Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter, is a highly influential American rapper, businessman, and record executive. Celebrated for his intricate lyrical style, characterized by double entendres and wordplay, his music often chronicles a rags-to-riches journey. Billboard and Vibe named him the greatest rapper of all time in 2023. He held the position of president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings from 2004 to 2007. In 2008, he established Roc Nation, a prominent entertainment company.
On December 4, 1969, Shawn Corey Carter, who is professionally known as Jay-Z, was born in Brooklyn, New York City.
In 1982, at age 12, Jay-Z shot his older brother Eric in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry.
While working on the album Word to the Jaz in London in 1988, Jay-Z and Irv Gotti began to build their relationship.
According to his song "99 Problems", in 1994, Jay-Z was allegedly stopped by an NYPD detective while en route to I-95.
In 1994, Jay-Z co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records to release his music.
In 1994, Jay-Z gained wider recognition for his appearance on the posse cut "Show and Prove" on Big Daddy Kane's album Daddy's Home.
In 1995, Jay-Z appeared on Big L's "Da Graveyard" and Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build", and he released his first official rap single, "In My Lifetime".
In 1995, Jay-Z, along with Damon "Dame" Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, created Roc-A-Fella Records as an independent label.
In 1996, Jay-Z released his debut album Reasonable Doubt through Roc-A-Fella Records, which reached number 23 on the Billboard 200.
After reaching a new label distribution deal with Def Jam, Jay-Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 album in 1997.
In 1997, Jay-Z released his second studio album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, which was also met with critical acclaim.
Jay-Z references shooting his older brother Eric in the shoulder in 1982 in the song "You Must Love Me", which was released in 1997.
In 1998, Jay-Z released Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, which spawned his biggest hit at the time, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)".
On December 2, 1999, Jay-Z allegedly stabbed record executive Lance "Un" Rivera at the Kit Kat Klub in Times Square during a release party for Q-Tip's album, Amplified. He was later arrested and released on bail.
In 1999, Jay-Z co-founded the clothing retailer Rocawear.
In 1999, Jay-Z collaborated with Mariah Carey on "Heartbreaker" and released his album Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter.
In 1999, Jay-Z stabbed record producer Lance Rivera at the Kit Kat Klub in New York City, leading to an aggravated assault charge.
In 2000, Jay-Z released The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, originally intended as a compilation for Roc-A-Fella artists, which introduced producers such as The Neptunes, Just Blaze, Kanye West, and Bink.
In 2000, Jay-Z, along with Sean "Diddy" Combs, was accused in a civil lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party.
In 2000, following allegations of rape from the previous year, a lawsuit emerged. In December 2024, the accuser admitted to inconsistencies in her allegation, as images from the night show that Carter and Combs had verifiably been in separate locations that night.
On September 11, 2001, Jay-Z released his sixth studio album, The Blueprint, which received a five-mic review from The Source magazine.
In October 2001, Jay-Z pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for stabbing record producer Lance Rivera in 1999.
In 2001, Jay-Z engaged in a feud with Prodigy and Nas, stemming from lyrical disputes and culminating in the song "Takeover" at Summer Jam 2001.
In 2001, Jay-Z released The Blueprint, which debuted atop the Billboard 200.
In 2001, Rapper Nas claimed in his diss track "Ether" that Jay-Z was not the one who stabbed Rivera.
In 2002, Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde".
In 2002, Jay-Z and R. Kelly released their collaborative album, The Best of Both Worlds.
On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a "retirement party" concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City, which was later the focus of his 2004 documentary, Fade to Black.
From 2003, Jay-Z became a part-owner of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team, paying a reported $1 million for his share.
In 2003, Jay-Z appeared on Beyoncé's hit single, "Crazy in Love", and the song "That's How You Like It" from her debut album Dangerously in Love.
In 2003, Jay-Z became the first rapper to endorse Reebok footwear, signing a three-year deal and appearing in an advertisement for his S. Carter Collection. He also appeared in a commercial with 50 Cent to promote their respective footwear lines for the company.
In 2003, Jay-Z founded the 40/40 Club, a luxury bar chain.
In 2003, Jay-Z reconciled with his father, Adnis Reeves, prior to his father's death.
In 2003, Jay-Z released "99 Problems", which recounts an alleged encounter with an NYPD detective in 1994.
In 2003, Jay-Z released The Black Album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
In 2003, Jay-Z, along with his mother, founded the Shawn Carter Foundation, which assists eligible students facing socio-economic hardships attend and get through college.
In 2004, Jay-Z became president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings.
In 2004, Jay-Z collaborated with Linkin Park, releasing the remix EP Collision Course and serving as executive producer for Fort Minor's debut album, The Rising Tied. Jay-Z also planned to retire in 2004.
