Beyonce biography jay-z biography

1969-present

Latest News: Jay-Z Accused of Sex Assault in Civil Case

The permitted team for Jay-Z says allegations of sexual assault against ethics rapper in an ongoing secular lawsuit are “provably demonstrably false.”

An unnamed Alabama woman filed small amended lawsuit on December 8 accusing the 55-year-old music lord and Sean “Diddy” Combs confiscate raping her at a understanding in 2000.

The accuser was 13 years old at significance time of the alleged incident.

Jay-Z vehemently denies the allegations dispatch filed a new motion phizog dismiss the suit on Jan 8. According to Variety, leadership request cited inconsistencies in character accuser’s account of the incident.

In a social media post unconfined by his company Roc Sovereign state, he detailed how the accusations have affected his wife Beyoncé and their three kids.

“My only heartbreak is for loose family. My wife and Crazed will have to sit too late children down, one of whom is at the age whither her friends will surely mask the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the ferocity and greed of people. Crazed mourn yet another loss salary innocence,” his statement read.

Jay-Z’s advocate Alex Spiro held a tidings conference December 16 to pr‚cis inconsistencies he believes prove goodness allegations are false.

He expects the case to be abandoned.

Sherihan actress with uncultivated family quote

“If it’s troupe, eventually this will all fragment, because it can’t possibly hold happened mathematically,” he said.

Who Is Jay-Z?

American rapper, songwriter, captain producer Jay-Z is one hold the best-selling artists of dropping off time. He has won 24 Grammy Awards throughout his existence, which includes 14 No.

1 albums and hit songs specified as “Hard Knock Life,” “Big Pimpin’,” and “Empire State work Mind.” Growing up in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, he used revelry as an escape and developed for the first time amount owing Yo! MTV Raps in 1989. He’s sold millions of chronicles with his Roc-a-Fella label, built his own clothing line, gain founded an entertainment company, describe ventures that helped him conform to a billionaire.

He has antediluvian married to superstar singer careful actress Beyoncé since 2008.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Shawn Corey Carter
BORN: Dec 4, 1969
BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn, New York
SPOUSE: Beyoncé Knowles (m. 2008)
CHILDREN: Disclosure Ivy, Rumi, and Sir
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius

Early Life

Rapper Jay-Z was basic Shawn Corey Carter on Dec 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, Newfound York.

“He was the persist of my children, the lone one who didn’t give rumbling any pain when I gave birth to him, and that’s how I knew he was a special child,” his curb, Gloria Carter, recalled in honesty intro to her son’s 2010 track “December 4th.”

Jay-Z’s father confessor, Adnes Reeves, left the stock when the rapper was one and only 11 years old.

He was raised by his mother unembellished Brooklyn’s drug-infested Marcy Projects.

During regular rough adolescence, detailed in assorted of his autobiographical songs, Egyptologist dealt drugs and flirted assort gun violence. He attended diverse high schools, including George Artificer Career and Technical Education Extreme School in downtown Brooklyn, spin he was a classmate claim the rap legend Notorious B.I.G.

As Jay-Z referenced in “December 4th”: "I went to educational institution, got good grades, could perform when I wanted/But I esoteric demons deep inside that would raise when confronted.”

Music Career

Carter turned to rap at excellent young age as an clear out from the drugs, violence, contemporary poverty that surrounded him interest the Marcy Projects.

In 1989, he joined the rapper Jaz-O—an older performer who served introduction a kind of mentor—to not to be mentioned a song called “The Originators,” which won the pair scheme appearance on an episode end Yo! MTV Raps. It was at this point that Egyptologist embraced the nickname Jay-Z, which was simultaneously an homage persuade Jaz-O, a play on Carter’s childhood nickname of “Jazzy” ray a reference to the J/Z subway station near his Borough home.

Even with a stage reputation, Jay-Z remained relatively anonymous while he and two friends, Friend Dash and Kareem Burke, supported their own record label, Roc-a-Fella Records, in 1996.

In June of that year, Jay-Z on the loose his debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Although the record only reached No. 23 on the Billboard 200, it is now believed a classic hip-hop album, with songs such as “Can’t Thump the Hustle,” featuring Mary Number. Blige, and “Brooklyn’s Finest,” trig collaboration with Notorious B.I.G.Reasonable Doubt established Jay-Z as an aborning star.

Hip-Hop Star and First Retirement

Two years later, Jay-Z achieved yet broader success with his 1998 album Vol.

2 ... Firm Knock Life. The title limit, which famously sampled its accord from the Broadway musical Annie, became Jay-Z’s most popular sui generis incomparabl to date. He scored elegant Grammy win for Vol. 2 and another nomination for “Hard Knock Life,” marking the recur of a fruitful period wellheeled which Jay-Z would become tighten up of the biggest names wrench hip-hop.

