# Jay-Z
**Jay-Z** (styled **JAŸ-Z** since 2026) is the stage name of Shawn Corey Carter (born 1969), an American rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur from Brooklyn, New York, who has recorded 14 number-one albums on the Billboard 200 as a solo artist and built parallel careers as a record executive, streaming-service owner, and entertainment-company founder.[1](https://www.songhall.org/profiles/jay-z-shawn-carter) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) He rose from the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn to become one of the best-selling artists in history, with more than 100 million records sold across 13 solo albums, and in 2023 Billboard named him the Greatest Rapper of All Time.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) • [3](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2026/09/11/in-paris-jay-z-marks-30-years-in-music-with-dazzling-precision-and-relentless-energy_6757418_30.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Shawn Corey Carter, 1969, Brooklyn, New York; raised in the Marcy Projects[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) |
| Debut | *Reasonable Doubt*, released independently on Roc-A-Fella Records, June 25, 1996; reached No. 23 on the Billboard 200[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/how-to-compare-jay-z-and-nas-lyrics-albums-and-influence/) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) |
| Breakthrough | *Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life* (1998) reached No. 1, went six times platinum, and won the 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Album[5](https://iq.grammy.com/artists/jay-z/9815) |
| Chart record | 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 as a solo artist; 105 Hot 100 charted songs as of January 2025[1](https://www.songhall.org/profiles/jay-z-shawn-carter) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) |
| Awards | 25 Grammy wins and 89 nominations through the 2026 Grammy Awards; first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2017); Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee (2021)[5](https://iq.grammy.com/artists/jay-z/9815) • [1](https://www.songhall.org/profiles/jay-z-shawn-carter) |
| Business | Co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records (1996); Roc Nation (2008, via a $150 million Live Nation deal); relaunched the Tidal streaming service in 2015[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) |
| Last solo album | *4:44* (June 30, 2017), certified platinum by the RIAA in under a week on download numbers alone[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) |
## Early life and the road to Roc-A-Fella
Carter grew up in the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, raised by his mother, Gloria Carter, after his father left the family when he was 11.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) He attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in downtown Brooklyn, where a classmate was the future rapper [The Notorious B.I.G.](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-notorious-b-i-g)[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) In his early twenties he sold crack cocaine, an experience that later supplied the autobiographical material of his early records.[6](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/08/20/jay-z-profile-gettin-paid)
His first public exposure came through the rapper Jaz-O, an older performer who acted as a mentor. In 1989 Carter joined Jaz-O on the song "The Originators," which won the pair an appearance on *Yo! MTV Raps*; it was at this point that he adopted the name Jay-Z, an homage to Jaz-O, a play on his childhood nickname "Jazzy," and a reference to the J/Z subway station near his Brooklyn home.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) An earlier taste of recording had come in 1986, when the group single "HP Gets Busy," recorded with Jaz-O as High Potent, gave him his first taste of fame.[7](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/jay-z-reasonable-doubt-b1867976.html)
After major labels rejected him, Carter took an untraditional route: with friends [Damon Dash](https://www.edgepedia.org/damon-dash) and Kareem "Biggs" Burke he founded his own label, [Roc-A-Fella Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/roc-a-fella-records), and secured distribution through [Priority Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/priority-records) (later Def Jam).[8](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jay-z-mn0000224257/biography) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z)