In 2004, Jay-Z released two collaborative albums: Unfinished Business with R. Kelly and Collision Course with Linkin Park.
In 2004, Jay-Z was appointed as the president of Def Jam Records, leading to the sale of his remaining stake in Roc-A-Fella Records along with Dash and Biggs. Jay-Z then assumed control of both companies. This decision was reportedly influenced by disagreements between Jay-Z and Dash regarding the future direction of Roc-A-Fella.
In 2004, Jay-Z's "retirement party" concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 25, 2003 became the focus of his documentary, Fade to Black.
In October 2005, it was reported in English media that Jay-Z was considering buying a stake in Arsenal F.C., an English soccer team.
On October 27, 2005, Jay-Z headlined New York's Power 105.1 annual Powerhouse concert, named the "I Declare War" concert. The show, featuring an Oval Office mock-up, included appearances from Roc-A-Fella artists, Ne-Yo, Teairra Marí, T.I., Young Jeezy, Akon, Kanye West, Paul Wall, The LOX, and Diddy, emphasizing Jay-Z's role as Def Jam's president and CEO.
By 2005, Jay-Z and Nas had ended their feud, reportedly with the help of record producer Mark Pitts.
In 2005, Jay-Z became an investor in Carol's Daughter, a line of beauty products.
In 2005, Jay-Z became the president of Def Jam Recordings.
In August 2006, Jay-Z met with Kofi Annan at the United Nations headquarters in New York City and pledged to use his upcoming world tour to raise awareness of the global water shortage.
In early October 2006, Jay-Z's comeback single, "Show Me What You Got", from the album "Kingdom Come", was leaked online, leading to an FBI investigation due to its heavy airplay. The music video was directed by F. Gary Gray in collaboration with video director Hype Williams.
In November 2006, MTV aired the documentary Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life, which highlighted Jay-Z's efforts to raise awareness of the global water shortage.
On November 21, 2006, Jay-Z released his comeback album, "Kingdom Come." The album sold 680,000 copies in its first week, marking his biggest sales week ever, and has sold 2 million copies in the U.S.
In 2006, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were listed as the most powerful couple for Time magazine's 100 most influential people.
In 2006, Jay-Z appeared with Russell Simmons in a public service announcement denouncing racism and anti-Semitism, sponsored by the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.
In 2006, Jay-Z took over the Rocawear clothing brand following a disagreement with Damon Dash.
In 2006, Jay-Z was enstooled as the Sarkin Waka of Kwara in the Nigerian chieftaincy system.
In 2006, Jay-Z's endorsement deal with Reebok expired and was not renewed.
In 2006, Jay-Z's ties to Armand de Brignac began, and he received millions of dollars annually for his association with the champagne brand before acquiring the entire company later.
In March 2007, Jay-Z sold the rights to the Rocawear brand to Iconix Brand Group for $204 million, while retaining a stake and overseeing marketing and product development.
On November 6, 2007, Jay-Z released his tenth album, "American Gangster", inspired by the Ridley Scott film of the same name. The album, which depicts his experiences as a street hustler, sold 1 million copies in the U.S.
At the end of 2007, after releasing American Gangster, Jay-Z decided not to renew his contract as the president and CEO of Def Jam and shortly after, he started his Live Nation venture, Roc Nation.
In 2007, Jay-Z released the album American Gangster, which debuted atop the Billboard 200.
On January 1, 2008, Jay-Z resigned from his position as president of Def Jam Records.
On April 4, 2008, Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles were married in a private ceremony in Tribeca, New York City.
On April 22, 2008, Jay-Z and Beyoncé's relationship became a matter of public record.
In June 2008, Barack Obama praised Jay-Z's thinking and talent, indicating that Jay-Z can help shape attitudes in a real positive way.
In June 2008, the period began for calculating Beyoncé and Jay-Z's combined earnings as Hollywood's top-earning couple.
During Kanye West's concert on August 6, 2008, at Madison Square Garden, Jay-Z joined West on stage to perform a new song, announcing it would be featured on The Blueprint 3.
On September 5, 2008, Beyoncé publicly debuted her US$5 million Lorraine Schwartz-designed wedding ring at the Fashion Rocks concert.
In 2008, Jay-Z launched Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency.
In 2008, Jay-Z was announced as the first major hip hop artist to headline Britain's Glastonbury Festival. Amid controversy and criticism from figures like Noel Gallagher, Jay-Z opened his set with a cover of Oasis's "Wonderwall" and delivered a well-received performance.
In 2008, the 40/40 Club in Las Vegas closed down and was bought back by the hotel after attendance declined.
