Jay Zee

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Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), popularly known as Jay-Z, (or by a variety of nicknames including S. Carter, S.Dot, Jigga, Jay-Hova, Hova, Young Hov, and 8th Wonder) is an American hip-hop artist and current president and CEO of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records. He has been one of the most prolific and successful American rappers of the past decade. Due to this success, he is sometimes considered to be the greatest rapper of all time.

Known for his use of metaphors, freestyling abilities, word play, flow, and blending of street and popular hip hop, Jay-Z became one of the most respected rappers in the music industry before his “retirement” in 2004. He is admired for his ability lyrics from memory, without the use of pen and paper[citation needed]; he claims his critically acclaimed album The Blueprint was written in only two days.

Along with Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke, he is one of the founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, a hip-hop record label which also launched the careers of artists such as Beanie Sigel, Kanye West, Memphis Bleek, Young Gunz, Freeway, and Teairra Mari. As of 2006, he was estimated to be worth around $320 million.