Jay-Z (Shawn Carter): Rap artist, record producer and entrepreneur
Shawn Carter, or Jay-Z, is an inspirational rap artist and entrepreneur who worked his way from the streets of Brooklyn, NY to the big-time life of success. Jay-Z is best known for his mainstream music, which is both catchy and deep. His raps describe the hardships he went through growing up in a gangster environment, and shows his love for his hometown of Brooklyn and the city of New York.
On the web, Jay-Z is portrayed as a successful mainstream rapper who founded his own record label Rock-A-Fella (named after Rockefeller, a New York icon) and is married to R&B artist Beyonce, and recently released his newest album with Kanye West Watch The Throne. He is also has his own clothing line and is part owner of the NY Jets football team.
Mr. Carter's story is an interesting one, dealing with growing up around (and abusing) drugs and violence. He is a true Gangster, and has written many autobiographical songs on his albums American Gangster, The Blueprint, and The Blueprint 3. To know more about his upbringing here is a biography from his tour site:
To check out some of his singles and music and read about his enterprises here is a useful website:
My all time favorite Jay-Z song, Heart Of A City (Ain't No Love), featured on his album "The Blueprint".
Jay-Z has continued to be one of my favorite artists, because he grew up with so little and now holds so much. He always keeps a fresh beat, and is never afraid to keep his lyrics real and true. Also, no matter how successful he becomes, he always makes reference to where he's from and gives credit to the streets of New York (for example, his popular track "Empire State of Mind"). Even if you don't appreciate rap music and industry, you can appreciate Jay-Z's drive and hard that leads to his success.