In January 2009, Forbes ranked Beyoncé and Jay-Z as Hollywood's top-earning couple, with a combined total of $162 million.
On May 21, 2009, Jay-Z announced his departure from Def Jam and signed a multi-million-dollar deal with Live Nation. This deal involved the creation of Roc Nation, a record label, talent/management agency, and music publishing company, along with a partnership with Stargate to launch StarRoc.
Between June 2008 and June 2009, Forbes determined that Beyoncé and Jay-Z had a combined total of US$122 million, making them the top-earning couple.
On September 8, 2009, Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3, was released in North America due to increasing anticipation. It became his 11th album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, surpassing Elvis Presley's record for a solo artist.
September 11, 2009, was the original release date for Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3, but it was later released earlier, on September 8, 2009 in North America.
On October 9, 2009, Jay-Z began his North American tour in support of The Blueprint 3.
At his concert on November 8, 2009, at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, Rihanna joined Jay-Z onstage to perform "Hard" for the first time and "Run This Town."
On November 22, 2009, Jay-Z concluded The Blueprint 3 North American tour.
In 2009, Jay-Z peaked the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist with his single "Empire State of Mind" featuring Alicia Keys.
In January 2010, Jay-Z, through his company Gain Global Investments Network LLC, held an interest estimated between 2 and 7% in the Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG) consortium, which was awarded a contract to operate a racino at the Aqueduct Race Track.
On March 9, 2010, Jay-Z and Flake withdrew from the Aqueduct project.
On September 23, 2010, Q-Tip confirmed that he was working on Jay-Z's follow-up album to The Blueprint 3, with an expected release in Spring 2011.
In November 2010, recording sessions began at various locations for a project by Jay-Z and Kanye West, initially planned as a five-track EP entitled Watch the Throne, but later evolved into a full-length LP.
Starting in November 2010, Jay-Z was the supporting act for U2 on the Australian and New Zealand leg of their U2 360° Tour, beginning in Auckland, New Zealand.
On November 16, 2010, Jay-Z published his memoir entitled Decoded, co-signed by Dream Hampton.
During the 2010 mid-term elections, Jay-Z appeared with other artists in a HeadCount advertisement, urging voters, especially younger ones, to register and vote.
In 2010, Jay-Z announced plans to expand his 40/40 Club sports bar chain into as many as 20 airports in a deal with Delaware North.
On April 5, 2011, Jay-Z launched the popular culture and lifestyle online magazine Life + Times, showcasing his high-end tastes in clothing, appliances, and cars.
In April 2011, Jay-Z reportedly outbid Universal Music and Jive Records to acquire the independent record label Block Starz Music.
At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé revealed that she was pregnant with their first child.
In 2011, Jay-Z and Kanye West gave a surprise performance of "Otis" from their album "Watch the Throne" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
In 2011, Jay-Z and Kanye West released their collaborative album, Watch the Throne.
In 2011, Jay-Z was expected to release the follow-up album to The Blueprint 3, after Q-Tip confirmed working on it on September 23, 2010.
On January 7, 2012, Jay-Z and Beyoncé's daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, was born at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital.
On January 9, 2012, Jay-Z released "Glory", a song dedicated to Blue Ivy, through his Life+Times website. The song detailed the couple's pregnancy struggles and included Blue Ivy's cries, crediting her as "B.I.C".
By February 2012, Jay-Z's album "The Blueprint" had sold 2.7 million copies worldwide.
In May 2012, Jay-Z endorsed President Obama's support of same-sex marriage and participated in his re-election campaign.
In May 2012, Jay-Z was reported to be working on new music with Roc Nation producer Jahlil Beats.
In May 2012, Jay-Z, in collaboration with former Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter, announced that he would curate and headline the first annual "Budweiser Made in America" festival at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on September 1 and 2, 2012.
On October 6, 2012, Jay-Z took the subway to his sold-out show at The Barclays Center.
On November 12, 2012, Coldplay announced that they will be playing with Jay-Z at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on December 31.
In the 2012-2013 season, Jay-Z encouraged the team's relocation from New Jersey to Brooklyn's Barclays Center, at which point the team took on the Brooklyn Nets moniker.
On April 2, 2013, Jay-Z launched his own sports agency, Roc Nation Sports, in partnership with Creative Artists Agency, focusing on the representation of professional athletes. Robinson Canó signed with the company.
In April 2013, Forbes magazine valued Jay-Z's share in the Brooklyn Nets at $350,000.
On April 18, 2013, Jay-Z officially announced his relinquishment of ownership in the Brooklyn Nets through his Life + Times website. The shares were eventually sold to Will Pan.
