Jay Z Biography (1969- )

Jay Z - Early Years

Jay Z – born Shawn Carter – grew up in New York’s Marcy Projects. Saying he had a rough childhood is an understatement. Before Jay Z was a teen, his father left him which left a burden of responsibility on Jay Z’s shoulders. Jay Z hit the streets and began selling drugs to make up for his father’s lost income. These trying times helped Jay Z fuel his rap career with many Jay Z lyrics centering on deadbeat dad issues and his hard life on the streets. Jay Z released Hard Knock Life, which described in detail his situation as a child while becoming one of Jay Z’s most recognizable songs. Jay Z attended George Westinghouse Technology High School in Downtown Brooklyn, alongside fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes. However, Jay Z did not graduate because of his brief descent into drug distribution.

Jay Z - Musical Career

Unlike any other American hip-hop artist, Jay Z has continued to take the road less traveled since the beginning of his commercial career, including creating his own record label Roc-a-Fella Records. The year after Jay Z released his popular underground single In My Lifetime, Jay Z released his full-length album Reasonable Doubt on his own label. A revolutionary feat for someone so new to the rap game, the album, featuring appearances by The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Foxy Brown, achieved gold status and reached #23 in the charts.

Jay Z the rapper has had six consecutive albums debut at #1 on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Charts: Volume 2: Hard Knock Life; Volume 3: The Life and Times of S. Carter; The Dynasty/Roc la' Familia; The Blueprint; Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse; and The Black Album. Jay Z soon switched distribution to Def Jam Recordings after becoming CEO. In 2007, Jay Z made the album American Gangster after being inspired by the movie American Gangster starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

Jay Z - Personal Life

Nothing about Jay Z is ordinary including his public relationship with Destiny’s Child and solo superstar Beyonce Knowles. The couple generally keeps a low profile but Jay Z and Beyonce have been seen together at basketball games and other public events. Jay Z agreed with Beyonce Knowles that not discussing their relationship with the media has helped them stay together. Are Beyoncé and Jay Z married or engaged? In April of 2008, Jay Z and Beyonce were rumored to have taken out a marriage license, while the rumors of Beyoncé’s pregnancy are still unsubstantiated. 

Jay Z - Retirement

Jay Z held a “retirement party” in the form of a concert held at Madison Square Garden. The concert would later be the central focus of Jay Z’s film “Fade to Black.” All of the proceeds of this concert went to charity and there were a number of special guests in attendance, including The Roots, Missy Elliot, Mary J. Blige, and of course Beyoncé. Although Jay Z officially went into retirement, more projects, mash-ups, and concert appearances with Linkin Park, R. Kelly, and Phish followed.

Jay Z - Collaborations

The name Jay Z has become synonymous with collaboration. In 2004, Jay Z hooked up with nu metal rap/rock band Linkin Park for the much anticipated Collision Course. Jay Z and Linkin Park’s Collision Course proved to be an extremely successful partnership. The band’s heavily distorted guitar riffs matched perfectly with Jay Z’s staccato rap style. The efforts of Linkin Park and Jay Z proved successful as their mash-up track “Numb/Encore” won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

Jay Z - American Icon

Jay Z has successfully launched numerous themed products such as the Roc-a-Wear clothing line and even a sports bar located in New York City and has since expanded to Atlanta. Aside from going platinum multiple times on multiple albums, Jay Z reinvented the rap “image” and the surrounding counter culture by inspiring youth to change from baggy jeans and hooded sweatshirts to argyle sweater vests and expensive loafers. Jay Z has captured the attention of a generation and made himself an icon among the American public.

Jay Z - Current News

Jay Z fans are currently being treated to one of the biggest concert events of the season with Jay Z and Mary J. Blige co-headlining the “Heart of the City” Tour. The Mary J. Blige and Jay Z official tour features a set of songs that Mary J. Blige and Jay Z worked on together, billed as “the soundtrack to people’s lives.” The “Heart of the City” tour featuring Mary J. Blige and Jay Z has 26 shows on the schedule in 2008. Jay Z tickets are available at OnlineTickets.com.

Jay Z - A Timeline of Greatest Hits

• 1995 – “Can’t Knock the Hustle” from the Reasonable Doubt album


• 1998 – “Hard Knock Life (The Ghetto Anthem)” from the Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life album


• 1998 – “Jigga What, Jigga Who” from the Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life album


• 1998 – “Can I Get A…” from the Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life album & Rush Hour soundtrack


• 1999 – “Big Pimpin” from the Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter


• 2000 – “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) from The Dynasty: Roc La Familia album


• 2001 – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” from The Blueprint album


• 2001 – “Song Cry” from The Blueprint album


• 2002 – “03 Bonnie & Clyde” ft. Beyonce from The Blueprint: The Gift & the Curse album


• 2003 – “Excuse Me Miss” from The Blueprint: The Gift & the Curse album


• 2003 – “Change Clothes” from The Black album


• 2003 – “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” from The Black album


• 2003 – “Encore” from The Black album


• 2003 – “99 Problems” from The Black album


• 2007 – “Blue Magic” from the American Gangster album


• 2007 – “Roc Boys” from the American Gangster album