Shawn Corey Carter, known to the world as Jay-Z, is one of the most powerful and influential entertainers worldwide. With the end of the decade approaching, it’s only right to revisit his accomplishments.
1. Jay-Z and Beyoncé got married in a private ceremony on the rooftop of his Tribeca apartment. The two even have tattoos of the Roman numeral IV on their ring fingers, to signify their birthdates (Jay’s on Dec. 4, and Bey’s on Sept.4) and wedding date (April 4). (2008)
2. The release of The Blueprint 3 catapulted Jay-Z to the top of the charts, giving him more No. 1 albums than any solo artist, including Elvis. The album also gave him the distinction of being the first rapper to appear on Oprah. (2009)
3. The Blueprint is notable in hip-hop history as being the album that ignited the Jay-Z and Nas feud, the album that introduced Kanye West, and the album that cemented Jay’s status as the “alpha male” in hip-hop. (2001)
4. Jay-Z becomes president and CEO of Def Jam, succeeding the legendary Russell Simmons. (2004)
5. Jay-Z released The Black Album and threw the biggest retirement party ever held in Madison Square Garden. (2003)
6. Jay-Z brought Nas on stage at Power 105.1’s “Powerhouse” concert in New York, ending their feud. (2005)
7. Mr. Carter became part owner of the New Jersey Nets after paying $4.5 million. (2004)
8. Jay-Z split with Dame Dash, longtime friend and business partner, severing their friendship and business deals. (2004)
9. Headlined the Glastonbury concert in the UK, becoming the first hip-hop artist to do so. Jay-Z received much criticism for appearing in a forum that has long been the bastion of rock ‘n’ rollers, but still managed to incite the crowd to a fever pitch. (2008)
10. The release of Kingdom Come marked the hip-hop mogul’s return to the rap scene and proved that the Jigga Man just can’t stay away from the mic. (2006)
–christian johnson
