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Artist
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 ret