Jay Z is a successful rapper, record label owner, businessman and investor that has achieved greatness through hard work and perseverance over the years. He started his life from the streets wrecked with poverty, violence and drug abuse before he became one of the world’s most decorated rappers. His name has become a household name following his success in music, philanthropic gestures and burgeoning innovative business.
Who Exactly is Jay Z and How Old is He?
Jay Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on 4th December 1969, in Brooklyn, a neighbourhood that was crime-filled. He was said to have been abandoned at the age of 10 by his father Adnes Reeves but eventually reconciled with him before he died in 2003 from a liver-related disease. As a kid, he was raised by his single mother Gloria Carter with his three elder siblings Andrea “Annie” Carter, Michele “Mickey” Carter, and Eric Carter who he shot when he was 12.
When he was younger, Jay Z got involved in shady deals which got him enmeshed in drugs and violence. He attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, Eli Whitney High School and then Trenton Central High School. He escaped the ills of the street through music as he started freestyling and imitating many popular musicians back then.
The American Rapper joined Jaz-O in 1989, a popular rapper who later mentored and taught him the basics of music, the duo produced a single titled ‘The Originators’, the song earned them an appearance in MTV Raps, Yo Episode. He was first known as Jazzy before he changed his name to Jay Z, in order to retain his street name and immortalize his mentor’s name.
He did not come to limelight until he joined forces with Kareem Burke Biggs and Damon Dash, the trio birthed a record label called the ‘Roc-A-Fella Records’. With the record label, he dropped his debut album, ‘Reasonable Doubt’ in 1996, but did not sell many copies at first. Nonetheless, it later became platinum-certified. Jay dropped his second album, ‘ In My Life Time’ (1997) which was followed by ‘Hard Knock Life’ (1998), ‘Life and Times of S. Carter’ in 1999, and then ‘The Dynasty: Roc La Familia’ in 2000.
He has a total of 13 studio albums, featuring top acts like Kanye West, Notorious B.I.G, Eminem, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and Pharrell Williams. Through his career, Jay has won many awards like the Billboards Awards, Aice Award, American Music Awards, ASCAP Pop, Rhythm and Soul Music Awards, Bet Awards, Induction into the Rap Songwriters Hall of Fame and the 21 Grammy awards.
Arguably the greatest rapper alive, Jay Z is also an entrepreneur who co-owns the 40/40 club, an upscale sports Bar and the Brooklyn Nets NBA team. He also produces the NBA 2K13 Basketball video game. The mogul has in his chain of businesses, the Roc Nation Sports Agency that represents professional athletes. He further branched out into real estate development, establishing J Hotels, then grabbing a stake in Armand De Brignac Champagne, a wine and spirit company based in the United States to the chains of businesses among other big investments.
Jay has featured in a number of Hollywood films as both an actor and producer like; Streets is Watching (1998), The Great Gatsby (2013) and Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story (2018) and he has 2 books written in his name, one of which was co-authored by Dream Hampton in 2010, ‘Decoded’ – an autobiography of the great rapper and the ‘Crazy In Love’ co-authored by Rich (COP) Harrison and Beyoncé Knowles in 2003
His Net Worth
One of the 10 richest rappers, his incomes are mainly generated from his successful studio albums, tours, endorsements, and highly lucrative businesses. His net worth is estimated at $900 million. Jay Z has given back to the society through the charity foundation he founded with his Mum.
Meet His Wife – Beyonce
Jay-Z’s wife, Beyonce Giselle Knowles is a combination of beauty and talent. She was born on 4th September 1981, in Houston, Texas, the United States to American Parents, Mathew Knowles and Celestine “Tina” Knowles.
Queen Bee’s relationship with the famous pop star started very privately and quietly first as a professional relationship after Jay-Z made appearances in Beyonce’s Album, in the track ’03 Bonnie & Clyde’, the track wounded up in Jay-Z’ seventh studio album. Their relationship eventually blossomed into marriage on the 4th of April 2008 in a private wedding that had a total of 40 attendees hosted in the rapper’s Penthouse.
The power couple share three kids together, the first of which is Blue Ivy whose arrival in 2012 was greeted by her father’s celebratory single ‘Glory.’ Five years later in 2017, the couple had their next babies, a set of twins, a boy and a girl named Rumi and Sir respectively.
Did He Really Cheat on His wife?
There were speculations about Jay-Z’s infidelity on social media, a rumour that was finally confirmed when Beyoncé released her tell it all album, where she revealed in one of the singles, her man’s slyness and unfaithfulness.
The Rapper also confirmed it in his own studio album ‘4:44’ and also in an interview with David Letterman, stating that he cheated on his wife, with an undisclosed woman. Beyonce gave the woman’s name as ‘Becky with a good hair’ in ‘Lemonade.’ Some fans have however speculated that it could be Rachel Roy the ex-wife of Jay Z former business partner Damon Dash.
He later tendered an unreserved apology for his infidelity to his wife, family, and fans pledging to be a better husband and father to his family.
