Jay-Z biography, net worth, age, Beyonce, kids, real name, young, height 2025

Biography of Jay Z

Humanity knows many examples of people born into poor families who rose to heights beyond the wildest dreams of ordinary mortals. However, Jay-Z's story is one of the most incredible.

Childhood

Jay-Z's biography began in Brooklyn, in a public housing building on Marcy Avenue. Sean Corey Carter (the rapper's real name) was born on December 4, 1969, to Gloria Carter and Adnis Reeves.

He grew up with two sisters and a brother, played basketball, rode his bike, and loved reading and writing poetry. In school, the future artist was a decent student, and his teachers recall that even when unprepared, he could answer questions and quickly grasp information.

The house had a large vinyl collection; his parents loved music, and until the early '80s, the family lived modestly but respectably. However, after Sean's uncle was robbed and stabbed on the street, his father, Adnis, got involved with drugs and soon left home, leaving Gloria to care for the children alone.

Sean was 5 years old and took his father's departure hard, seeing it as a betrayal. His mother worked tirelessly, taking any job she could find. After school, Sean worked at a local grocery store, but earned very little. According to him, the family never went hungry; his mother managed to pay the bills and buy food, but the realization of poverty came when he noticed his sneakers were about to fall apart and his clothes were from a second-hand store, smelling of antiseptic.

After finishing school, Sean enrolled in the George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, where he met future rappers The Notorious B.I.G and Busta Rhymes. His first freestyles were recorded on a cheap boombox given to him by his mother, who encouraged his interest in music.

Jay could have become a drug dealer, but he didn't break. It's known that after leaving college, Sean lived for months in Trenton, New Jersey, where he sold drugs. Gloria knew what her son was doing but never spoke to him directly about it, only expressing her concerns for his future. Sean himself understood that he had to quit, realizing that if he continued selling crack, he would end up either in jail or dead. He managed to leave the business. As Mr. Carter later said, music saved him.

First Steps

In the early '90s, Sean returned home from another trip to Trenton and never went back. He started rapping, honing his rhymes, and writing lyrics that reflected his street experiences, dissatisfaction with "Reaganomics," and social inequality. When he had enough material, Sean began looking for a producer.

In the early '90s Jay Z started a new life

After visiting many record labels, he realized two important things. First, they didn't really want to work with him, and second, even if a contract was signed, the terms wouldn't suit him. There was only one way out of this situation, and in 1995, with his Brooklyn friends Kareem Burke and Damon Dash, Sean created and registered Roc-a-Fella Records, his own label destined to become an empire.

Sean, who was already calling himself Jay Z, released his first album at the end of 1996. He chose his pseudonym by chance: one of his rapper acquaintances was named Jazz, who noted Sean's unique combination of delivery style and lyrical content. For a while, they tried working together as Jazz and Jazzy, but then their paths diverged, and Jazzy transformed first into Jay-Z and then into Jay Z.

"Reasonable Doubt" was created with the participation of his old college friend, Christopher, known as The Notorious B.I.G., and was generally well-received, later achieving platinum status and being included in the top 500 greatest albums.

Starting in 1997, the rapper, who was nearing thirty, released an album each year. The second album did not bring him satisfaction, but the third exceeded even the boldest expectations. Going on tour with "Vol.2: Hard Knock Life," Jay raised his profile to incredible heights and became the third most significant rapper after Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.

Career Blossom

"Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life" sold over five million copies, with songs from the album playing on every radio station. Starting in 1998, Jay became the number one star, with critics claiming that Tupac's 1996 death and The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 death paved his way to the top. These rumors deeply upset Jay: he respected Tupac and had been friends with Christopher for years. Once again, as in his youth, music became his refuge. From 1997 to 2002, Jay released more hits than any other artist, becoming an iconic figure in the music world.

With business acumen and a firm grip, in 2002, he launched his own brand, and in the first year alone, Rocawear clothing and accessories sold over $200 million, while Roc-a-Fella Records operated at full capacity, becoming the largest record label and production center.

In 2002, Jay Z launched his own clothing and accessories brand

In 2003, "Crazy in Love," created and performed by Jay with Beyoncé Knowles, was released, after which the musician shocked the world by announcing his retirement from music. However, he was gone for only three years, triumphantly returning in 2006 with "Kingdom Come," which quickly went platinum.

Beyoncé - Crazy In Love ft. JAY Z

After releasing three more albums, opening a network of sports clubs, and engaging in bold investment projects, in 2017, Mr. Carter recorded his most honest and beautiful album, "4:44," which surpassed the success of all previous ones. Jay once again demonstrated that he is primarily a brilliant musician, the number one rapper, but no longer wants to prove anything to anyone. "4:44" won a Grammy for Album of the Year.

