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Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4 1969), better known as Jay-Z, is an American rapper and current president and CEO of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records. In addition, he co-owns The 40/40 Club, and is a part owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team. He has been one of the most successful American hip-hop artists of the past decade, and is widley acknowleged as one of the best rappers ever.

Known for his flow and blending of street and popular rap, Jay-Z had become one of the best-selling rappers in the hip hop industry. He is admired for his ability to write lyrics without the use of pen and paper (he claims his critically acclaimed album The Blueprint was written in only two days). He also returned from retirement in late 2006 with the album Kingdom Come which sold 680,000 copies in its first week, Jay-Z's highest-selling album in a one-week period.

Along with Damon "Dame" Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, Jay-Z was one of the founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, a hip-hop record label that also launched the careers of artists such as Beanie Sigel, Kanye West, Memphis Bleek, Young Gunz, Freeway, and Teairra Marí.

Biography

Early years: From Young Rapper to True MC

This nigger has a huge nose.

Hip-Hop entrepreneur

Apart from being President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, Jay-Z is also one of the owners and founders of the Roc-A-Fella empire, which includes Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc-La-Familia, Roc-A-Fella Films and Rocawear.

At heart, Jay-Z is an entrepreneur like his fellow hip-hop-moguls-turned-friends Russell Simmons, Dr. Dre and Sean "Diddy" Combs, who also have business holdings such as record companies and clothing lines. He redirected the hip hop culture from hooded sweatshirts and baggy jeans to button-ups and crisp jeans, and received GQ's International Man of the Year award.

Roc-A-Fella Records

Jay-Z co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with partners Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Def Jam purchased a 50% stake in the company in 1997 for a reported $1.5 million.

In late 2004, Jay-Z, Dash and Biggs sold their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records and the Def Jam Recordings by Island Def Jam chairman L. A. Reid. Reportedly this major industry move was prompted by disagreement between Jay-Z and Dash as to what new ventures Roc-A-Fella could undertake.

The publicized split between Jay-Z, Dash and Biggs led to the former partners sending jabs at each other in interviews. Dame Dash has made comments that after the break up he was portrayed as "Osama Bin Laden" to ensure that rappers would stay with Jay-Z and not sign with him. Dash currently operates the recently-founded Dame Dash Music Group as a joint venture with Island Def Jam producing former Roc-A-Fella artists such as Beanie Sigel

Rocawear and fashion

Founded in 1995 by music moguls Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, The ROC has been at the forefront of hip hop’s evolution into a borderless, global lifestyle. Serving as The ROC’s initial launching pad was Roc-A-Fella Records. Realizing their ability to create culture far transcended the realm of music, the trio founded the apparel company Rocawear. Like Roc-A-Fella Records, Rocawear quickly staked its claim in hip-hop history by becoming the brand of choice for street savvy consumers. Rocawear has concentrated on providing its costumer with clever innovation in terms of fabrication, application, and design. The brand’s attention to detail has given Rocawear an appeal far and beyond its core urban customer. Ten years have passed since the genesis of The ROC and a dynasty now reigns. Today, Rocawear is a dominant lifestyle apparel brand for a wide range of customers, with annual retail sales over $700 million. Inspired by an urban aesthetic rooted in young men’s sportswear, Rocawear has expanded its brand through licensing pacts to develop lines for children (Kids Headquarters), junior’s (Signature), socks and sandals (Gina Group), leather suede and fur outerwear (Gordon & Ferguson and Brandon Thomas) handbags and belts (M.London), loungewear and big & tall (Endurance), headwear (Nas Industries) jewelry (Lucas Design) and sunglasses (Color in Optics); as well as co-branded product with Pro-Keds. By incorporating international impulses into the Rocawear Style, the brand has expanded its appeal beyond the national borders and has become a brand of international significance. As a result, Rocawear boasts offices in the UK, Japan, Canada, and Europe. All in all Rocawear defines the lifestyle for today’s young hip consumer and provides the efficient business acumen to retail partners necessary to be successful. As the ad campaign tag-line goes......WE RUN THE STRIP.

Entertainment and lifestyle

Jay-Z co-owns The 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar that started in New York City and has since expanded to Atlantic City, NJ. Future plans will see 40/40 Clubs in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Singapore. Roc-A-Fella also distributes Armadale, a Scottish vodka, in the U.S.

