Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter, is a highly influential American rapper, businessman, and record executive. Widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he's celebrated for his intricate lyricism, wordplay, and the 'rags-to-riches' story woven throughout his music. He held executive roles at Def Jam Recordings and later founded Roc Nation, demonstrating his entrepreneurial acumen within the entertainment industry.
On December 4, 1969, Shawn Corey Carter, who would later be known as Jay-Z, was born. He is an American rapper, businessman, and record executive.
In 1982, at age 12, Jay-Z allegedly shot his older brother Eric in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry.
In 1988, while working on the album Word to the Jaz in London, Jay-Z and Gotti began to build their relationship on the trip.
In 1994, Jay-Z co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records to release his music.
In 1994, Jay-Z first became known to a wide audience on the posse cut "Show and Prove" on the Big Daddy Kane album Daddy's Home.
In 1994, Jay-Z was allegedly stopped by an NYPD detective while en route to I-95, possibly for a search of drugs in his car.
In 1995, Jay-Z's first official rap single, "In My Lifetime", was released with an accompanying music video.
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 and went gold that year.
In 1997, Jay-Z reached a new label distribution deal with Def Jam and released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, which earned platinum status in the United States.
In 1997, Jay-Z released his second studio album, 'In My Lifetime, Vol. 1', which was also met with critical acclaim.
Jay-Z claims in his lyrics to "You Must Love Me", the closing track on his 1997 album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, that in 1982, at age 12, he shot his older brother Eric in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry.
In 1998, Jay-Z released 'Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life', which spawned the hit single "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, New York City, during a release party for Q-Tip's album Amplified, believing Rivera was behind the bootlegging of Vol. 3....
In 1999, Jay-Z co-founded the clothing retailer Rocawear.
In 1999, Jay-Z collaborated with Mariah Carey on "Heartbreaker," achieving his first chart-topper in the U.S. He also released '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.
In late January 2000, Jay-Z was indicted in Manhattan Criminal Court, pleading not guilty to the stabbing of Lance Rivera; he and his lawyers claimed to have evidence proving he was not near Rivera during the incident.
In 2000, Jay-Z released 'The Dynasty: Roc La Familia', which was originally intended to become a compilation album for Roc-A-Fella artists.
In 2000, Jay-Z was accused, along with Sean "Diddy" Combs, in a civil lawsuit, of an incident at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party.
On September 11, 2001, Jay-Z released his sixth studio album, 'The Blueprint', which received a five-mic review from hip-hop magazine The Source.
In October 2001, Jay-Z pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for stabbing record producer Lance Rivera at the Kit Kat Klub in New York City in 1999.
In 2001, Jay-Z released 'The Blueprint', which debuted atop the Billboard 200.
In 2001, Jay-Z spoke out against Prodigy and performed "Takeover", a diss track. This led to a feud with Nas after Nas criticized Jay-Z, escalating with further diss tracks and performances.
In 2001, Rapper Nas, who feuded with Jay-Z in the early 2000s, had also claimed in his 2001 diss track "Ether" that Jay-Z was not Rivera's stabber.
In 2002, Jay-Z and singer Beyoncé Knowles collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde".
In 2002, Jay-Z released the collaborative album 'The Best of Both Worlds' with R. Kelly.
On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a concert billed as a "retirement party" at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with all proceeds going to charity.
According to his second verse on "99 Problems", released in 2003, Jay-Z was allegedly stopped by an NYPD detective in 1994 while en route to I-95, possibly for a search of drugs in his car.
In 2003, Jay-Z and his mother founded the Shawn Carter Foundation, which assists eligible students facing socio-economic hardships attend and get through college.
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 a part-owner of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team, having paid a reported $1 million for his share.
In 2003, Jay-Z became the first rapper in Reebok's history to endorse the company's footwear, signing a three-year deal and later appearing in a collection advertising his S. Carter Collection. He also appeared in a commercial with 50 Cent to promote their S. Carter and G-Unit footwear.
In 2003, Jay-Z founded the 40/40 Club, a luxury bar chain.