## Reasonable Doubt and the 1990s rise
*Reasonable Doubt*, released on June 25, 1996, sold roughly 420,000 units by the end of that year and peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard 200, but it is now regarded as a classic hip-hop album.[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/how-to-compare-jay-z-and-nas-lyrics-albums-and-influence/) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) Its songs included "Can't Knock the Hustle" featuring [Mary J. Blige](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-j-blige) and "Brooklyn's Finest," a collaboration with The Notorious B.I.G., who, Jay-Z later recalled, came to the studio and rapped off the top of his head with no paper.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) • [9](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/i-reached-out-to-biggie-he-came-through-he-sat-in-the-studio-and-vibed-no-paper-just-listening-to-the-music-and-rapping-off-the-top-of-his-head-jay-z-recalls-his-early-days-with-the-notorious-b-i-g-and-the-fatal-beef-between-biggie-and-tupac) The GRAMMY Museum program characterizes the record as helping popularize mafioso rap, and in 2009 Jay-Z called it his favorite of his albums, "because all [my life's] emotions and experiences came out in it."[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/how-to-compare-jay-z-and-nas-lyrics-albums-and-influence/) • [10](https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/the-roots-of-jay-z-767618)
Broader success came with *Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life* (1998), whose title track sampled its chorus from the Broadway musical *Annie* and became his most popular single to date; the album reached No. 1, went six times platinum, and won the 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Album, his first Grammy.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) • [5](https://iq.grammy.com/artists/jay-z/9815) His 1999 Hard Knock Life tour was, at the time, the highest-grossing hip-hop tour ever staged.[11](https://rockhall.com/inductees/jay-z/)
## The Blueprint, retirement, and return
*The Blueprint* (2001), produced largely by a team led by Just Blaze and [Kanye West](https://www.edgepedia.org/kanye-west), became his most acclaimed album of the period and later appeared on several critics' lists of the best albums of the decade.[12](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/jay-z) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) In 2003 he released *The Black Album* and announced it would be his last solo record, saying he had grown bored for lack of competition. The retirement lasted until 2006, when he returned with *Kingdom Come*, followed by *American Gangster* (2007), an album inspired by the film of that name, and *The Blueprint 3* (2009), which contained "Empire State of Mind" with [Alicia Keys](https://www.edgepedia.org/alicia-keys), one of the biggest hits of his career.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) • [13](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-04-ca-jay4-story.html) • [8](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jay-z-mn0000224257/biography)
In 2011 he teamed with Kanye West, a former Roc-A-Fella protégé, for *Watch the Throne*, which topped the rap, R&B, and pop charts and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance for "Otis."[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) *Magna Carta Holy Grail* (2013) topped the Billboard 200 and went double platinum despite a mixed critical reception.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) • [14](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/jay-z-magna-carta--holy-grail-average-bland/2013/07/09/53d07afc-e8c4-11e2-8f22-de4bd2a2bd39_story.html) His 13th and final solo album, *4:44* (2017), was released exclusively to Tidal and Sprint subscribers, certified platinum in under a week on downloads alone, and praised for its candid lyrics addressing, among other things, the marital issues his wife Beyoncé had explored on *Lemonade*.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) A joint album with Beyoncé, *Everything Is Love*, followed in 2018.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z)
## Business career
Jay-Z's business record is as extensive as his discography. As president of [Def Jam Recordings](https://www.edgepedia.org/def-jam-recordings) he signed Rihanna and Ne-Yo and helped Kanye West's transition from producer to recording artist, resigning in 2007.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) In 2008 a $150 million deal with Live Nation created [Roc Nation](https://www.edgepedia.org/roc-nation), an entertainment company handling nearly all aspects of its artists' careers.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) Other ventures have included the Rocawear clothing line, the 40/40 Club sports bars, a part-ownership of the New Jersey Nets that helped move the franchise to Brooklyn's Barclays Center, the sports agency [Roc Nation Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/roc-nation-sports) (founded 2013), and the Tidal streaming service, which he relaunched in March 2015 with a group of celebrity co-owners and partly sold to Sprint in early 2017.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) In August 2019 he and the NFL announced a partnership in which Roc Nation advises on entertainment selections, including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and works on social justice through the league's Inspire Change initiative.[2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z)
