Jay-Z and Beyonce

Jay-Z and Beyonce at a Knicks game.

How Jay-Z Built His Empire

In 2003, Jay-Z stunned the world by announcing his plans to retire while at the peak of his career. But, that didn’t stop him from keeping his crown as the king of hip hop. The 42-year-old rapper has morphed into a financial mogul, mixing tracks with Kanye West one day, eating lunch with Steve Forbs the next, then working with the United Nations to raise awareness about global water shortages.

Jay-Z quickly rose through the ranks of New York’s hip hop scene in the early 1990s after catching the attention of industry legends Jaz-O and Big Daddy Kane with his smooth flow, clever wordplay and creative freestyle. During collaborations and stage cameos, Jay-Z often launched attacks at fellow rap rivals, such as LL Cool J, Nas and The Game. The furious, headline-grabbing feuds were fueled as each artist answered back through lyrics rather than the media. The marketing ploy worked, generating millions of sales for all the artists involved in the rap wars.