Jay Z Net Worth
Jay Z is an American rapper and business owner with an estimated net worth of $554 million by himself and well over $1 billion when his net worth is combined with the significant net worth of his wife, superstar Beyonce Knowles. Born on December 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York, his childhood was nothing like his life is now. His mother is Gloria Carter and his father is an unknown man who abandoned the family when he was just a baby. His given name is actually Shawn Carter, and he grew up in the New York projects. Life was not easy for him where he was raised, and his life was fraught with difficulties that resulted in him living a life of trouble and illegal activities for many years.
Throughout his high school career, Jay Z attended school with some of the biggest names in rap today. His classmates included the likes of Busta Rhymes and Notorious B.I.G. Jay Z did not graduate high school. He quit in favor of pursuing other avenues, such as selling crack cocaine. While it’s not been proved that this was the life he led, he likes to allude to the fact that this is how he got by as a teenager, and he even tells his fans he was shot three times as a teenager. Another story he likes to tell abou this childhood is that he shot his brother when he was only 12 because his brother stole his jewelry. Some believe it and others like to think that he elaborates a bit to sound a little bit more like a gangsta rapper than he really was in those days.
According to his mother, Jay Z was actually very interested in music much of his childhood and actually spent most of his time creating beats and raps. His musical career began in the late 80s and early 90s when he was on tracks with some more famous rapper from that time. However, it was not until 1995 when he became famous. He had no label so he’d sell his albums out of the back of his car. In 1995, Jay Z and Damon Dash made the decision to launch their own record label called Roc-A-Fella Records. He released his first album in 1996 and from there, his career went insane. He’s released 12 studio albums since then, as well as an addition four that are all collaboration albums.
In reality, however, it’s been his business career that makes him the most money. He invested in many different businesses over the life of his career, including businesses such as clothing lines, sports teams, real estate, champagne and more. He also began dating Beyonce in 2002, and they married in secret in 2008. They have one daughter they welcomed in 2012 and they like to keep their private life very private. It is not often you will see either of these two speaking to the press, giving interviews or even discussing their lives at all. Even business-wise, they keep very quiet about their lives.
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