Jay-Z

Real Name:
Shawn Corey Carter
Profile:
Born: December 4, 1969, Brooklyn, New York

Brought up in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects, Jay-Z got his break in the music business in the late '80s when a fellow Marcy resident, The Jaz (later Big Jaz), got a record deal and had Jay-Z guest on a few tracks.

When The Jaz's deal came to an end, Jay-Z reverted to hustling in the streets to make money. This period gave him experiences which formed the basis for much of his later material.

During this time he did keep his hand in the rap game, appearing on a track with Big Daddy Kane and with the group Original Flavor, but it wasn't until the mid-90's that Jay-Z's focus really returned to hip-hop.

In 1996 he teamed up with Damon Dash and Kareem Burke to start a new label, Roc-A-Fella Records. The label's first single, 'Dead Presidents' was a big hit as was his debut album, "Reasonable Doubt".

Jay-Z then steadily built on this success, releasing album after album and bringing through new artists on his label, as well as expanding into merchandising, clothing and other sources of revenue.

In 2003, at the peak of his career, Jay-Z released what he claimed would be his last album, "The Black Album" to international acclaim.

In 2006 he came back from retirement to release the album "Kingdom Come". It was well received by the public, selling over a million copies, but garnered some criticism from hip-hop fans in regards to Jay-Z's new 'mature' style.

A year later he released the concept album "American Gangster". Jay-Z was allegedly inspired to make the album after watching the film of the same name, and the album focuses on similar themes as of the film.
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Artist

  • Jay-Z Discography

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Albums

Reasonable Doubt

(10 versions)
Priority Records, Freeze Records, Roc-A-Fella Records, Priority Records, Freeze Records, Roc-A-Fella Records 1996

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

(10 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 1997

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life

(14 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 1998

Vol. 3... Life And Times Of S. Carter

(9 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 1999

The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

(7 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2000

Unplugged

(5 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2001

The Blueprint

(11 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2001

R. Kelly & Jay-Z - The Best Of Both Worlds (7 versions)

Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings, Jive 2002

The Blueprint² The Gift & The Curse

(7 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2002

The Black Album

(16 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2003

Blueprint 2.1

(3 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2003

R. Kelly & Jay-Z - Unfinished Business (6 versions)

Def Jam Recordings, Roc-A-Fella Records, Rock Land Records, Jive, BMG 2004

Kingdom Come

(12 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2006

American Gangster

(11 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 2007

The Blueprint 3

(5 versions)
RocNation 2009

JAY Z* & Kanye West - Watch The Throne (11 versions)

Roc-A-Fella Records 2011

Singles & EPs

In My Lifetime

(7 versions)
Payday 1995

Foxy Brown Featuring Jay Z* - I'll Be (6 versions)

Violator Records, Def Jam Recordings 1996

Aint No N!gg@ / Dead Presidents

(15 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records, Freeze Records 1996

Can't Knock The Hustle

(13 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records 1996

Changing Faces Feat. Jaÿ-Z* - Time After Time / All Of My Days ‎ (CD, Maxi)

Big Beat, Atlantic 1996

Hustlers EP

‎ (12", Promo)
Northwestside Records 1996

Feelin' It

(4 versions)
Roc-A-Fella Records, Priority Records 1997

Jay Z* featuring Babyface and Foxy Brown - Sunshine (6 versions)

Roc-A-Fella Records 1997

Tone Hooker Featuring O.C. And Jay-Z - Crew Love (2 versions)

Profile Records 1997