His first hit, “Dead Presidents,” became an international hit, and he has since won over 16 Grammy Awards and sold over 50 million albums.
His interest in creating music exploded after receiving a boom box from his mother on his 12 birthday, and his nickname evolved from “Jazzy” to “Jay-Z.”
His success in music led him to launch a record label and a clothing line, become a partial owner of the Brooklyn Nets, and found the 40/40 Club.
He married Beyonce Knowles on April 4, 2008 and they had one child together. He met his father for the first time after being estranged and forgave him, and his father passed away one month later from a liver illness.