In 2003, Jay-Z released 'The Black Album', which debuted atop the Billboard 200.
Prior to his death in 2003, Jay-Z met and reconciled with his father, Adnis Reeves, who had abandoned the family when Jay-Z was 11 years old.
In 2004, Jay-Z became president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings.
In 2004, Jay-Z collaborated with Linkin Park, releasing the collaborative remix EP Collision Course. Jay-Z also planned to retire in 2004.
In 2004, Jay-Z released 'Unfinished Business' with R. Kelly and 'Collision Course' with Linkin Park.
In 2004, Jay-Z was appointed president of Def Jam Records, leading to him, Dash, and Biggs selling their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records. This move allowed Jay-Z to take control of both companies, reportedly due to disagreements with Dash about Roc-A-Fella's direction.
In 2004, Jay-Z's "retirement party" concert at Madison Square Garden was the focus of his documentary, 'Fade to Black'.
In October 2005, Jay-Z was reported to be 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 concert, Powerhouse, with the theme "I Declare War." The concert, held in New York, featured a mock-up of the Oval Office on stage and included appearances by Roc-A-Fella artists, Ne-Yo, Teairra Marí, T.I., Young Jeezy, Akon, Kanye West, Paul Wall, The LOX, and Diddy.
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, launching the careers of Rihanna and Ne-Yo.
In August 2006, Jay-Z met with Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, pledging to use his upcoming world tour to raise awareness of the global water shortage, partnering with the UN and MTV.
In early October 2006, Jay-Z's comeback single, "Show Me What You Got", was leaked on the Internet. This led to heavy airplay and an FBI investigation due to the unauthorized release.
In November 2006, MTV aired the documentary 'Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life', highlighting Jay-Z's efforts to raise awareness of the global water shortage in partnership with the UN.
On November 21, 2006, Jay-Z released his comeback album, Kingdom Come. The album had strong sales, with 680,000 copies sold in the first week, becoming his biggest sales week ever. The album was eventually certified double platinum.
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 was enstooled as the Sarkin Waka of Kwara in the Nigerian chieftaincy system.
In 2006, Jay-Z's deal with Reebok expired and was not renewed.
In 2006, Jay-Z's ties with Armand de Brignac began, resulting in millions of dollars per year for his association with the brand before he eventually bought the entire company in 2014.
In early 2006, Jay-Z took over the Rocawear clothing line following a falling out with Damon Dash.
In March 2007, Jay-Z sold the rights to the Rocawear brand to Iconix Brand Group for $204 million, retaining a stake in the company and continuing to oversee marketing, licensing, and product development.
On November 6, 2007, Jay-Z released his tenth album, American Gangster. The album, inspired by the Ridley Scott film of the same name, reflects his experiences as a street hustler. The album 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. Shortly after, he started his Live Nation venture, Roc Nation.
In 2007, Jay-Z ended his tenure as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings.
In 2007, Jay-Z released 'American Gangster', which debuted atop the Billboard 200.
On January 1, 2008, Jay-Z officially resigned from his position as president of Def Jam Records.
On April 4, 2008, Jay-Z married Beyoncé Knowles in a private ceremony in Tribeca, New York City.
On April 22, 2008, the relationship between Jay-Z and Beyoncé became a matter of public record.
Between June 2008 and June 2009, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were ranked as Hollywood's top-earning couple.
In June 2008, Barack Obama praised Jay-Z's intellect and potential to positively shape attitudes.
On August 6, 2008, Jay-Z joined Kanye West's concert at Madison Square Garden and performed a new song, announcing it would be on The Blueprint 3 album.
On September 5, 2008, Beyoncé publicly debuted her Lorraine Schwartz-designed wedding ring at the Fashion Rocks concert.
In 2008, Jay-Z became the first major hip hop artist to headline Britain's Glastonbury Festival, sparking controversy with Noel Gallagher. Jay-Z responded by opening his set with a cover of Oasis's "Wonderwall" and delivering a well-received performance.
In 2008, Jay-Z launched Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency.
In 2008, the 40/40 Club in Las Vegas was closed down and bought back by the hotel due to declining attendance.
