All About JAY Z

Jay-Z Biography

Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter, on December 4, 1969, and was raised in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, New York. During his school days, he befriended a young Christopher Wallace, who grew up to be known as the Notorious B.I.G.

As a hustler in his rough neighborhood, Jay-Z used his money to finance a career in music and released independent records in the late '80s. His parents were avid record collectors and Jay-Z would sit down at the dining room table as a child writing rhymes while his mother cleaned the house with the music blaring. The more time he spent on the block though, the less time he had for transcribing lyrics. As a result, Jay-Z developed a genius skill that few others could emulate, even now.

 

Why is He famous

Jay-Z has been the most consistent rap artist of the past five years, with platinum release after platinum release. The addictive hooks to his hit songs are some of the most memorable in hip-hop history.

Jay-Z Quote

" Nas is definitely going to bring out the best of me. He's gonna put me at the top of my game. I hope I do the same for him. It's like playing basketball with a guy. It's just verbal sparring -- no one's fighting, it's just records."

Magnetism

If you thought the track "Big Pimpin'" was a fantasy, think again. When you bling bling like the Jiggaman, you can have your pick of the finest honeys out there. "Money Ain't A Thang" and "Money, Cash, Hoes" are two songs that provide you with a glimpse into the life of Shawn Carter. With a net worth into the tens of millions and a gangsta-lean groove that would make Curtis Mayfield proud, Jay-Z is beyond the chase. When you can lace a woman in ice and Prada without even blinking, all you need to do is sit back and choose.

In 2008, rumors flew that he and longtime girlfriend, Beyonce, had tied the knot. The couple has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors. Either way, Beyonce is one nice piece of arm candy.

Success

Jay-Z is this close to being a household name, an amazing accomplishment considering his humble roots in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn. He can now hold court with Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson in the same week, so formidable is his clout.

However, Jigga has not coasted to the revered position he now holds. He may just be the most industrious rapper of all-time. Since his debut hit the shelves in 1996, Jay-Z has put out seven albums, including an MTV Unplugged release and his recent collaboration with R. Kelly, The Best Of Both Worlds.

He is at the helm of his own successful record label and clothing empire, Roc-A-Fella, along with partner Damon Dash, proving that his genius is as compatible in the world of business as it is in front of a mic. As the title of his hit duet with Mary J. Blige states, "Can't Knock The Hustle."

 

Jay-Z releases vol. 2 hard knock and the blueprint

The true sign that a rap artist has arrived is how ubiquitous he becomes, as others clamor for a rhyme or guest appearance. With two albums under his belt, Jay-Z had become the undisputed leader of the rap pack but he still kept setting the bar high. His soundtrack to the self-directed, produced and written short Streets Is Watching featured the smash "It's Alright."

Mainstream success and more street cred came with the album Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life. It remained atop the Billboard charts for five weeks and cemented the reputation of Jay-Z as a major talent and producer of urban anthems. Each subsequent album has raised the status of the rap and fashion mogul at the head of the Roc-A-Fella empire, with The Blueprint in 2001making the biggest splash with critics and fans to date.

Jay-Z retires?

In 2002, Jay-Z released another debut album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse, which sold four million copies, and in '03 Collision Course, a collaborative project involving Linkin Park, came out.

In November of that year, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden that he called his "retirement party," and performers included Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Blige, Beyoncé, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown, Pharrell Williams, and R. Kelly.

Jay-Z comes back with kingdom come

In 2006, after a greatest hits album and several concert appearances, Jay-Z returned to music full-time with the comeback album Kingdom Come, which included producers Just Blaze, Pharrell, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Coldplay's Chris Martin. Jay'Z's 10th album, American Gangster, followed in 2007.

In February '08, Jay-Z made the news when he became the first hip-hop headliner at the Glastonbury Festival. Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame was apparently one of the more outspoken critics of the decision so, in typical "Jay-Z" style, he opened the festival by doing a rendition of Oasis' "Wonderwall."

In April 2008, reports came out that Jay-Z had wed his long-time girlfriend, beauty Beyonce. As of October, they still hadn't denied or confirmed the reports. Then, in August, AM nominated him for their annual Top 49 Men of 2008.