Most of the album's tracks are directly addressed to the rapper's close ones, his children, and wife, including a touching song about Jay's childhood and the street he grew up on.

Rihanna - Umbrella (Orange Version) ft. JAY-Z

The song "Living in The Shadow" contains the musician's thoughts about his mother, Gloria, who in 2016 admitted that she had been a lesbian all her life and struggled with her attraction to women.

JAY-Z - Smile ft. Gloria Carter

The song "Adnis" is the saddest and most touching, the most heartfelt, about Adnis Reeves, and essentially serves as a belated revelation, a plea for forgiveness, and unspoken words of love and gratitude to his father during his lifetime.

In 2018, Jay-Z's net worth was estimated at $900 million, allowing him to surpass P. Diddy with his $825 million. The foundation of this success was not only music but also his stake in Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades champagne), valued at $310 million, as well as investments in D'Ussé – a cognac brand created in partnership with Bacardi.

In June 2018, he and his wife – as the duo The Carters – released the album "Everything is Love." It was an unplanned release during their joint "On The Run II" tour.

Jay Z and Beyoncé on their 'Everything Is Love' joint tour

The album was very personal – the couple candidly talked about their relationship, family, and overcoming difficulties. Tracks like "Apeshit" and "Nice" stood out, where Jay-Z demonstrated that his signature delivery and ability to craft complex rhymes hadn't weakened over the years.

The Carters – Apeshit

At the end of 2018, the star couple visited South Africa and performed a concert in honor of Nelson Mandela.

In 2019, Forbes officially declared Jay-Z a billionaire, valuing his net worth at $1 billion. The asset breakdown was impressive: $310 million in Armand de Brignac, $220 million in cash and investments, $100 million in D'Ussé, $100 million in Tidal, $75 million in Roc Nation, $75 million in music albums, and $70 million in art collection.

In 2021, a deal marked a milestone for Jay-Z's business portfolio: he sold 50% of Armand de Brignac to luxury conglomerate LVMH. Forbes estimated the deal's value at around $640 million. In the same year, Jay-Z sold his stake in the streaming service TIDAL to Jack Dorsey's Square (now Block) for an impressive $297 million, while remaining on the company's board of directors, retaining influence over its strategic development.

After releasing a joint album with Beyoncé in 2018, he mainly appeared as a featured artist on other performers' tracks. In 2021, he participated in several notable collaborations. Jay-Z contributed to Drake's song "Love All" – two hip-hop titans reflecting on trust and betrayal.

Drake - Love All

He also recorded a verse for Kanye West's track "Jail" from the album "Donda," marking a significant moment given their previous disagreements. In 2022, he could be heard on DJ Khaled's album "God Did." In his verse, Jay-Z touched on themes of his path to success, mentoring the new generation, and social responsibility.

DJ Khaled – God Did

During this period, Jay-Z was also actively involved in social projects. Through his company Roc Nation, he worked on criminal justice system reform and supported various educational initiatives. In 2020, he founded the TEAM ROC fund, which deals with social justice and provides legal assistance to those in need.

Jay-Z's Personal Life

Beyoncé and Jay-Z's story began in the late 1990s when Beyoncé was 18. They first met in 1999 at the MTV Spring Break festival in Cancun, Mexico, but the spark between them ignited later in 2000. Initially, they spent about a year and a half talking on the phone for hours, building a friendship and gradually getting to know each other.

Their first musical collaboration occurred in 2002 with the release of the track "’03 Bonnie & Clyde." It was a significant moment—Jay-Z invited rising star Beyoncé, who was still part of Destiny's Child, to record a duet. The chemistry between them was evident not only in the music but also in the music video for the song.

JAY-Z - '03 Bonnie & Clyde ft. Beyoncé Knowles

Another hit followed in 2003, "Crazy in Love," which became one of the most successful singles of the year and solidified their status as a couple in the public eye. However, they tried to keep their relationship private for a long time. In interviews from that period, both often avoided direct answers about their personal lives.

On April 4, 2008, they had a secret wedding in Jay-Z's penthouse in New York City. The ceremony was very private, with only 40 guests. An interesting detail: instead of traditional wedding rings, both got tattoos of the Roman numeral "IV"—a number that holds special significance for them: Beyoncé was born on September 4, Jay-Z on December 4, and they married on April 4. It's known that Beyoncé's engagement ring, from Lorraine Schwartz, cost over $5 million.

In 2011, during her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé announced her first pregnancy by dramatically revealing her baby bump at the end of the performance. Their first daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, was born on January 7, 2012.

