Jay Z – Best Songs

Jay Z mother knew from the very beginning, that her son was a special boy. He was the only one of her four children, whose birth wasn’t painful for her. He managed to earn millions due to his musical and business talent. He is also known as a husband of Beyonce Knowles.

 

Jay Z Bio

Jay Z last name is Carter. In fact, the rapper was born with the name Shawn Corey Carter. He was the fourth and the youngest child in his family. His mother, Gloria Carter, and his father, Adnes Reeves, had a small apartment in Brooklyn, NY. When the future rapper and businessman was just 11 years old, his father left the family. The boy was raised by a single mother in a drug-addicted company of difficult teenagers. Jay Z date of birth is the 4th of December, 1969. When he became popular, he wrote a song, devoted to his birthday. There he described his childhood. The rapper told, he got good grades at school, but he had a lot of demons in his soul too.

The teenager used drugs and flirted with violence in his young years. At the same time he liked music and used it to escape from reality.

Jay Z Music

Jay Z songs got their first modest recognition in 1989, when he met the older friend rapper Jaz-O, who supported the young talent. They recorded a song together. Jay Z chose his stage moniker, based on Jaz-O name for their common performances.

His big break took place in 1996, when he founded his own recording company Roc-a-Fella Records with a company of close friends. Thus the rapper got an opportunity to record his first album. “Reasonable Doubt” was recorded that very year.

In general Jay Z released 12 studio albums. Here they are and the best songs from them.

1. Reasonable Doubt

It is the debut album of the rapper. It got platinum status and made Jay Z the internationally famous star. The most popular songs from this album are “Can’t Knock the Hustle”, “Dead Presidents II” , “Ain’t No Nigga” and many others.

Jay Z – Can’t Knock The Hustle

2.  In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

After the success of the first album, Jay Z was ready to release his new songs in 1997. His second studio album occupied the third position among the most famous albums of the year. It became platinum too. The most successful songs from the album are “The City is Mine”, which he performed with R&B band Blackstreet, “Face Off” and “Sunshine”.

Jay-Z “City Is Mine”

3. Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life

The third album of the rapper was, probably, the most important for him. He invited numerous musicians, who recorded the tracks with him. Thus he performed the songs with Memphis Bleek, Amil & Big Jaz, Foxy Brown and many others.

4. Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter

Jay Z became the worldwide known star, when he released this album. His fans were looking forward to the new album of their favorite musician. During the first week after its release, 2 million copies of the album were sold.

5. The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

This album includes the most popular and successful Jay Z songs “I Just Wanna Love U”. But it was not the only hit, included to the album. The others are “Guilty Until Proven Innocent”, “Change the Game” etc.

JAY-Z – I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)

6. The Blueprint

The album appeared in September, 2001. It was one more album of Jay Z, which became platinum. It included the songs “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Jigga That Nigga” and others.

7. The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse

If the previous album got only positive reviews from critics, this one was quite contradictory. Although the seventh album of the musician is hard to call extremely successful, it gave his fans such hits as “03 Bonnie & Clyde” and “Excuse Me Miss”.

8. The Black Album

The singer continued working in his favorite genre hip hop. The songs “Change Clothes”, “99 Problems” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” from this album became real hits.

JAY-Z – Change Clothes ft. Pharrell

9. Kingdom Come

The ninth album, of the rapper was another one, which got platinum status.

10. American Gangster

This album is characterized by the appearance of Lil Wayne and Beanie Sigel. The hits from this album like “Hello Brooklyn 2.0” and “Blue Magic” remain popular till now.

11. The Blueprint 3

This album got mostly positive reviews, although it is hard to call it “superb”. The album was supported by singles “A Star is Born”, “Young Forever” and many others.

12. Magna Carta Holy Grail

It is the latest for now studio album of the rapper. The song “Holy Grail” from the album Jay Z sang with Justin Timberlake. “Part II (On the Run)” Jay Z performed with his wife Beyonce.

JAY Z ft Justin Timberlake Holy Grail Official Visual

Jay Z Personal Life

Jay Z life and times chat is watched and re-watched by people all over the world. Of course, the fans are interested not just in the songs of the rapper, but in his personal life too. In 2008 Jay Z married his long time girlfriend Beyonce.

Two celebrities managed to keep their relationship in secret. They married in April, 2008, very privately. Only a couple of closest friends attended the ceremony. Thus they invited Gwyneth Paltrow and Kelly Rowland.

In 2012 Beyonce and Jay Z welcomed their first daughter, Ivy Blue Carter. The happy father devoted a song to her. Its name is “Glory”.

Now the rapper enjoys his success, but the most precious experience in his life is his role of a father.