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Rapper

Jay-Z: Music Mogul and Entrepreneur

Description
Human Profile
Name:Shawn Corey Carter
Birthday:December 4, 1969 (age 56 years), Born in Brooklyn, New York
Height:6'2" (188 cm)
Education:Trenton Central High School (No Diploma)
Subscribers:1.54K
Views:1,501,921,419
YouTube Revenue:$1.5M - $7.5M
Videos:879
Channel Created:June 2013

Overview

Shawn Corey Carter is an American hip-hop artist and entrepreneur widely recognized for his critically acclaimed music, co-founding the influential Roc-A-Fella Records, establishing a diverse business empire including Roc Nation and Tidal, and becoming the first hip-hop artist to achieve billionaire status.

Latest News (Dec 27, 2025): JAY-Z's representatives recently initiated the removal of at least five government videos from X (formerly Twitter) due to copyright complaints, occurring around December 23, 2025. This action was part of a broader effort that also involved representatives for other artists like Theo Von, MGMT, Joey Valence, and Chamillionaire concerning the unauthorized use of their material.

Early Life and Formative Years

Shawn Corey Carter was born on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York City. He was raised in the Marcy Houses, a public housing project located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. His father, Adnis Reeves, left the family when Carter was eleven years old, leaving his mother, Gloria Carter, to raise him and his three older siblings. His mother recalls him waking his siblings at night by banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table, and for his birthday, she bought him a boom box, which sparked his interest in music.

Carter attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn, and later George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, which was also attended by future rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes. He also attended Trenton Central High School in New Jersey but did not graduate. During this period, Carter has stated in his lyrics and interviews that he was involved in selling crack cocaine. At the age of twelve, he shot his older brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry.

Foundations of a Musical Career

In the late 1980s, Shawn Corey Carter began to focus on his musical talents, mentored by a local rapper named Jaz-O. Carter adopted the moniker “Jay-Z” as a homage to his mentor and his childhood nickname “Jazzy”. The name also references the J/Z subway lines that had a stop near his Marcy Houses home. He was featured on several of Jaz-O’s early recordings.

After facing rejection from major record labels, Carter, along with Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke, co-founded their own independent record label, Roc-A-Fella Records, in 1994. This provided him with a platform to release his own music. In 1996, Roc-A-Fella Records released Carter’s debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt. While not an immediate commercial success, the album received widespread critical acclaim and established him as a significant new voice in hip-hop.

Rise to Prominence

Following his debut, Shawn Corey Carter’s career gained significant momentum. His second album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, released in 1997, showcased a more commercially accessible sound. It was his 1998 album, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, that catapulted him to superstar status. The album’s title track, which sampled the cast recording of the Broadway musical Annie, became a massive crossover hit.

In 2001, Carter released The Blueprint, an album that is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. The album was noted for its cohesive sound, primarily featuring production from then-emerging producers Kanye West and Just Blaze, who utilized soul samples. Released on September 11, 2001, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling over 427,000 copies in its first week. In 2019, The Blueprint was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Business Ventures and Entrepreneurship

Beyond his success in music, Shawn Corey Carter has established himself as a formidable entrepreneur with a diverse portfolio of business interests. In 1999, he co-founded the clothing retailer Rocawear with Damon Dash. The brand achieved significant success, with annual sales reportedly reaching $700 million at its peak. In 2007, Carter sold the rights to the Rocawear brand to Iconix Brand Group for $204 million.

In 2003, he founded the 40/40 Club, a chain of upscale sports bars. He launched the entertainment company Roc Nation in 2008, which manages a roster of prominent artists and athletes. In 2015, Carter acquired the technology company Aspiro and took charge of its media streaming service, Tidal. His business ventures also include the champagne brand Armand de Brignac and D’Ussé cognac. Through his various business ventures, Shawn Corey Carter became the first hip-hop artist to become a billionaire.

Personal Life and Philanthropy

Shawn Corey Carter is married to singer Beyoncé Knowles. The couple has three children together.

Carter is also known for his philanthropic work. In 2003, he and his mother, Gloria Carter, founded the Shawn Carter Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to helping individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education at institutions of higher learning. The foundation provides college scholarships, study abroad opportunities, and college tours of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Carter has also been an advocate for social justice issues, supporting causes such as Black Lives Matter. He produced a miniseries on the life of Kalief Browder and another on the murder of Trayvon Martin.