Jay-Z

Shawn Corey Carter, born December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York, grew up in the Marcy Houses projects and co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 to self-release "Reasonable Doubt" (1996)—now considered one of the greatest debut albums in hip-hop history. His subsequent catalog—"The Blueprint" (2001), "The Black Album" (2003), "American Gangster" (2007), and "4:44" (2017)—represents one of the most critically consistent bodies of work in rap. Jay-Z holds the record for the most Grammy nominations by any rapper in history (88 nominations, 24 wins). He was the first hip-hop billionaire, with business interests spanning music (Roc Nation), streaming (TIDAL), spirits (D'Ussé, Armand de Brignac), sports agency, and fine art collection. His On the Run tours with Beyoncé remain among the highest-grossing concert tours. In 2023, he was presented with the Grammy's Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. The Shawn Carter Foundation has provided hundreds of college scholarships and mentoring resources for underprivileged youth since 2003.