On July 4, 2013, Jay-Z released his twelfth studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 528,000 copies in its first week. He also confirmed that the hyphen in his stage name would be removed and styled in all capital letters.
In September 2013, Jay-Z's stake in Barclays Center was sold for $1.5 million.
In December 2013, Jay-Z received nine nominations at the 2014 Grammy Awards, which was more than any other artist that year.
In 2013, DJ Funkmaster Flex was contacted for a story about a digital app he created, but he alleged that the information was instead used to help launch the Magna Carta Samsung app for the release of Jay-Z's album of the same name.
In 2013, Jay-Z was planning his new album, which Complex Magazine, MTV, and XXL named one of the most anticipated albums of the year.
In 2013, Time magazine named Jay-Z one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In October 2014, Aspiro's subscription-based music streaming service, Tidal, had been in operation.
In 2014, Jay-Z appeared on his wife Beyoncé's self-titled fifth studio album, Beyoncé, with a feature on the song "Drunk in Love." They performed this song together at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards opening.
In 2014, Jay-Z invested $200 million to acquire a 100% stake in Armand de Brignac champagne, marking his second alcoholic product acquisition.
In January 2015, DJ Funkmaster Flex revealed that in 2013, he was contacted for a story about a digital app he made, but alleged that the information was used to help launch the Magna Carta Samsung app for Jay-Z's album.
In March 2015, Jay-Z completed the $56 million acquisition of Aspiro, a Norwegian media technology company that operates the subscription-based music streaming service Tidal, through his company Project Panther Bidco Ltd. The aim was to restore value to music by creating an artist-owned platform.
In July 2015, Jay-Z made a significant investment in JetSmarter, an app developed by Sergey Petrossov for booking private executive plane flights.
In 2015, Jay-Z acquired the technology company Aspiro and led the expansion of Tidal, its media streaming service.
In 2015, Jay-Z and Beyoncé won three Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Performance for "Drunk in Love" and recognition for the album "Beyoncé."
In 2016, Jay-Z signed a two-year exclusive film and TV deal with Weinstein Company, giving them first-look options on scripted and unscripted projects. He also produced a documentary series on Kalief Browder and addressed racial profiling and police brutality.
In 2016, Jay-Z won a lawsuit for the song "Made in America" with Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean against Joel McDonald.
In early June 2017, a Tidal-related project titled 4:44 was promoted with posters in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as banner ads on the Internet. A teaser ad aired during the NBA Finals on June 7, and the project was confirmed to be a new Jay-Z album on June 18.
On June 18, 2017, Beyoncé gave birth to twins with Jay-Z, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir.
In 2017, Jay-Z released the album 4:44, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
On June 6, 2018, Jay-Z and Beyoncé started their On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom.
In 2018, Jay-Z and Beyoncé released their collaborative album, Everything Is Love.
In 2019, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire through his business ventures.
In 2019, The Blueprint was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.
In August 2020, Jay-Z's Roc Nation partnered with Brooklyn's Long Island University to establish the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment.
In November 2020, Jay-Z joined TPCO Holding Corp., a newly formed cannabis products company, as "Chief Visionary Officer".
In 2021, Jay-Z was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also appeared on "Jail" from Kanye West's Donda album and "Love All" from Drake's Certified Lover Boy album, both released in 2021.
On December 5, 2022, Jay-Z and Roc Nation announced their partnership with Caesars Entertainment to build and operate a casino property at Times Square.
In 2022, Jay-Z collaborated with Pusha T on "Neck & Wrist" featuring Pharrell Williams from the album It's Almost Dry, and made a guest appearance on DJ Khaled's "God Did". Additionally, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) as a producer for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show in 2022.
In 2023, Jay-Z and Beyoncé bought a house in Malibu, California, designed by Tadao Ando, for $200 million, establishing a record for the most expensive residence sold in California.
In 2023, Jay-Z was named the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard and Vibe.
In 2023, Lance Rivera recanted his allegations regarding the 1999 stabbing incident, despite Jay-Z's previous conviction.
In December 2024, Jay-Z denied allegations of rape from an alleged incident in 2000, describing the accusations as a blackmail attempt. He also responded to the plaintiff's lawyer on social media.
On February 10, 2025, Jay-Z filed a lawsuit against Tony Buzbee, stating he lost $20 million in contracts due to the allegations of sexual assault from the previous year.
On February 14, 2025, the lawsuit against Jay-Z was officially dropped by Tony Buzbee and the accuser. Jay-Z described the outcome as "a victory."
As of 2025, Jay-Z is the wealthiest musical artist in the world with a net worth of US$2.5 billion.
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