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. He launched Roc Nation, a record label, talent/management agency, and music publishing company, and partnered with Stargate to start StarRoc.
Between June 2008 and June 2009, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were ranked as Hollywood's top-earning couple, with a combined total of US$122 million.
Due to increased anticipation, Jay-Z's 11th studio album "The Blueprint 3" was released in North America on September 8, 2009, earlier than its originally planned release date of September 11. This album became his 11th to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 was originally planned for release on September 11, 2009, but was released earlier, on September 8, due to increasing anticipation. The international release followed on September 14.
On October 9, 2009, Jay-Z commenced his tour to support his new album, The Blueprint 3, beginning in North America. A review of his performance in Edmonton highlighted his smooth performance style.
On November 8, 2009, at a concert at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, Rihanna joined Jay-Z on stage. They performed "Hard" for the first time and also performed "Run This Town" together.
On November 22, 2009, Jay-Z concluded his North American tour in support of "The Blueprint 3."
In 2009, Jay-Z peaked the Billboard Hot 100 with his single "Empire State of Mind" featuring Alicia Keys.
In January 2010, Jay-Z, through Gain Global Investments Network LLC, held an interest in the Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG), 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 Entertainment Group (AEG) consortium.
On September 23, 2010, Q-Tip confirmed he was working on Jay-Z's follow-up album to The Blueprint 3, with an expected release in spring 2011.
In November 2010, Jay-Z and Kanye West started recording sessions for Watch the Throne at various locations. The first single released was "H•A•M," co-produced by Lex Luger and West.
In November 2010, Jay-Z was the supporting act for U2 on the Australian and New Zealand leg of their U2 360° Tour, commencing in Auckland, New Zealand.
On November 16, 2010, Jay-Z published his memoir entitled Decoded, co-written 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 addressed the case in his book Decoded.
In 2010, Jay-Z announced plans to expand his 40/40 Club sports bar chain into as many as 20 airports, partnering with Juan and Desiree Perez and Delaware North.
On April 5, 2011, Jay-Z launched the popular culture and lifestyle online magazine Life + Times.
In April 2011, it was reported that Jay-Z had outbid executives at Universal Music and Jive Records to acquire 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" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
In 2011, Jay-Z released the collaborative album 'Watch the Throne' with Kanye West.
In 2011, a follow-up album to The Blueprint 3 was expected to be released, but the plan changed and album was released at a later date.
On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital.
On January 9, 2012, Jay-Z released "Glory", a song dedicated to Blue Ivy, detailing the couple's pregnancy struggles and including Blue Ivy's cries at the end.
As of February 2012, Jay-Z's The Blueprint album had sold 2.7 million copies worldwide.
In May 2012, Jay-Z and former Philadelphia mayor Michael A. Nutter announced Jay-Z as the curator and headliner for the first annual "Budweiser Made in America" festival in Philadelphia on September 1 and 2, 2012. The event featured a diverse lineup of musicians.
In May 2012, Jay-Z endorsed President Obama's support of same-sex marriage and participated in his re-election campaign.
In May 2012, reports surfaced that Jay-Z would be collaborating on new music with Roc Nation producer Jahlil Beats. Beats mentioned that Jay-Z had selected some of his tracks to work on.
On October 6, 2012, Jay-Z took the subway to his sold-out show at The Barclays Center.
In December 2012, Coldplay performed with Jay-Z at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
In the 2012-2013 season, Jay-Z encouraged the Brooklyn Nets team's relocation to Brooklyn's Barclays Center from New Jersey, 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. New York Yankees's second baseman Robinson Canó signed with the company.
In April 2013, Jay-Z's share in the Brooklyn Nets NBA team, which he obtained in 2003, declined in value to $350,000, based on Forbes magazine's valuation of the team.
On April 18, 2013, Jay-Z officially announced that he would be relinquishing his ownership in the Brooklyn Nets. 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, selling 528,000 copies in its first week.
In July 2013, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake embarked on the co-headlining Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour.
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, Time named Jay-Z one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2013, author dream hampton revealed that Jay-Z had established a trust fund for Sean Bell's children.