## Honors and recent activity
Jay-Z has won 25 [Grammy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/grammy-awards) and received 89 nominations through the 2026 Grammy Awards; Biography.com lists 24 wins, and his 89 nominations are the most for any male artist and second overall behind Beyoncé's 99.[5](https://iq.grammy.com/artists/jay-z/9815) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) On June 15, 2017, he became the first rapper inducted into the [Songwriters Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/songwriters-hall-of-fame), and in 2021 he became the first living solo hip-hop artist inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, inducted by [Dave Chappelle](https://www.edgepedia.org/dave-chappelle).[1](https://www.songhall.org/profiles/jay-z-shawn-carter) • [2](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z) • [11](https://rockhall.com/inductees/jay-z/) In 2024 he received the Recording Academy's Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.[5](https://iq.grammy.com/artists/jay-z/9815)
In 2026, Roc Nation marked the 30th anniversary of *Reasonable Doubt* with a program of activations across New York City, and the rapper, now styling his name JAŸ-Z, toured stadiums including [Yankee Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/yankee-stadium) (July 10-11, 2026), [Tottenham Hotspur Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/tottenham-hotspur-stadium) in London, and the Stade de France in Paris, where on September 10, 2026, he performed 35 tracks from his 13 albums in a two-hour set.[15](https://www.jayz30media.com/news/roc-nation-announces-ja-z-30-celebrations-honoring-30-years-of-reasonable-doubt-and-the-legacy-of-ja-z) • [16](https://www.mlb.com/amp/press-release/yankee-stadium-to-host-jay-z-on-july-10-11-2026.html) • [3](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2026/09/11/in-paris-jay-z-marks-30-years-in-music-with-dazzling-precision-and-relentless-energy_6757418_30.html) In April 2026, The New York Times ranked him among the 30 greatest living American songwriters, describing *Reasonable Doubt*, which Jay-Z executive-produced and which was produced by multiple artists such as DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody, and Clark Kent, as "one of the greatest debut albums in any genre."[3](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2026/09/11/in-paris-jay-z-marks-30-years-in-music-with-dazzling-precision-and-relentless-energy_6757418_30.html) • [17](https://grammymuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GHOF-2025_R3_Program-Book_051225.pdf)
## References
1. [Shawn Carter p/k/a Jay-Z, Songwriters Hall of Fame](https://www.songhall.org/profiles/jay-z-shawn-carter)
2. [Jay-Z: Biography, Rapper, Songs and Albums, Beyoncé, Age, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/musicians/jay-z)
3. [In Paris, Jay-Z marks 30 years in music with dazzling precision and relentless energy, Le Monde (September 11, 2026)](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2026/09/11/in-paris-jay-z-marks-30-years-in-music-with-dazzling-precision-and-relentless-energy_6757418_30.html)
4. [Jay-Z vs. Nas: How to Compare Lyrics, Albums & Influence, DocumentaryTube](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/how-to-compare-jay-z-and-nas-lyrics-albums-and-influence/)
5. [Jay-Z | Artist, GRAMMY.com](https://iq.grammy.com/artists/jay-z/9815)
6. [Gettin' Paid, The New Yorker (August 20, 2001)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/08/20/jay-z-profile-gettin-paid)
7. [Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt at 25, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/jay-z-reasonable-doubt-b1867976.html)
8. [JAŸ-Z — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jay-z-mn0000224257/biography)
9. [Jay-Z recalls his early days with The Notorious B.I.G., MusicRadar (September 2026)](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/i-reached-out-to-biggie-he-came-through-he-sat-in-the-studio-and-vibed-no-paper-just-listening-to-the-music-and-rapping-off-the-top-of-his-head-jay-z-recalls-his-early-days-with-the-notorious-b-i-g-and-the-fatal-beef-between-biggie-and-tupac)
10. [The Roots Of... Jay-Z, NME](https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/the-roots-of-jay-z-767618)
11. [Jay-Z | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame](https://rockhall.com/inductees/jay-z/)
12. [Jay-Z, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/jay-z)
13. [Hard Truths, Los Angeles Times (November 4, 2007)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-04-ca-jay4-story.html)
14. [Jay-Z 'Magna Carta ... Holy Grail' average, bland, The Washington Post (July 9, 2013)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/jay-z-magna-carta--holy-grail-average-bland/2013/07/09/53d07afc-e8c4-11e2-8f22-de4bd2a2bd39_story.html)
15. [ROC NATION ANNOUNCES JAŸ-Z 30 CELEBRATIONS, JAŸ-Z30 Media (June 25, 2026)](https://www.jayz30media.com/news/roc-nation-announces-ja-z-30-celebrations-honoring-30-years-of-reasonable-doubt-and-the-legacy-of-ja-z)
16. [Yankee Stadium to Host JAŸ-Z on July 10-11, 2026, MLB.com](https://www.mlb.com/amp/press-release/yankee-stadium-to-host-jay-z-on-july-10-11-2026.html)
17. [GHOF 2025 R3 Program Book 051225.pdf, grammymuseum.org](https://grammymuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GHOF-2025_R3_Program-Book_051225.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › Transnational genre scenes › Hip hop scenes worldwide › Artists, groups, and people: Hip hop scenes worldwide › East Coast rap (New York and Philadelphia) › Golden era East Coast rap (1980s–1990s)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license