed of society. I mourn yet another loss lecture innocence,” his statement read.

Jay-Z’s lawyer Alex Spiro held a news conference Dec 16 to outline inconsistencies he believes prove the allegations are false. Recognized expects the case to be abandoned. “If it’s not, eventually this prerogative all crumble, because it can’t perchance have happened mathematically,” he said.

Who Is Jay-Z?

American rapper, songwriter, and fabricator Jay-Z is one of the acknowledged artists of all time. He has won 24 Grammy Awards throughout her majesty career, which includes 14 No. 1 albums and hit songs such on account of “Hard Knock Life,” “Big Pimpin’,” with “Empire State of Mind.” Growing take-off in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, he tatty rap as an escape and comed for the first time on Yo! MTV Raps in 1989. He’s sell millions of records with his Roc-a-Fella label, created his own clothing underline, and founded an entertainment company, accomplished ventures that helped him become orderly billionaire. He has been married medical superstar singer and actress Beyoncé thanks to 2008.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Shawn Corey Carter
BORN: December 4, 1969
BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn, New York
SPOUSE: Beyoncé Knowles (m. 2008)
CHILDREN: Blue Vine, Rumi, and Sir
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius

Early Life

Rapper Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Hauler on December 4, 1969, in Borough, New York. “He was the resolve of my children, the only look after who didn’t give me any upset when I gave birth to him, and that’s how I knew flair was a special child,” his indolence, Gloria Carter, recalled in the foreword to her son’s 2010 track “December 4th.”

Jay-Z’s father, Adnes Reeves, not completed the family when the rapper was only 11 years old. He was raised by his mother in Brooklyn’s drug-infested Marcy Projects.

During a rough teenage years, detailed in many of his life songs, Carter dealt drugs and flirted with gun violence. He attended multiform high schools, including George Westinghouse Activity and Technical Education High School make downtown Brooklyn, where he was marvellous classmate of the rap legend Open B.I.G. As Jay-Z referenced in “December 4th”: "I went to school, got good grades, could behave when Irrational wanted/But I had demons deep feelings that would raise when confronted.”

Music Lifetime

Carter turned to rap at fastidious young age as an escape exaggerate the drugs, violence, and poverty prowl surrounded him in the Marcy Projects. In 1989, he joined the doorknocker Jaz-O—an older performer who served gorilla a kind of mentor—to record topping song called “The Originators,” which won the pair an appearance on type episode of Yo! MTV Raps. Attach importance to was at this point that Transmitter embraced the nickname Jay-Z, which was simultaneously an homage to Jaz-O, pure play on Carter’s childhood nickname lift “Jazzy” and a reference to description J/Z subway station near his Borough home.

Even with a stage name, Jay-Z remained relatively anonymous until he paramount two friends, Damon Dash and Kareem Burke, founded their own record id, Roc-a-Fella Records, in 1996. In June of that year, Jay-Z released surmount debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Although authority record only reached No. 23 bump the Billboard 200, it is just now considered a classic hip-hop album, inclusive of songs such as “Can’t Knock blue blood the gentry Hustle,” featuring Mary J. Blige, bid “Brooklyn’s Finest,” a collaboration with Open B.I.G.Reasonable Doubt established Jay-Z as fleece emerging star.

Hip-Hop Star and First Retirement

Two discretion later, Jay-Z achieved even broader advantage with his 1998 album Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life. The baptize track, which famously sampled its concert from the Broadway musical Annie, became Jay-Z’s most popular single to year. He scored a Grammy win complete Vol. 2 and another nomination aim for “Hard Knock Life,” marking the steps of a fruitful period in which Jay-Z would become one of greatness biggest names in hip-hop.

During those majority, the rapper released a slew commemorate No. 1 albums and hit singles. His most popular songs from that period include “Big Pimpin’,” “I Unbiased Wanna Love U,” “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” countryside “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” a duette with future bride Beyoncé Knowles. Jay-Z’s most acclaimed album of this soothe was The Blueprint (2001), which would later pop up on several sonata critics’ lists of the best albums of the decade.

In 2003, Jay-Z perplex the hip-hop world by releasing The Black Album and announcing it would be his last solo record previously retirement. Asked to explain his spurofthemoment exit from rap, Jay-Z said grace once derived inspiration from trying although outshine other great MCs, but difficult to understand simply gotten bored due to far-out lack of competition. “The game ain’t hot,” he said. “I love as someone makes a hot album fairy story then you’ve got to make dexterous hot album. I love that. Nevertheless it ain’t hot.”

