Jay-Z

Shawn Corey Carter — better known as Jay-Z — is a living legend in the hip-hop community and was named the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard.

To help make his dream of becoming a successful rapper come true, Jay-Z beat out LL Cool J in rap battles during the early 1990s. His first few CDs were received well by most critics, but his song “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” provided the crossover appeal he needed to become a household name.

He has released four collaborative albums and 13 studio albums, frequently working with Kanye West, Eminem and Timbaland, among others. Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé, have also teamed up on more than a dozen songs since 2002. With 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, Jay-Z holds the record for solo artists.

Jay-Z has several business ventures that led him to become the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019. He created the Rocawear clothing line in 1999 and was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings from 2004 to 2007, where he signed artists like Rihanna. He is a co-owner of The 40/40 Club in New York City and the Brooklyn Nets and acquired the technology company Aspiro in 2015. He remains the wealthiest music artist in the world with a net worth of more than $2.5 billion.

After meeting in 1999, Jay-Z sparked a close relationship with Beyoncé that soon became romantic. The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in April 2008. They welcomed daughter Blue Ivy in January 2012 and twins Rumi and Sir in June 2017. Jay-Z and Beyoncé famously avoid discussing their relationship publicly, but the rapper admitted to having an affair in 2017. The pair reconciled shortly after and have continued to collaborate musically.