Releases by jay-z

Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z (stylized as JAŸ-Z), is an American rapper, businessman, and record executive. He is recognized for his contributions to East Coast hip-hop, often incorporating complex lyricism, wordplay, and braggadocio, with music frequently reflecting a rags-to-riches narrative. As of 2026, he is considered the wealthiest musical artist in history, with an estimated net worth of US$2.8 billion. Jay-Z began recording music in the late 1980s as a protégé of fellow New York City-based rapper Jaz-O. In 1994, he co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records, which released his first two studio albums, "Reasonable Doubt" (1996) and "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1" (1997), both receiving critical acclaim. His subsequent albums, including "The Blueprint" (2001), "The Black Album" (2003), "American Gangster" (2007), and "4:44" (2017), each debuted atop the Billboard 200. He has a total of 14 number-one albums on the chart, ranking joint-third historically. Jay-Z has also 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 Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker" (1999), Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" (2003), and Rihanna's "Umbrella" (2007). From 2004 to 2007, Jay-Z served as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings, supporting the careers of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo. He co-founded the clothing retailer Rocawear in 1999 and the luxury bar chain 40/40 Club in 2003. In 2008, he launched Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency, and in 2015 acquired Aspiro, expanding its media streaming service Tidal. Through these ventures, he became the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019. Jay-Z married Beyoncé in 2008, and the couple have three children. With over 140 million records sold, Jay-Z is among the best-selling music artists and has won 25 Grammy Awards, ranking eighth overall and second among hip-hop artists. He has received the NAACP's President's Award and three Emmy Awards, including two Primetime Emmys, and has been nominated for a Tony Award. He is the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first solo living rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Time included him in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013, and Billboard has ranked him as the highest-grossing American hip-hop touring act. 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) Collaborative albums The Best of Both Worlds with R. Kelly (2002) Unfinished Business with R. Kelly (2004) Watch the Throne with Kanye West (2011) Everything Is Love with Beyoncé (as the Carters) (2018) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.