Shawn Corey Carter is the rapper known by the stage name Jay-Z.
Born on December 4, 1969, Carter grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and became one of hip hop’s most commercially successful artists. He released his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996 through his independent label Roc-A-Fella Records.
Jay-Z’s name has been written in several forms, including Jay-Z, Jay Z, and JAY-Z. The punctuation has changed over his career, but all of these forms refer to the same artist. His catalog includes The Blueprint, The Black Album, and 4:44.
He is also known for his business career, including co-founding Roc-A-Fella Records and leading the entertainment company Roc Nation. Those ventures are separate from his stage-name identity, which remains Jay-Z rather than his birth name.