Biography of Jay-Z

Jay-Z, a young man from Brooklyn's Marcy Projects, dreamed of something better for himself. Though he was a promising student, he was also known for his wild side. Shawn Carter, as he was known back then, entered into a vocational high school in Brooklyn, where he met two friends, Christopher Wallace and Trevor Smith, who would later be known as The Notorious B.I.G (Wallace) and Busta Rhymes (Smith). Jay-Z would be well known to earlier fans through his association with Jaz, who had a hit in 1998 called "Hawaiian Sophie."

Jay-Z appeared on several underground hits and his work with Jaz was promising. However, bills and other expenses led him to a life of crime, a life he'd known since the age of 16. It wasn't until 1992 that Shawn decided to leave the life of drug dealing behind him to pursue his career.

Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York, released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. Best known for his breakthrough 1998 album "Vol. 2 - Hard Knock Life," Shawn Carter was also known for creating his own label, Roc-A-Fella Records. "Hard Knock Life" also featured huge hits "Can I Get A..." and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)," featuring a chorus sampled from the Broadway show "Annie." This album would later be looked upon as the start of his career, as it won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. He has since collaborated with DMX, Foxy Brown, Memphis Bleek, with later albums including "Vol. 3 - Life and Times of S. Carter" in 1999, and The Blueprint, which he did with producer, Kanye West. Known for his free styling abilities, flow, and blending of street and popular hip hop, Jay-Z became one of the most respected rappers in the music industry before his self-declared retirement in 2004.

Shawn also had many endorsements in his career. "Reebok S. Carter" was promoted with companies such as Footlocker, Champs Sports, as well as urban retailers and boutiques. The S. Carter marks the first time a non-athlete has ever had a signature shoe. The S. Carter is the fastest selling sneaker in Reebok history.

The list of Jay-Z's awards and nominations is a mile long, including Grammy awards, Source awards, BET awards, Soul Train awards, American Music awards, Billboard Music awards and MTV Video Music awards.

Jay-Z was featured on Beyoncé's hit single "Crazy In Love," as well as another appearance on her 2006 hit, "Deja Vu." Though the couple has never publically discussed their relationship, they have been reported together for almost four years. They are known for keeping their relationship on the down-low as Jay-Z was quoted, "We don't play with our relationship."

Jay-Z, who will likely remain one of America's best rappers, has certainly impacted Hip Hop. He will be known as one of the most successful rappers of the past decade.