In 2013, information Funkmaster Flex provided for a story about his digital app was allegedly used to help launch the Magna Carta Samsung app for Jay-Z's album in January 2015.
Since October 2014, Aspiro, a Norwegian media technology company has been operating the subscription-based music streaming service Tidal, before being acquired by Jay-Z in March 2015.
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 in Armand de Brignac champagne for a 100 percent stake, marking his second alcoholic product acquisition.
In January 2015, Funkmaster Flex revealed that in 2013, information he provided for a story about his digital app was allegedly used to help launch the Magna Carta Samsung app for Jay-Z's album.
In March 2015, Jay-Z acquired Aspiro, the Norwegian media technology company operating the music streaming service Tidal, for $56 million through his company Project Panther Bidco Ltd.
In July 2015, Jay-Z made a significant investment in JetSmarter, an app for booking private executive plane flights developed by Sergey Petrossov.
In 2015, Jay-Z acquired the technology company Aspiro and led the expansion of Tidal, the company's media streaming service.
In 2015, Jay-Z donated to bail out protestors arrested during activism against police brutality.
In 2015, the song "Drunk in Love" and its accompanying album, Beyoncé, won three Grammy Awards including Best R&B Performance at the ceremony.
In 2016, Jay-Z and Beyoncé appeared at a Hillary Clinton rally in Cleveland, where Clinton praised Jay-Z for addressing racism, oppression, and the criminal justice system.
In 2016, Jay-Z signed a two-year exclusive film and TV deal with Weinstein Company, giving them first-look options for scripted and unscripted TV and film projects, including a documentary series on Kalief Browder.
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, posters and banner ads promoted a Tidal project titled "4:44". A teaser ad aired during the NBA Finals on June 7, featuring actors in a video ending in "4:44 – 6.30.17, Exclusively on Tidal".
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 '4:44', which debuted atop the Billboard 200.
On June 6, 2018, Jay-Z and Beyoncé started the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom.
In 2018, Jay-Z released the collaborative album 'Everything Is Love' with his wife Beyoncé.
In 2019, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire.
In 2019, Jay-Z's album The Blueprint was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
In March 2020, Jay-Z donated $1 million through the Shawn Carter Foundation to aid in relief during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.
In April 2020, Jay-Z, along with Meek Mill, donated over 100,000 face masks to U.S. prisons to assist in protecting prison inmates from COVID-19.
In August 2020, Jay-Z's Roc Nation partnered with Long Island University in Brooklyn to establish the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment.
In November 2020, it was announced that Jay-Z would join 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 alongside LL Cool J. He also appeared on Kanye West's album Donda on the song "Jail", and on Drake's album Certified Lover Boy on the song "Love All".
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" and made a guest appearance on DJ Khaled's "God Did." He also won a Primetime Emmy Award as a producer for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show.
Despite Jay-Z's sentence of three years probation for the crime, Rivera recanted the allegations in 2023.
In 2023, Jay-Z and Beyoncé purchased a house in Malibu, California, designed by Tadao Ando, for $200 million, setting 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, Rivera stated that Jay-Z lied, and was not the one that stabbed him: "No. Jay-Z was not the guy that actually stabbed me that night (...) it's never been his history".
In December 2024, 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. Jay-Z denied the allegations.
On February 10, 2025, Jay-Z filed a lawsuit against Tony Buzbee, stating he lost $20 million in contracts due to the allegations.
On February 14, 2025, the lawsuit against Jay-Z was officially dropped by Tony Buzbee and the accuser, with the case dismissed with prejudice, not allowing for a future refiling; Jay-Z described the outcome as "a victory."
In February 2025, Jay-Z dropped his request to have Tony Buzbee sanctioned by the court.
As of May 2025, Jay-Z is the wealthiest musical artist in the world with a net worth of US$2.5 billion.
In 2025, it was reported that Beyoncé and Jay-Z began planning to relocate permanently to the United Kingdom, seeking a residence in the Cotswolds, following Beyoncé’s transition into country music and the UK leg of her Cowboy Carter World Tour.
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