On October 16, 2006, Jay-Z's new commercial spot with Anheuser-Bush aired, featuring his latest single "Show Me What You Got." Jay-Z will serve as co-brand director for Budweiser Select while collaborating with the company on strategic marketing programs and creative ad development. He will be providing direction on brand programs and ads that appear on TV, radio, print, and high-profile events.

Jay-Z is a Minority Owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team paying a reported $4.5 Million dollars. Jay-Z is one of the franchise owners interested in relocating the team to Brooklyn. In October 2005, he was reported in English media as considering buying a stake of Arsenal F.C., an English football team.

Personal life

Criminal charges

Jay-Z was accused of stabbing record executive Lance "Un" Riviera for what he perceived was Riviera's bootlegging of Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter. The stabbing allegedly occurred at the record release party for Q-Tip's debut solo album Amplified at the Kit Kat Klub, a now defunct night club in Times Square, New York City, on December 9 1999. Jay-Z's associates at the party were accused of causing a commotion within the club, which Jay-Z allegedly used as cover when he supposedly stabbed Riviera in the stomach with a five-inch blade.

Jay-Z initially denied the incident and pleaded not guilty when a grand jury returned the indictment. Jay-Z and his lawyers contended he was nowhere around Riviera during the incident and they had witnesses and videotape evidence from the club that showed Jay-Z's whereabouts during the disturbance. Nevertheless, he later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge that resulted in a sentence of three years probation. The New York Post reported that Jay-Z had bought out Riviera for $600,000 to cease his cooperation with prosecutors, and without the cooperation of the victim, prosecutors had to cut a plea deal that would not interfere with Jay-Z's touring plans. Riviera also dropped a civil suit, where he asked for $40 million.

Jay-Z makes reference to the trial and incident on his songs "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", off The Blueprint, "Threat," off The Black Album and "Dear Summer", which was included in Memphis Bleek's 2005 release 534.

Former Roc-A-Fella labelmate-turned-rival Cam'ron has since claimed on his song "You Gotta Love It" that Jay-Z had actually "stabbed Un over Charli Baltimore." Nas said in his diss song targeted at Jay-Z, "Ether," that " man stabbed 'Un' and took the blame."

Romantic life

Jay-Z was featured on Beyoncé's hit single "Crazy In Love." He made yet another appearance on Beyoncé's 2006 hits, "Deja Vu" and "Upgrade U." The couple has never publicly discussed their relationship, but has reportedly been together for almost four years. Beyoncé has stated that she believes that not publicly discussing their relationship has helped them. Jay-Z has said in a People Magazine article that "We don't play with our relationship".

Jay-Z did remark during a goodbye party for departing Def Jam head Lyor Cohen in 2004 that he and Beyoncé will "marry very soon." However, Beyoncé denied the claims made on the December 10, 2006 airing of tabloid television show The Insider on which they claimed that Jay-Z and Beyoncé are getting married soon.

In May 2006, there were reports that Jay-Z and singer Rihanna had a more than business-like relationship after the two partied together privately at Jay-Z's club in New York City. Similarly, it was reported that Beyoncé and Jay-Z had a disagreement after he received a fifteen-minute telephone call from Rihanna while attending a New Jersey Nets game. Publicists for Jay-Z denied the claims of a love affair between the two. There were no further reports afterwards.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé were listed as a Power Couple on Time Magazine's 100's Most Influential People of 2006.

It can be noticed that Jay-Z and Beyoncé were fond of each other before they had an "official" relationship. In 1998, Jay-Z was featured on a song by producer Timbaland, titled "Lobster and Scrimp," which references Destiny's Child's first single "No, No, No" ("She said, 'You're stressin me now,'/Said, 'No No No,' then, 'Yea yea yea' like she Destiny's Child"). In 1999, Jay-Z directed rapper Amil's "I Got That", a video in which Beyoncé was featured. In 2001, Jay-Z was featured on a song by Missy Elliott, titled "One Minute Man (Remix)," in which he raps "Get your 'Independent' ass out of here - QUESTION?" Which is an obvious reference to the Destiny's Child 2000 single "Independent Women Part I." Destiny's Child was also seen in his 2001 video "H To The Izzo" lip-synching some of his raps.

Principal for a Day

In 2002 Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, and Kashmere High School in Houston, Texas hosted Jay-Z as "principal for a day" .

