Jay Z Only Has One #1 Hit As A Lead Artist And Other Things You Might Not Know About The Hip Hop Legend

December 4th is upon us once again, which means it’s time to celebrate one of the most important holidays on the calendar: Jay Z’s birthday. Yes, Shawn Carter is 45 years old today. And to honor this occasion, we’re looking back at some little known things about the man who has ruled hip-hop for the past two decades.

1. The Blueprint was released on September 11, 2001.

The Blueprint is arguably Jay Z’s most beloved album, held by many critics to be his masterpiece. An interesting part of the album’s history is it’s release date of September 11, 2001, one of the most tragic dates in American history. Jay Z seems to be aware of this coincidence, as one year later, on his song “The Bounce,” he noted that “rumor has it/the Blueprint classic/couldn’t even be stopped by Bin Laden.”

2. His “retirement” only lasted about three years.

For all the hype about Jay Z retiring with the release of The Black Album in 2003, he sure didn’t make it last very long. It only took him three years to come out with a new studio album, 2006’s Kingdom Come. And even that three year break still saw the release of Collision Course, his collaboration with Linkin Park, and Unfinished Business, the live album he made with R Kelly. Considering that Jay Z has been a continued presence in the music world since ending his so-called retirement, he seems to realize that retired life just isn’t for him.

3. “Empire State Of Mind” is his first — and only — #1 hit as a lead artist.

In Jay Z’s career, he has appeared on four songs that have topped the Billboard charts. However, the first three times it happened, it was as the featured artist on another performer’s song. There was “Heartbreaker” with Mariah Carey, “Crazy In Love” with Beyonce, and “Umbrella” with Rihanna. When “Empire State Of Mind” topped the charts in 2009, it was the first time a track from a Jay Z album topped the Billboard Hot 100.

4. Technically, he was the real last SNL musical guest of the 20th century.

Ok, this one is for all the commenters on my R.E.M. article, where I mentioned that they were the last Saturday Night Live musical guest of the 20th century, when they appeared on the show on December 11, 1999. Technically, you’re right. The 21st century did not actually begin until January 1, 2001. Like many people, I tend to just think of the year 2000 as the real beginning, since it was a much bigger celebration. But yes, I was off by a year. So, the real last SNL  musical guest of the 20th century was Jay Z, who performed on the show on December 16, 2000.

5. Beyonce was only 14 when his debut, Reasonable Doubt was released.

At this point, Jay Z and Beyonce are probably the most recognizable couple in the country, and we’re so used to seeing them together than the significant age difference between the pair is rarely noticed. Still, there are 12 years between the two, with Jay Z being born in 1969, and Beyonce in 1981. That difference might not seem so stark now (he’s 45, she’s 33), but when Jay Z’s debut came out on April 9, 1996, Beyonce was just 14 years old, and a few years away from conquering earth with Destiny’s Child.

6. Blue Ivy was featured on his song “Glory” when she was just two days old.

When Jay Z and Beyonce’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter was born in January 2012, he was overjoyed, as any new father would be. He decided to celebrate this event by recording the song “Glory,” a track dedicated to his daughter, in which he raps about all the hopes and dreams he has for her. The track ends with a brief recording of baby noises from Blue Ivy, who was just two days old at the time. This might make her the youngest person to ever appear on a major label recording.

7. Jay Z’s collaboration with Chris Martin came out a year before Kanye’s did.

In 2007, Kanye West released the track “Homecoming,” which featured a guest appearance from Chris Martin of Coldplay. It was a winning combination, but it’s worth noting that Jay Z had collaborated with Martin one year earlier, on the Kingdom Come track “Beach Chair,” which was not quite as publicized as “Homecoming.” The fact that Jay Z managed to release a song with the Coldplay frontman before Kanye did was just one of the grievances he had on “Big Brother,” a track in which Mr. West discusses the warts-and-all details of his relationship with Mr. Carter.

8. Magna Carta Holy Grail was released at midnight on July 4, 2013 via a Samsung app.

Remember all the excitement when Beyonce released an album at midnight last year? Well, technically, Jay Z did it first. His 2013 album Magna Carta Holy Grail was released at 12:01 AM on July 4, 2013 via Samsung’s Jay Z Magna Carta app. The first one million users of the app received the album for free, which did not count towards the overall sales. The album would be released for retail sale four days later, and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

9. Jay Z and Nas ended their legendary feud in 2006 when they toured together.

Jay Z vs. Nas was one of the most recognizable hip hop feuds ever, with the pair taking shots at each other on many tracks over the years. Who can forget “The Takeover?” But after years of animosity, they finally made up in 2006, when Nas joined the Def Jam label, which Jay Z was president of at the time. Throughout that year, Jay Z and Nas would tour together, and make several TV and radio appearances. This past year, Jay Z joined Nas on stage at Coachella, so the hatchet appears to be buried for good.

10. Jay Z’s current net worth $520 million.

So, you in case you were wondering just how wealthy Hov is these days, rest assured he’s doing quite well for himself. According to Forbes, little of Jay’s wealth came from his music, but rather from business deals like the $204 million sale of Rocawear in 2007, and his $150 million deal with Live Nation in 2008. Additionally, his new role as a sports agent is helping him line his coffers, as he earns a cut of major deals like the $240 million contract he helped Robinson Cano sign with the Seattle Mariners in 2013.

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