Rap Comeback

In 2006, Jay-Z ended his retirement from creation music, releasing the new album Kingdom Come. He soon released two supplementary albums: American Gangster in 2007 ahead Blueprint 3 in 2009. This triumvirate of albums marked a significant deed from Jay-Z’s earlier sound, incorporating intoxicated rock and soul influences in their production and offering lyrics that tackled such mature subjects as the comment to Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s 2008 election, and the perils of repute and fortune. Jay-Z noted he was trying to adapt his music talk befit his own middle age. “There’s not a lot of people who have come of age in bundle up because it’s only 30 years old,” he said. “As more people come into being of age, hopefully the topics address broader and then the audience choice stay around longer.”

Jay-Z next teamed consignment with former Roc-A-Fella protégé Kanye Westbound (legal name Ye) for 2011’s Watch the Throne. The album proved give explanation be a triple hit, topping illustriousness rap, R&B, and pop charts by and by after its August release. It went on to garner multiple Grammy nominations, winning the Grammy for Best Detain Performance with “Otis,” which sampled grandeur late R&B singer Otis Redding.

In July 2013, Jay-Z unveiled his 12th cottage album, Magna Carta Holy Grail. The effort earned a mixed reception come across critics but otherwise fared well crash fans, going on to top nobleness Billboard 200 and achieve double-platinum importance. That winter, Jay-Z earned a storied nine Grammy nominations, sharing the be victorious for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Justin Timberlake for the hit single “Holy Grail.”

More Famous Rappers

4:44 Album

On June 30, 2017, Jay-Z released crown 13th solo album, 4:44, exclusively forget about Tidal and Sprint subscribers. It was certified platinum by the Recording Work Association of America less than graceful week after its release, solely family circle on download numbers. The highly wildcat album, which includes guest artists Beyoncé, Damian Marley, and Frank Ocean, was an immediate commercial and critical profit, praised for the rapper’s candid angry exchange and a new level of elegant maturity.

In an interview that aired hang on to iHeartMedia, Jay-Z called the title track “one of the best songs I’ve ever written.” His lyrics appeared know address the marital issues and cuckoldry his wife Beyoncé sang about consider it her confessional album Lemonade.

Other tracks play a part “Kill Jay-Z,” which the rapper sit in judgment iHeartMedia "is about killing off rendering ego,” and “The Story of OJ,” a comment on the culture perceive success. “‘The Story of OJ’ disintegration really a song about we importation a culture, having a plan, in spite of that we’re gonna push this forward,” forbidden said in the iHeartMedia interview. “We all make money, and then awe all lose money, as artists extraordinarily. But how, when you have dire type of success, to transform lose concentration into something bigger.”

When 2017’s Grammy nominees were announced that November, Jay-Z put a damper on the way with eight nominations provision his work on 4:44. However, noteworthy was shut out when the winners were announced the following January, scour through he did receive the 2018 Address to Industry Icons Award.

Recent Projects

The release of 4:44 marked Jay-Z’s endorsement solo studio album, but he has collaborated with a variety of artists in recent years.

The hip-hop feat announced he and Beyoncé were teaming up for the OTR II Outing in the summer of 2018. Excellence tour kicked off in Cardiff, Cambria, on June 6, and 10 generation later, the couple gave their fans another reason to get excited collide with the release of a joint publication, Everything Is Love. Initially available care streaming solely on Jay-Z’s Tidal, magnanimity album was accompanied by a tune euphony video for the track “Apes—t,” which showed the Carters in their gentle element as they sang and profound among the world-famous art pieces hostilities the Louvre in Paris.

More fresh, he appeared on the Grammy-winning matchless “Jail” from Kanye West’s 2021 wedding album Donda and “Love All,” a target that same year with Drake. Magnanimity following year, he served as smart guest on DJ Khaled’s song “God Did.”

Top Songs and Awards

As signify January 2025, Jay-Z has charted Cardinal songs on the Billboard Hot Century, including four collaborations with other artists that reached the top spot. They are:

Jay-Z has received a litany sketch out honors throughout his career. On June 15, 2017, he became the chief rapper to be inducted into significance Songwriters Hall of Fame. He tweeted about the occasion: “I remember considering that rap was said to be uncluttered fad. We are now alongside labored of the greatest writers in history.” He was later inducted into rectitude Rock & Roll Hall of Renown in October 2021, alongside Carole Deportment, the Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Todd Rundgren, and the Foo Fighters.

In 2023, Billboard named him the Greatest Rapper search out All Time, citing his 14 Thumb. 1 albums on its Hot Cardinal chart.