Discography

Solo

Album cover	Title	Release Date	Sales status	Notes	Peak chart positions
					USA	UK
File:Jay-ZReasonableDoubt.jpg	Reasonable Doubt	June 25, 1996	Platinum	First studio album	#23	-
	In My Lifetime, Vol. 1	November 4, 1997	Platinum	Second studio album	#3
	Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life	September 29, 1998	5x Platinum	Third studio album	#1
	Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter	December 28, 1999	3x Platinum	Fourth studio album	#1	-
	The Dynasty: Roc La Familia	October 25, 2000	2x Platinum	Fifth studio album	#1	-
File:Jay-z-the-blueprint.jpg	The Blueprint	September 11, 2001	2x Platinum	Sixth studio album	#1	#30
	Jay-Z: Unplugged	December 18, 2001	Platinum	First Live album	#31	-
	The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse	November 12, 2002	4x Platinum	Seventh studio album	#1	#23
File:Jay-z-black-album.jpg	The Black Album	November 14, 2003	3x Platinum	Eighth studio album	#1	#34
File:Jay-Z Kingdom Come.jpg	Kingdom Come	November 21, 2006	2x Platinum	Ninth studio album	#1	#35

Filmography

• Streets Is Watching (1998)
• Hard Knock Life (2000)
• State Property (2002)
• Paper Soldiers (2002)
• Fade To Black (2004)
• Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life (2006)

See also

• Best selling music artists
• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

External links

• Jay-Z on Myspace
• Official website
• Roc-a-Fella Records profile
• Def Jam Records
• S. Carter Academy
• The 40/40 Club
• Rocawear
• Jay-Z's first video '88
• Jay-Z at IMDb
• TheJayZTour.com : News, Tour dates, Pictures and Song Lyrics

Trivia

• On June 28, 2005, Jay-Z's nephew Colleek D. Luckie, was killed in a car accident with the Chrysler 300 that Jay-Z bought him for his graduation present. Jay-Z mentions this tragedy in the third verse of his song "Lost One" off of his most recent album, Kingdom Come.Jay-Z Interview AllHipHop.Com
• Jay-Z has a street in Nigeria named after him.
• MTV named him as "The Greatest MC Of All-Time"
• Has a net worth of $340 Million Dollars, which makes him the 2nd to Sean "Diddy" Combs with a net worth of $346 Million Dollars as the richest hip hop mogul.
• Third best selling rap artist with over 50 million units sold worldwide.
• There is a "Jay-Z Blue" GMC Yukon
• Favorite food is Fried Chicken.
• Jay-Z introduces the 2007 Fall Out Boy album, Infinity on High, on the opening track "Thriller."

References

1. The Greatest MCs of All Time MTV. Retrieved on 2006-12-26
2. Cite error: The named reference bbc profile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
3. Jay-Z is said to never write rhymes down on paper sarticle_info.php/articles_id/255 solisstyle.com] 3 October 2004
4. Recounted by Jay-Z on the documentary Collision Course DVD. Collision Course. Jay-Z and Linkin Park. Roc-A-Fella/Warner Bros./Machine Shop Recordings. 2004.
5. Jay-Z Reclaims His 'Kingdom' With No. 1 Debut. Billboard.com. Retrieved on November 29 2006.
6. Roc-A-Fella Sold To Island Def Jam, AllHipHop.com, 8 December 2004
7. Damon Dash Speaks About Jay-Z, Vibe.com, 10 April 2006
8. http://www.allhiphop.com/Hiphopnews/index.asp?ID=6279
9. Beyonce's Rapper Lover Is After A Piece Of Arse: Jay-Z's Footie Bid, The Sunday Mirror, 9 October 2005
10. Handlin, Sam. Jay-Z pleads guilty to stabbing record executive. Courttv.com. October 18 2001. Retrieved June 18 2006.
11. Ryan, Harriet. Rapper gets probation for assault charge. Courttv.com. December 6 2001. Retrieved June 18 2006.
12. SFGate.com Daily Dish. January 30 2004. Retrieved June 18 2006
13. http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003615040 Trouble For Jay Z And Beyoncé], Allheadlinenews.com, 17 May 2006

Template:Persondata

• 1969 births
• African American musicians
• American music industry executives
• American rappers
• American dance musicians
• Dance musicians
• People from Brooklyn
• Roc-A-Fella Records artists
• Def Jam Recordings artists
• Living people
• Rappers known by pseudonyms
• Record producers
• Rhythmic contemporary musicians
• Grammy Award winners