Releases by jay-z

Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, businessman, and record executive. His work is rooted in East Coast hip hop and is characterized by lyricism that frequently incorporates wordplay, double entendres, and themes of personal advancement and success. In 2023, he was ranked as the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard and Vibe. As of 2025, he is reported to be the wealthiest musician, with an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion. Jay-Z began recording music in the late 1980s under the mentorship of fellow New York City rapper Jaz-O. In 1994, he co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records, through which he released his debut studio albums "Reasonable Doubt" (1996) and "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1" (1997), both of which received critical acclaim. He subsequently released 11 additional studio albums, including "The Blueprint" (2001), "The Black Album" (2003), "American Gangster" (2007), and "4:44" (2017), all of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. His collaborative projects include "The Best of Both Worlds" (2002) and "Unfinished Business" (2004) with R. Kelly, "Collision Course" (2004) with Linkin Park, "Watch the Throne" (2011) with Kanye West, and "Everything Is Love" (2018) with Beyoncé. Jay-Z has achieved 14 number-one albums in the United States, tying him with Drake for the second-highest total by a solo artist. He has reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 four times, once as a lead artist with "Empire State of Mind" (2009), featuring Alicia Keys, and three times as a featured artist on "Heartbreaker" (1999) by Mariah Carey, "Crazy in Love" (2003) by Beyoncé, and "Umbrella" (2007) by Rihanna. From 2004 to 2007, Jay-Z served as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings, during which time he played a role in the commercial development of artists such as Kanye West, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo. He co-founded the clothing brand Rocawear in 1999 and established the 40/40 Club chain of sports bars in 2003. In 2008, he launched Roc Nation, an entertainment company encompassing management, recording, and publishing. In 2015, he acquired the technology firm Aspiro and oversaw the expansion of its streaming service "Tidal". In 2019, Jay-Z became the first hip hop artist to be recognized as a billionaire. He married Beyoncé in 2008, and they have three children. Jay-Z is among the best-selling music artists of all time, with an estimated 140 million records sold worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards, the most by any hip hop artist, and has received additional honors including the NAACP President’s Award, three Emmy Awards, and a nomination for a Tony Award. He was ranked by Billboard among the 100 greatest artists of all time, became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was the first solo living rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2013, Time included him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Studio albums Reasonable Doubt (1996) In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997) Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998) Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter (1999) The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000) The Blueprint (2001) The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002) The Black Album (2003) Kingdom Come (2006) American Gangster (2007) The Blueprint 3 (2009) Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013) 4:44 (2017) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.