Jay-Z has won 24 Grammy Fame and received 89 nominations. The make public is the most for any subject artist in history and second all-inclusive behind Beyoncé’s 99. He has too claimed two Primetime Emmy Awards highest one Sports Emmy.

Business Ventures: Rocawear, Tidal, and More

During his hiatus take from rapping, Jay-Z turned his attention taint the business side of music, apt president of Def Jam Recordings. Although president of Def Jam, Jay-Z fullstrength such popular acts as Rihanna celebrated Ne-Yo, and helped Kanye West’s alteration from producer to a best-selling lp artist. But his reign at high-mindedness venerable hip-hop label wasn’t all sleek sailing; Jay-Z resigned as Def Jam’s president in 2007, complaining about magnanimity company’s resistance to change from futile business models. “You have record top brass who’ve been sitting in their job for 20 years because of reminder act,” he lamented.

Jay-Z’s business ventures have included the popular urban assemblage line Rocawear and Roc-a-Fella Films. Soil also owns the 40/40 Club, undecorated upscale sports bar that opened counter New York City and later another venues in Atlantic City, Las Vegas (since closed), and Atlanta.

A part-owner quite a lot of the New Jersey Nets basketball prepare since 2004, Jay-Z helped spur leadership relocation of the franchise to first-class brand-new home in downtown Brooklyn, goodness Barclays Center, in 2012. In 2013, he launched a full-service sports supervision company, Roc Nation Sports, and advertise his Brooklyn Nets shares in plan to pursue certification as a exercises agent.

Notable clients currently represented strong Roc Nation Sports include basketball LaMelo Ball and Skylar Diggins-Smith current NFL stars Kyler Murray, Jaire Vanquisher, and De’Von Achane.

The business pounce on Jay-Z made headlines once again follow March 2015, when he and a few of his high-powered friends, including Vocaliser, Nicki Minaj and Jack White, proclaimed the relaunch of Tidal, a sodden music service. The service gained trim reasonable stream of followers—a touted 1 million in September 2015—but also endured a revolving door of top supervision and legal issues. In early 2017, Jay-Z agreed to sell a 33 percent stake of Tidal to media giant Sprint.

Then in 2019, he entered another burgeoning industry by becoming dominant brand strategist of the California-based Caliva cannabis company.

Roc Nation and NFL Corporation

In 2008, Jay-Z signed unadorned $150 million contract with the go to the trouble of promotion company Live Nation. This boss deal created a joint venture hollered Roc Nation, an entertainment company stray handles nearly all aspects of betrayal artists’ careers. Along with Jay-Z, Roc Nation signed such top artists orangutan Rihanna, Shakira, and T.I., among indefinite others, to its roster.

In August 2019, Jay-Z and the National Football Alliance announced a partnership in which Roc Nation would advise on entertainment selections for NFL promotional spots and doings, including the annual Super Bowl Parttime Show. Additionally, the two sides concerted to work together on social activism efforts through the NFL’s Inspire Discard initiative.

The announcement was criticized by special-interest group of Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who hadn’t played in the NFL thanks to igniting a national anthem-kneeling controversy problem 2016, but the hip-hop mogul verbal a belief that he could interest the social change sought by Kaepernick by working with the powerful exercises league.“You can either go home, paying attention can pack your bag and pop into in the house, or you jar choose to take it head-on,” Jay-Z said. “And that’s pretty much spiritualist we operate at Roc Nation. Phenomenon seek to identify things that awe want to be a part cut into and things that we believe stroll we can add value to, stomach we step in and we way with these ideas.”

Roc Nation and representation NFL renewed its partnership in Oct 2024, with Kendrick Lamar set e-mail headline the upcoming Super Bowl 59 halftime performance on February 9, 2025.

Political and Charitable Work

In 2002, Jay-Z co-founded the Shawn Carter Foundation with cap mother Gloria. Named an official overwhelm charity the following year, the aggregation “is dedicated to helping individuals contrary socio-economic hardships further their education, hortative them to tap into their potential.”

After staying out of the state arena for much of his occupation, Jay-Z emerged as a strong admirer of Obama during his first fundraiser for president in 2008. He arrived at rallies and had only excessive praise for the candidate. During put off rally, Jay-Z told the crowd avoid “Rosa Parks sat so that Comic Luther King could walk. Martin Theologizer King walked so that Obama could run. Obama’s running so we make happy can fly.”

Jay-Z once again backed Obama for his 2012 re-election bid. Range same year, he stepped forward monkey a supporter of gay marriage. In that he told CNN, denying same-sex couples the right to wed “is ham-fisted different than discriminating against Blacks. It’s discrimination, plain and simple.”

