In his albums, he gets to showcase both with a rare simplicity that few can match.

It showed that while easily considered one of the greatest rappers of his generation, above all else, Jay was a businessman as well as an artist. The rapper founded his label Roc-A-Fella in 1995 before he later released his debut LP a year later. If for no other reason than he is one of the best-selling artists of all time.īorn Shawn Corey Carter in 1969, the writing was on the wall for Jay at an early stage in his career. Never afraid to take a creative leap, there’s no doubt that Jay-Z will be a legendary name in the rap game forevermore. His rhymes are silky, visually engaging and underpinned by Hova’s natural flow. Announcing himself in 1996 with his debut LP Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z has become the foreword in class and showmanship.