When and where was Jay-Z born?
Shawn Corey Carter entered the world on the 4th of December 1969 within Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. He grew up inside the Marcy Houses public housing project in New York City.
Questions about Jay-Z
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What happened when Jay-Z was twelve years old?
At age twelve he claimed to have shot his brother Eric in the shoulder over stolen jewelry according to lyrics from his 1997 album In My Lifetime Vol. 1. This incident occurred in 1982 when Jay-Z was just starting to navigate life in East New York.
How did Jay-Z start his music career and what label did he co-found?
Jay-Z began recording music in the late 1980s alongside fellow New York City-based rapper Jaz-O. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 with Damon Dame Dash and Kareem Biggs Burke to release his first two studio albums without major label support.
Why did Jay-Z plead guilty to aggravated assault in October 2001?
In October 2001 Jay-Z pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for stabbing record producer Lance Rivera at the Kit Kat Klub in New York City. He accepted a three-year probation sentence instead of prison time after surrendering to police the next evening.
When did Jay-Z marry Beyoncé and how many children do they have?
They married on the 4th of April 2008 in a private ceremony held in Tribeca New York City. Their children include Blue Ivy Carter born the 7th of January 2012 and twins Rumi and Sir who arrived the 18th of June 2017.
What legal issues involving Jay-Z were resolved in February 2025?
An anonymous woman identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit in October 2024 accusing Jay-Z of sexual assault but officially dropped the suit on the 14th of February 2025 voluntarily dismissed without settlement allowing no future refiling.