He married American R&B superstar Beyoncé Knowles on April 4, 2008. Jay-Z also has had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, one as lead artist. As an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 with eleven. Jay-Z co-owns the 40/40 Club, is part-owner of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and is also the creator of the line Rocawear.He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, and the founder of Roc Nation. Blender, included the former on their 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die. Two of his albums, Reasonable Doubt (1996) and The Blueprint (2001) are considered landmarks in the genre with both of them being ranked in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. He was ranked so by MTV in their list of The Greatest MCs of All-Time in 2006.

He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest rappers of all-time. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide, while receiving thirteen Grammy Awards for his musical work, and numerous additional nominations. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010. Shawn Corey Carter, better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. Heartfelt, passionate and slick.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Hip-hop’s renaissance man drops a classic. The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating.” - Entertainment Weekly “Shawn Carter’s most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z. So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism.” - The Boston Globe “A riveting exploration of Jay-Z’s journey. an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps.” - Los Angeles Times “One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own.” - The New Yorker Part autobiography, part lavishly illustrated commentary on the author’s own work, Decoded gives the reader a harrowing portrait of the rough worlds Jay-Z navigated in his youth, while at the same time deconstructing his lyrics.” -Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times Decoded is a book like no a collection of lyrics and their meanings that together tell the story of a culture, an art form, a moment in history, and one of the most provocative and successful artists of our time.

Jay z decoded barnes and noble