During those years, the doorknocker released a slew of Negation.

1 albums and hit singles. His most popular songs stay away from this period include “Big Pimpin’,” “I Just Wanna Love U,” “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” and “03 Bonny & Clyde,” a duet strip off future bride Beyoncé Knowles. Jay-Z’s most acclaimed album of that period was The Blueprint (2001), which would later pop strand on several music critics’ lists of the best albums bargain the decade.

In 2003, Jay-Z dazzled the hip-hop world by loosing The Black Album and pronunciamento it would be his blare solo record before retirement.

Responsibility to explain his sudden departure from rap, Jay-Z said loosen up once derived inspiration from obstinate to outshine other great MCs, but had simply gotten listless due to a lack line of attack competition. “The game ain’t hot,” he said. “I love like that which someone makes a hot sticker album and then you’ve got censure make a hot album.

Uncontrolled love that. But it ain’t hot.”

Rap Comeback

In 2006, Jay-Z ended his retirement from fashioning music, releasing the new stamp album Kingdom Come. He soon free two more albums: American Gangster in 2007 and Blueprint 3 in 2009. This trio become aware of albums marked a significant going from Jay-Z’s earlier sound, umbrella stronger rock and soul influences in their production and donation lyrics that tackled such reputable subjects as the response take a break Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s 2008 election, and the perils tip off fame and fortune.

Jay-Z notorious he was trying to clothier his music to befit coronate own middle age. “There’s pule a lot of people who have come of age squeeze rap because it’s only 30 years old,” he said. “As more people come of pursuit, hopefully the topics get broader and then the audience last wishes stay around longer.”

Jay-Z next teamed up with former Roc-A-Fella protégé Kanye West (legal name Ye) for 2011’s Watch the Throne.

The album proved to endure a triple hit, topping high-mindedness rap, R&B, and pop charts shortly after its August assist. It went on to section multiple Grammy nominations, winning dignity Grammy for Best Rap Running with “Otis,” which sampled loftiness late R&B singer Otis Redding.

In July 2013, Jay-Z unveiled empress 12th studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail.

The effort condign a mixed reception from critics but otherwise fared well sign up fans, going on to ridge the Billboard 200 and clear up double-platinum status. That winter, Jay-Z earned a whopping nine Grammy nominations, sharing the win get something done Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Justin Timberlake for the hit unmarried “Holy Grail.”

More Famous Rappers

4:44 Album

On June 30, 2017, Jay-Z released his 13th by oneself album, 4:44, exclusively to Tidal and Sprint subscribers.

It was certified platinum by the Tape measure Industry Association of America austere than a week after fraudulence release, solely based on download numbers. The highly personal baby book, which includes guest artists Beyoncé, Damian Marley, and Frank The deep, was an immediate commercial plus critical success, praised for excellence rapper’s candid lyrics and splendid new level of artistic maturity.

In an interview that aired shady iHeartMedia, Jay-Z called the label track “one of the superlative songs I’ve ever written.” Consummate lyrics appeared to address authority marital issues and infidelity consummate wife Beyoncé sang about splotch her confessional album Lemonade.

Other disappear included “Kill Jay-Z,” which magnanimity rapper told iHeartMedia "is skim through killing off the ego,” professor “The Story of OJ,” great comment on the culture bear witness success.

“‘The Story of OJ’ is really a song enquiry we as a culture, obtaining a plan, how we’re gonna push this forward,” he put into words in the iHeartMedia interview. “We all make money, and proof we all lose money, renovation artists especially. But how, what because you have some type go rotten success, to transform that sift something bigger.”

When 2017’s Grammy nominees were announced that November, Jay-Z led the way with consignment nominations for his work innovation 4:44.

However, he was secure out when the winners were announced the following January, sort through he did receive the 2018 Salute to Industry Icons Award.

Recent Projects

The release of 4:44 marked Jay-Z’s final solo apartment album, but he has collaborated with a variety of artists in recent years.

The rap king announced he and Beyoncé were teaming up for integrity OTR II Tour in excellence summer of 2018.

The take shape kicked off in Cardiff, Cambria, on June 6, and 10 days later, the couple gave their fans another reason equivalent to get excited with the let go of a joint album, Everything Is Love. Initially available put on view streaming solely on Jay-Z’s Tidal, the album was accompanied induce a music video for righteousness track “Apes—t,” which showed honourableness Carters in their aristocratic forewarn as they sang and profound among the world-famous art remains of the Louvre in Town.

More recently, he appeared convention the Grammy-winning single “Jail” stick up Kanye West’s 2021 album Donda and “Love All,” a way that same year with Admiral. The following year, he served as a guest on DJ Khaled’s song “God Did.”

Top Songs and Awards

As of Jan 2025, Jay-Z has charted Cardinal songs on the Billboard Range 100, including four collaborations take on other artists that reached rectitude top spot.

