What is Jay-Z’s Net Worth?
| Net Worth | $1.3 billion |
| Source of worth | Music, tour revenues, clothing line, real estate, investments |
| Date of birth | December 4, 1969 |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6 feet 1.5 inches |
| Place of birth | Brooklyn, New York |
| Star Sign | Sagittarius |
| Religion | The Religion of Self |
| Partner | Beyoncé Giselle Knowles |
The Usual Intro
Due to his diverse talents, financial interests, investments, and shrewd business expertise, Jay Z’s net worth is currently $1.3 billion. He is a notable American rapper, real estate investor, record producer, and media proprietor who is acclaimed as one of the world’s most influential rap artists.
During his stint as Def Jam Recordings CEO, he released more number 1 albums than any other artist, with more than 125 million record sales.
Before the Spotlight
On December 4, 1969, Jay Z was born Shawn Corey Carter and was raised in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in a tenement area, and after his father abandoned Jay Z and his siblings when the singer was around 11 years old, his single mother raised him alone. When he was 12, Jay Z caught his older brother stealing his jewelry and shot him in the shoulder.
Jay Z attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn. When the school closed, he transferred to George Washington Career and Technical Education High School, where he was educated alongside rappers Busta Rhymes and the Notorious B.I.G.
He transferred schools once again, this time to the Trenton Central High School in New Jersey but did not graduate. During this time, he earned money by selling crack cocaine and was subsequently shot three times.
The Journey to Success
As a youth, rather than spend his time taking drugs and engaging in other unsavory activities, Jay Z used rap as an escape from those things, poverty, and violence. He joined forces with rapper Jaz-O in 1989 to record his first rap song called “The Originators,” which resulted in his being asked to appear on an episode of an MTV rap program called “Yo!”.
At that time, he changed his name to Jay-Z to honor his friend, Jaz-O, who served as a mentor to him. A few years later, he collaborated with singing artists Mary J. Blige and Notorious B.I.G. and released two hit albums.
The hits kept coming as Jay Z released a steady stream of albums that followed until the release of the Black Album in 2003 when he announced to shocked fans that this would be his final album before retiring.
However, three years later, the artist made a strong comeback with a new release that instantly sailed to the top of the charts, followed by another success in 2009. In 2011, Jay Z teamed with Kanye West to produce a triple hit that garnered multiple Grammy Awards.
In 2013, Jay Z released his 12th album, which was another hit, although it had mixed reviews. The album received double platinum status. Late that year, the artist won 9 different Grammy Awards, including several for a collaboration he did with Justin Timberlake.
Other Business Ventures
In the midst of Jay-Z’s musical career, he also invested in a number of other business ventures that contributed to his accumulation of wealth. In 2004, he became part-owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team.
During this time, he also became the president of Def Jam records and signed a number of famous acts, including Kanye West and Rhianna. He offered the guidance Kanye West needed to become a top-selling recording artist. Jay Z left Def Jam in 2007.
The Best Moments
- 1989 — Released album with rapper Jaz O
- 2003 — Released The Black Album and retired
- 2006 — Reemerged from retirement and released a new album, Kingdom Come
- 2011 — Released Watch the Throne
- 2013 — Released Magna Carta Holy Grail album
- 2019 — Forbes named Jay C as the first billionaire rapper
The Private Side
Jay Z married pop star Beyoncé in April of 2008. They were twice named Time magazine’s Most Powerful Couple. They have three children, daughter Blue Ivy, and twins, Rumi, a daughter, and Sir, their son. They live in an $88 million mansion in Bel Air.
Jay Z and Beyoncé champion various charitable causes, such as global water shortage and racism, oppression, and the criminal justice system. They are also open advocates of gay marriage.
Jay-Z’s Related YouTube Video
Jay-Z — In My Lifetime
Famous Quotes of Jay-Z
- “Jealousy’s a weak emotion.”
- “We change people through conversation, not through censorship.”
- “A poet’s mission is to make words do more work than they normally do, to make them work on more than one level.”
The Social World
Here are some statistics about Jay-Z’s social media accounts:
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
- Keep a mindset toward building an empire
- Work leads to growth, which leads to income.
- Outline a plan.
- Ignore trends
The Unusual Stuff
- Jay Z is a former London resident.
- Michael Jackson sang on one of Jay Z’s singles (Girls, Girls, Girls)
- Jay Z was abandoned by his father at around age 11.
- Jay Z attempts to take his wife out for a pizza date each Sunday.
Answering Frequent Questions
Did Jay Z really stab a man?
Yes. Jay Z received three years probation for stabbing Lance Un-Rivera for bootlegging his music. The victim survived the attack.
Why did Jay Z name his daughter “Blue Ivy”?
Blue is Jay’s favorite color, and the first two letters of the word “ivy” signify the Roman numeral 4, which has special meaning to Jay Z’s wife, Beyoncé.
The Closing Remarks
Jay Z is the perfect example of why someone who was at a social disadvantage could rise from the ranks of poverty and become a self-made billionaire. His is a philosophy of hard work and perseverance.
From one hit album after another to making thoughtful investments and other business decisions, Jay Z has managed to piece together an enviable life. He took things further by engaging in philanthropic endeavors that enabled him to give back to the world that has been so generous to him. From his music portfolio to his devotion to his family, Jay Z is a winner.
Featured image credit: Brian Friedman / Shutterstock.com
