Short Biography

Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969),[1] better known as Jay-Z, is an American hip hop artist and businessman. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings[2] and Roc-A-Fella Records. He co-owns The 40/40 Club and the New Jersey Nets. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America,[3] having sold over 26 million units in the United States.[4] His critically acclaimed album, The Blueprint, was written in only two days.[5] After announcing his retirement from recording music in 2003, he returned 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.[6] MTV named him number one on their list of the greatest MCs of all time.[3] The New York Times announced in April of 2008 that Jay-Z is on the verge of a partnership with Live Nation for $150 million — among the most expensive contracts ever awarded to a musician.[7] Carter married Beyoncé Knowles on April 4, 2008.[8]

Originally from Marcy Houses housing project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City,[9] Jay-Z was abandoned by his father Adnes Reeves and shot his brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry[10] when he was twelve years old.[11] Jay-Z attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn, along with rapper AZ, until it was closed down. After that he attended George Westinghouse Information Technology High School in Downtown Brooklyn, with fellow rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, but did not graduate.[12] He claims to have been caught up in selling drugs, to which he refers in his music.[11]


Jay-Z with a friend in Trenton, New Jersey, circa 1988.According to his mother Gloria Carter, a young Jay-Z used to wake his siblings up at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table. Eventually, she bought him a boom box for his birthday and thus sparked his interest in music. He began freestyling, writing rhymes, and followed the music of many artists popular at the time. It is stated that he beat Busta Rhymes in a rap battle, but also has lost to DMX. On top of that, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Bizzy Bone was snatched by his employer and taken to New York to battle Jay-Z; Bizzy reportedly was victorious in the battle.[citation needed]

Miscellaneous Information

Friends and Family

Gloria Carter [Mother]

Adnes Reeves [Father]

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