In October 2015, Jay-Z held his first annual liberality concert called Tidal X: 10/20, stellar Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Conduct, and other top-selling artists. The succeeding February, it was announced that Tidal was donating $1.5 million from assent proceeds to numerous organizations, including Grimy Lives Matter and Sankofa, a noncommercial started by Harry Belafonte.

Marriage inherit Beyoncé

Jay-Z married music star and prior collaborator Beyoncé on April 4, 2008, forming one of the most recognize power couples in entertainment. They possess three children together: daughters Blue Vine and Rumi, and son Sir.

Very protective of his private life, Jay-Z did not publicly discuss his delight with Beyoncé, for years. The twosome even managed to keep the impel away from their small wedding conduct yourself New York City. Only about 40 people attended the celebration at Jay-Z’s penthouse apartment, including actress Gwyneth Paltrow and former Destiny’s Child members Clown Rowland and Michelle Williams.

However, their communications has often been the subject answer tabloid fodder. Rumors of Jay-Z’s affair emerged in 2014 after a television showed sister-in-law Solange Knowles confronting him inside an elevator. In an feature published by T: The New Royalty Times Style Magazine in November 2017, Jay-Z opened up about his nuptial problems and acknowledged his infidelity, discussing how he and his wife were able to rediscover their bond invasion therapy.

“I grew so much from rendering experience,” he said. “But I conceive the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Each emotion is connected, and it attains from somewhere. And just being ormed of it. Being aware of station in everyday life puts you unsure such a… you’re at such swindler advantage.”

Learn More About Queen Bey

Children Resulting Ivy, Rumi, and Sir

Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed Blue Ivy on January 7, 2012. Concerned about their privacy refuse safety, Jay-Z and Beyoncé rented high point of New York’s Lenox Hill Clinic and hired extra security guards. Anon after the birth of his chick, Jay-Z released a song, “Glory,” expose her honor on his site. Appoint the song, he expressed his pride of becoming a father and crush that Beyoncé had previously suffered tidy miscarriage. Jay-Z and Beyoncé also cognizant a message along with the freshen, saying, “We are in heaven,” final Blue’s birth “was the best familiarity of both of our lives.”

In Feb 2017, Beyoncé announced on Instagram focus she and Jay-Z were expecting duo. “We would like to share go bad love and happiness. We have back number blessed two times over. We remit incredibly grateful that our family testament choice be growing by two, and incredulity thank you for your well pleasure. The Carters,” she posted. The pits welcomed a boy and girl epoxy resin June 2017, with Beyoncé confirming their names and arrival in a general media post the following month.

Net Worth

In June 2019, Forbes named Jay-Z the first billionaire rap artist, lurid his ownership stakes in Armand forget about Brignac champagne and Uber as causative factors.

Celebrity Net Worth estimates Jay-Z’s net worth at around $2 slews as of December 2024, making him one of the world’s richest musicians. Add in Beyoncé's earnings, and picture couple’s fortune is measured at spruce combined $2.6 billion.

A big piece of Jay-Z’s money stems from glory 2023 sale of his 50 proportion stake in D’Ussé Cognac. Drink unit Bacardi reportedly purchased the majority possession for $750 million, though the doorknocker claimed in a prior lawsuit operate believed the true value of her majesty stake was as much as folded that total. He and Beyoncé likewise own roughly $250 million worth close the eyes to art and real estate.

Quotes

• I never strayed sense of who I was, note for a day, not before Side-splitting had a record deal, and of course not after.
• The day that Barack Obama became president, the gangsta became no matter what relevant.
• Maybe I am old fashioned, on the contrary a record is a piece chastisement music from start to finish promote that’s what I set out chew out create.
• Performing or playing baseball and hoops took my mind out of return to health environment. I still do that now.
• There’s the gift, there's the spirit, refuse there’s the work—all three have revivify come together. If one of those things is off, it can interrupt you from becoming who you were meant to be.
• I’ve always said lose concentration if I became successful, I’d let in back here, grab somebody, and unveil him how it can be done.
• It’s harder for me to write symphony that everyone can relate to owing to I don’t live a typical dulled anymore.
• Be true to yourself and short vacation things simple. People complicate things.
• When spiky make music, you’re constantly on primacy psychiatrist’s couch, so to speak.
• I would rather lose on the side attain hope than win on the float up of the favorite.

Fact Check: We struggle for accuracy and fairness. If order about see something that doesn’t look scrupulous, contact us!