Jay-Z

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Jay-Z is an American rapper, entrepreneur and label boss. He was born Shawn Carter in Brooklyn in 1969 and grew up in the Marcy Houses, a public housing project. His father left the family when he was eleven. In the neighbourhood he was called Jazzy, and his stage name is a tribute to his mentor, the rapper Jaz-O. In the late 1980s he was already rapping on records by Jaz-O and later Big Daddy Kane.

Music and breakthrough

Because no major label wanted him, Jay-Z sold his CDs from the boot of his car. With Damon Dash and Kareem Burke he founded Roc-A-Fella Records. The debut Reasonable Doubt (1996) was well received, and Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998) became his biggest commercial success. The Blueprint (2001), with productions by, among others, Kanye West, gave his music a warmer sound with soul samples. The Black Album (2003), with 99 Problems, American Gangster (2007) and 4:44 (2017) followed. As a guest he rapped on hits such as Crazy in Love by Beyoncé and Umbrella by Rihanna, and with Alicia Keys he made Empire State of Mind.

Influence

Jay-Z is known for his intricate lyrics full of wordplay and double meanings, often about his journey from the street to the top. He was also a businessman: from 2004 to 2007 he ran Def Jam, where he helped Kanye West and Rihanna further, and later he started Roc Nation. In this way he became one of the most powerful figures behind the scenes of hip hop and pop.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1996Reasonable Doubt
• 1997In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
• 1998Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life
• 1999Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter
• 2000The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
• 2001The Blueprint
• 2002The Blueprint
• 2003The Black Album
• 2004Unfinished Business
• 2006Kingdom Come
• 2007American Gangster
• 2009DJ Hero: Renegade Edition (soundtrack)
• 2009The Blueprint
• 2011Watch the Throne
• 2013Magna Carta… Holy Grail
• 20174:44

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• Mixtape 12: The Hit Factory^NL Reader

Mentioned in other articles

• Umbrella SongIn March 2007 Umbrella by Rihanna was released, written by Terius The-Dream Nash and Christopher Tricky Stewart, with Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z.

See also

• In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
• Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life
• Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter
• The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
• Watch the Throne