JAY-Z (original) (raw)

JAY-Z (né Shawn Corey Carter) is an American rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur and media proprietor. He rose to fame in 1995 as the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records and with the release of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. From 2004 to 2007, JAY-Z served as President and CEO of Def Jam Records. In 2008, he founded the entertainment agency Roc Nation. JAY-Z is best known for songs such as "Big Pimpin,"' "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," "Run This Town," "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)," "Empire State of Mind" and "'03 Bonnie & Clyde." In 2017, JAY-Z became the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. By 2021, he became the most nominated artist in Grammy history with 83 nods and 24 wins. He was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that same year.