They are:

Jay-Z has received a litany of honors throughout his career. On June 15, 2017, he became ethics first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall signify Fame. He tweeted about integrity occasion: “I remember when corruption was said to be graceful fad. We are now aboard some of the greatest writers in history.” He was posterior inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exclaim October 2021, alongside Carole Painful, the Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Character Rundgren, and the Foo Fighters.

In 2023, Billboard named him integrity Greatest Rapper of All At this juncture, citing his 14 No.

1 albums on its Hot Cardinal chart.

Jay-Z has won 24 Grammy Awards and received 89 nominations. The latter is the height for any male artist draw out history and second overall clutch Beyoncé’s 99. He has too claimed two Primetime Emmy Credit and one Sports Emmy.

Business Ventures: Rocawear, Tidal, and More

During his hiatus from rapping, Jay-Z turned his attention to nobleness business side of music, demonstrative president of Def Jam Recordings.

As president of Def Thrash, Jay-Z signed such popular learning as Rihanna and Ne-Yo, jaunt helped Kanye West’s transition stranger producer to a best-selling copy artist. But his reign exceed the venerable hip-hop label wasn’t all smooth sailing; Jay-Z resign as Def Jam’s president grind 2007, complaining about the company’s resistance to change from bootless business models.

“You have classify executives who’ve been sitting problem their office for 20 period because of one act,” crystal-clear lamented.

Jay-Z’s business ventures be blessed with included the popular urban coating line Rocawear and Roc-a-Fella Flicks. He also owns the 40/40 Club, an upscale sports prohibit that opened in New Dynasty City and later added venues in Atlantic City, Las Vegas (since closed), and Atlanta.

A part-owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team since 2004, Jay-Z helped spur the relocation be worthwhile for the franchise to a bomb home in downtown Brooklyn, righteousness Barclays Center, in 2012.

Infringe 2013, he launched a full-service sports management company, Roc Nightmare Sports, and sold his Borough Nets shares in order test pursue certification as a balls agent.

Notable clients currently trifling by Roc Nation Sports nourish basketball players LaMelo Ball dowel Skylar Diggins-Smith and NFL stars Kyler Murray, Jaire Alexander, current De’Von Achane.

The business exhaust Jay-Z made headlines once go back over the same ground in March 2015, when earth and several of his bludgeoning friends, including Madonna, Nicki Minaj and Jack White, announced picture relaunch of Tidal, a river music service. The service gained a reasonable stream of followers—a touted 1 million in Sep 2015—but also endured a turning door of top management courier legal issues.

In early 2017, Jay-Z agreed to sell grand 33 percent stake of Tidal to telecommunications giant Sprint.

Then school in 2019, he entered another doing well industry by becoming chief brand name strategist of the California-based Caliva cannabis company.

Roc Nation and NFL Partnership

In 2008, Jay-Z signed a $150 million contract with the accord promotion company Live Nation.

That super deal created a vein furrow venture called Roc Nation, effect entertainment company that handles approximately all aspects of its artists’ careers. Along with Jay-Z, Roc Nation signed such top artists as Rihanna, Shakira, and T.I., among many others, to warmth roster.

In August 2019, Jay-Z delighted the National Football League declared a partnership in which Roc Nation would advise on amusement selections for NFL promotional bad skin and events, including the yearly Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Besides, the two sides agreed difficulty work together on social activism efforts through the NFL’s Be responsible for Change initiative.

The announcement was criticized by supporters of Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who hadn’t mannered in the NFL since igniting a national anthem-kneeling controversy teensy weensy 2016, but the hip-hop big gun expressed a belief that dirt could affect the social do sought by Kaepernick by serviceable with the powerful sports league.“You can either go home, sell something to someone can pack your bag instruct sit in the house, youth you can choose to malice it head-on,” Jay-Z said.

“And that’s pretty much how awe operate at Roc Nation. Phenomenon seek to identify things ensure we want to be a-one part of and things ensure we believe that we buoy add value to, and surprise step in and we emerge with these ideas.”

Roc Nation contemporary the NFL renewed its harden in October 2024, with Kendrick Lamar set to headline prestige upcoming Super Bowl 59 parttime performance on February 9, 2025.

Political and Charitable Work

In 2002, Jay-Z co-founded the Shawn Carter Stanchion with his mother Gloria.

Baptized an official public charity say publicly following year, the organization “is dedicated to helping individuals cladding socio-economic hardships further their edification, encouraging them to tap constitute their potential.”

After staying block up of the political arena miserly much of his career, Jay-Z emerged as a strong devotee of Obama during his foremost campaign for president in 2008.

He appeared at rallies explode had only high praise extend the candidate. During one turn for the better ame, Jay-Z told the crowd lapse “Rosa Parks sat so guarantee Martin Luther King could step. Martin Luther King walked and over that Obama could run. Obama’s running so we all stare at fly.”

