Biography

Embodying the rags-to-riches rap dream, Jay-Z pulled himself up by his bootstraps as a youth to eventually become the reigning rapper of New York City and, in turn, a major-label executive following his short-lived retirement from music-making. In the wake of his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z's albums sold millions upon millions with each release, and his endless parade of hits made him omnipresent on urban radio and video television. He retained a strongly devoted fan base and challenged whatever rivals attempted to oust him from atop the rap game, sparring most memorably with Nas. Jay-Z and his Roc-a-Fella associates greatly influenced the industry and established many of the trends that pervaded during the late '90s and early 2000s. He consistently worked with the hottest producers of the day (Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, Trackmasters, Erick Sermon, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz), and if they weren't hot at the time, they likely would be afterward (the Neptunes, Kanye West, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder). He similarly collaborated with the hottest rappers in the industry, everyone from East Coast contemporaries like the Notorious B.I.G. ("Brooklyn's Finest") and DMX ("Cash, Money, Hoes"), to the best rappers from the South (Ludacris, Missy Elliott) and the West Coast (Snoop Dogg, Too Short). After his self-declared retirement from rapping in 2003, he assumed the presidency of the seminal rap label Def Jam and, as an industry executive, embarked on another phase in his illustrious career.

Top Albums
1. Watch the Th..	2. The Blueprin..	3. The Blueprin..	4. Watch the Th..	5. Kingdom Come
6. The Blueprin..	7. Reasonable D..	8. Watch the Th..	9. Vol. 2... Ha..	10. Vol. 3: Life..
11. The Black Al..	12. Collision Co..	13. MTV Unplugge..	14. In My Lifeti..	15. Collision Co..
16. The Blueprin..	17. The Blueprin..	18. The Hits Col..	19. The Black Al..	20. The Best of ..

Top Songs
	Name	Album	Time	Price
1.	Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia K..	Blueprint 3 (Deluxe Version..	4:36	$1.29
2.	Young Forever (feat. Mr. Hudson)	Blueprint 3 (Deluxe Version..	4:13	$1.29
3.	Big Pimpin' (Featuring UGK)	Vol. 3: Life and Times of S..	4:44	$0.69
4.	Numb / Encore	Collision Course	3:25	$1.29
5.	99 Problems	Black Album	3:54	$1.29
6.	Can I Get A... (Soundtrack Version)	Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life	5:09	$0.69
7.	Monster	My Beautiful Dark Twisted F..	6:18	$1.29
8.	Heart of the City (Ain't No Love..	Blueprint	3:43	$0.69
9.	Empire State of Mind	Hits Collection, Vol. One (..	4:37	$1.29
10.	Run This Town (feat. Rihanna & K..	Run This Town (feat. Rihann..	4:34	$1.29
11.	Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)	Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life	3:58	$1.29
12.	99 Problems	Black Album (Acappella)	3:50	$1.29
13.	Empire State of Mind	Hits Collection, Vol. One	4:37	$1.29
14.	On to the Next One (feat. Swizz Beat..	Blueprint 3	4:16	$1.29
15.	Izzo (H.O.V.A.)	Blueprint	4:00	$0.69
16.	Dirt Off Your Shoulder	Black Album	4:05	$1.29
17.	Mr. Carter	Tha Carter III	5:16	$1.29
18.	03' Bonnie & Clyde	Blueprint 2: The Gift &..	3:25	$1.29
19.	Run This Town	Hits Collection, Vol. One (..	4:27	$1.29
20.	Big Pimpin'	Hits Collection, Vol. One (..	4:44	$0.69
21.	Renegade	Blueprint	5:37	$1.29
22.	Takeover	Blueprint	5:13	$1.29
23.	I'll Be	Ill Na Na	2:58	$0.69
24.	Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia K..	Blueprint 3	4:36	$1.29
25.	Song Cry	Blueprint	5:02	$1.29

Top Music Videos
1. Empire State o..	2. Run This Town ..	3. Roc Boys (And ..	4. On to the Next..	5. Crazy In Love
6. Show Me What Y..	7. Young Forever ..	8. Run This Town ..	9. I Know	10. 99 Problems
11. Dirt Off Your ..	12. Blue Magic	13. D.O.A. (Death ..	14. What We Do (Al..	15. Money Goes, Ho..
16. D. O. A. (Deat..	17. Is That Your C..	18. Change Clothes..	19. Collision Cour..	20. Big Pimpin'

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