Their marriage faced a serious test due to Jay-Z's infidelity. In 2014, the infamous incident occurred in the elevator of the Standard Hotel after the Met Gala: Solange Knowles, Beyoncé's sister, attacked Jay-Z. This event sparked rumors about marital problems, which were soon confirmed.

In 2016, Beyoncé released the album "Lemonade," a musical narrative about betrayal and reconciliation. In the song "Sorry," she hinted at the mistress's identity with the line "He better call Becky with the good hair," leading fans on a quest to uncover the mysterious "Becky." Speculations suggested it could be designer Rachel Roy or singer Rita Ora, although no official confirmation or denial followed.

Jay-Z later admitted to his infidelity in the album "4:44" (2017), where he openly discussed his mistakes and expressed remorse. That same year, he shared in a New York Times interview about the difficult period in their marriage and how therapy helped him and Beyoncé overcome the crisis. He explained that his infidelity was linked to emotional barriers formed during his childhood.

In the summer of 2017, the couple welcomed twins Rumi and Sir Carter. The delivery was challenging—Beyoncé later revealed in the documentary "Homecoming" that she developed preeclampsia, and one of the twins had multiple heart stoppages, requiring an emergency C-section.

The couple carefully chose their children's names. Rumi was named after Jay-Z's favorite poet, and Sir's name came spontaneously—Jay-Z said in an interview that when they first saw their son, he "looked like a typical sir."

Blue Ivy, their eldest daughter, has shown herself to be a caring older sister. In interviews, Jay-Z proudly shared how she helps her parents with the twins. Blue Ivy has also become a public figure—she occasionally appears with her parents on red carpets and, at 9 years old, won her first Grammy for her contribution to the "Brown Skin Girl" music video.

After the twins' birth, the couple spent more time at their Bel-Air estate, purchased for $88 million. The house is equipped with everything needed for comfortable family life, including playgrounds and a pool.

In terms of work, both parents try to coordinate their schedules so that someone is always available to stay with the kids. When Beyoncé was preparing for her historic Coachella performance in 2018, Jay-Z took on most of the parenting duties.

Despite their busy schedules, the couple strives to cultivate family traditions. They regularly travel as a family, frequently attend basketball games, and try to bring their kids along during tours. In 2023, during the Renaissance tour, Blue Ivy sang on stage with her mom, while Jay-Z watched with the twins from the audience.

Jay-Z Now

In early 2024, media reports emerged that Beyoncé and Jay-Z distanced themselves from P. Diddy, whom they had been friends with for many years, amid an investigation initiated against him (the producer was accused, among other things, of multiple sex crimes).

According to media reports, the couple allegedly cut off communication with P. Diddy even before the situation became public knowledge. Observers noted that Jay-Z, who previously had close business and friendly ties with Diddy, stopped attending his events.

Conspiracy theories began circulating online, claiming that P. Diddy, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé were allegedly involved in the deaths of famous artists like Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, and Lisa "Left Eye," thus eliminating competitors on their way to the top of the music industry.

In an interview with singer Jaguar Wright on Piers Morgan's show, statements were made accusing Jay-Z and Beyoncé of being "monsters" with numerous "victims." After this, the Carters' lawyers demanded the removal of these statements from the broadcast.

In December 2024, a civil lawsuit was filed against Jay-Z, accusing him of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000. According to the lawsuit, the incident happened at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. The plaintiff, who remained anonymous, claimed she felt dizzy after consuming a drink and was raped by Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs, in the presence of an unnamed female celebrity.

Jay-Z categorically denied these accusations, calling them an attempt at blackmail, and urged a criminal complaint to be filed if the allegations were valid. He expressed concern about the impact of these statements on his family, especially on Beyoncé and their children.

Jay-Z: latest news and articles

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Kerrie Steele Journalist

Mary Lamb

One of the coolest couples of our time is Jay Z and his beautiful wife Beyoncé. And what energy comes from them at concerts... Delight!

2021-04-23 11:48:05
Wanda Paul

«Crazy in love» is one of the most legendary compositions of the singer together with Beyoncé. I also love his collaboration with Rihanna «Umbrella».

2021-04-07 23:56:11
Stephanie Sims

I just love Jay-Z`s tracks! I listen every day with pleasure.

2021-03-30 11:29:30
Leo Adkins

Indeed, the amazing success story of Jay Z. That`s what talent, courage and tenacity mean!

2021-03-28 23:53:05
Jason Kelly

Craving for beauty, saved this young at that time guy Sean from the fate of becoming a drug dealer. Respect to his mom who encouraged her passion for music.

2021-03-14 20:37:59