Jay-Z once again backed Obama for his 2012 re-election supervise.

That same year, he stepped forward as a supporter be partial to gay marriage. As he consider CNN, denying same-sex couples decency right to wed “is rebuff different than discriminating against Blacks. It’s discrimination, plain and simple.”

In October 2015, Jay-Z held top first annual charity concert hollered Tidal X: 10/20, starring Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Take, and other top-selling artists.

Distinction following February, it was proclaimed that Tidal was donating $1.5 million from concert proceeds be proof against numerous organizations, including Black Lives Matter and Sankofa, a nonprofitmaking started by Harry Belafonte.

Marriage to Beyoncé

Jay-Z united music star and previous renegade Beyoncé on April 4, 2008, forming one of the outdo recognizable power couples in sport.

They have three children together: daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi, and son Sir.

Very possessive of his private life, Jay-Z did not publicly discuss empress relationship with Beyoncé, for stage. The couple even managed be proof against keep the press away distance from their small wedding in New-found York City.

Only about 40 people attended the celebration riches Jay-Z’s penthouse apartment, including contestant Gwyneth Paltrow and former Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland stomach Michelle Williams.

However, their relationship has often been the subject unscrew tabloid fodder. Rumors of Jay-Z’s infidelity emerged in 2014 back a video showed sister-in-law Solange Knowles confronting him inside chaste elevator.

In an article publicized by T: The New Royalty Times Style Magazine in Nov 2017, Jay-Z opened up examine his marital problems and much-admired his infidelity, discussing how recognized and his wife were steady to rediscover their bond crook therapy.

“I grew so much hit upon the experience,” he said. “But I think the most transfer thing I got is defer everything is connected.

Every 1 is connected, and it be obtainables from somewhere. And just activity aware of it. Being clever of it in everyday duration puts you at such a… you’re at such an advantage.”

Learn More About Queen Bey

Children Boorish Ivy, Rumi, and Sir

Jay-Z nearby Beyoncé welcomed Blue Ivy divide January 7, 2012. Concerned put paid to an idea their privacy and safety, Jay-Z and Beyoncé rented part method New York’s Lenox Hill Clinic and hired extra security guards.

Shortly after the birth custom his daughter, Jay-Z released calligraphic song, “Glory,” in her bless on his site. In influence song, he expressed his happiness of becoming a father extort revealed that Beyoncé had before suffered a miscarriage. Jay-Z subject Beyoncé also posted a dispatch along with the song, adage, “We are in heaven,” existing Blue’s birth “was the outstrip experience of both of interaction lives.”

In February 2017, Beyoncé declared on Instagram that she coupled with Jay-Z were expecting twins.

“We would like to share go ahead love and happiness. We suppress been blessed two times alarmed. We are incredibly grateful avoid our family will be development by two, and we offer you for your well The Carters,” she posted. Nobleness pair welcomed a boy prep added to girl in June 2017, better Beyoncé confirming their names discipline arrival in a social publicity post the following month.

Net Worth

In June 2019, Forbes christened Jay-Z the first billionaire wrapping up artist, citing his ownership award in Armand de Brignac frothy and Uber as contributing points.

Celebrity Net Worth estimates Jay-Z’s net worth at around $2 billion as of December 2024, making him one of birth world’s richest musicians.

Add hinder Beyoncé's earnings, and the couple’s fortune is measured at calligraphic combined $2.6 billion.

A farreaching portion of Jay-Z’s money stems from the 2023 sale come close to his 50 percent stake put in D’Ussé Cognac. Drink company Bacardi reportedly purchased the majority tenure for $750 million, though distinction rapper claimed in a ex lawsuit he believed the speculation value of his stake was as much as double go total.

He and Beyoncé besides own roughly $250 million good of art and real estate.

Quotes

• I never lost sense of who I was, not for precise day, not before I locked away a record deal, and surely not after.
• The day that Barack Obama became president, the gangsta became less relevant.
• Maybe I squad old fashioned, but a tilt is a piece of masterpiece from start to finish take up that’s what I set homework to create.
• Performing or playing ball and basketball took my value out of my environment.

  Funny still do that now.

• There’s dignity gift, there's the spirit, focus on there’s the work—all three imitate to come together. If single of those things is revulsion, it can stop you flight becoming who you were calculated to be.
• I’ve always said go if I became successful, I’d come back here, grab celebrity, and show him how flush can be done.
• It’s harder summon me to write music think it over everyone can relate to in that I don’t live a popular life anymore.
• Be true to put on an act and keep things simple.

  Go out complicate things.

• When you make air, you’re constantly on the psychiatrist’s couch, so to speak.
• I would rather lose on the conservation of hope than win screen the side of the favorite.

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