Born on December 4, 1969, Shawn Corey Carter is an American rapper and businessman, better known by his stage name Jay-Z. Regarded as one of the most creative and successful American blend artists of the mid 90s and early 2000s, Jay-Z is also one of the wealthiest hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America. He has sold about 50 million albums globally, while receiving thirteen Grammy Awards for his musical work, along with other prestigious awards and numerous additional nominations.
Jay-Z is originally from the Marcy Houses projects in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn in New York City and was raised by his mother as his father abandoned the family when he was only 12. Since childhood, Jay-Z has been interested in music, keeping his siblings up at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table. While in his early teens, Jay-Z began freestyling, writing rhymes, and followed the music of many artists popular at the time.
Since the beginning of his commercial career, Jay-Z chose an untraditional route. Instead of waiting to get signed to a major label, he created Roc-A-Fella Records as his own independent label. He has given many hit singles and albums over the years. Some of his most popular singles include ‘Hard Knock Life’, ‘can I get A…’, and ‘Jigga What, Jigga Who’.
Jay-Z Profile
Full Name: Shawn Corey Carter
Nicknames: Jay-Z, S. Carter, Jigga, Hova, J-Hova, Hov, Young Hov
D.O.B: December 4, 1969
Height: 6′ 1½” (1.87 m)
Spouse: Beyoncé Knowles (4 April 2008 – present)
No. of Studio Albums: 11
No. of Collaboration Albums: 4