Shawn Corey Carter (Jay-Z)

Shawn Corey Carter, aka Jay Z, was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1969 and grew up in the Marcy Houses projects. Jay Z attended but did not graduate high school, and eventually became serious about his music career, entering rap battles and selling CDs out of his car. Jay Z created Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and used it to release his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. The album eventually reached platinum status, and over the next 17 years, Jay went on to record 11 more studio albums. Having sold 50 million albums and received 17 Grammy Awards, Jay Z is today considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as one of the most financially successful.