Born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1968, Jay-Z was earning an education on the streets of New York before attending George Westinghouse High School with a number of future stars: The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes. Of course, he wasn't in school long. At an early age, Jay-Z started selling drugs to make ends meet. It's a life he would recount again and again in his records.



Even as he dabbled in the drug game, Jay-Z always had his mind set on something greater, a way out of the Marcy Houses housing projects in his run down Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Rapping had always been a hobby, but it looked like a possible way out when he started earning a reputation as one of the better battle MC's in New York. When his talents didn't lead to a record deal, Jay-Z and a young up-and-coming music exec, Damon Dash, decided to take matters into their own hands, forming a record label of their own, Roc-A-Fella records.

The endeavor proved to be a success as Jay-Z first album, Reasonable Doubt, became one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums of all time. Jay-Z and Dash sold a 50% stake Roc-A-Fella to Def Jam for $1.5 million.

Always looking to reinvest their earnings in an effort to grow their brand/business, Jay-Z and Dash formed the Rocawear clothing line in 1999. By the late 90s, the hip-hop clothing niche had already exploded. Competition was stiff. Still, Rocawear was a stand out and was one of the last brands standing once the hip-hop trend subsided. The label sells a wide range of urban inspired clothing: from men's and women's clothes, children's clothing and other accessories. After a break with Dash, Jay-Z sold Rocawear to the Iconix Brand Group for $204 million.

Jay-Z's success hasn't stopped there. His recording career continues to flourish as he has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. On top of that, he continues to reinvest in his most valuable asset, himself. He is co-owner of several successful nightspots called the 40/40 Club. He recently purchased partial ownership in the New Jersey Nets (with an eye to moving them to his hometown of Brooklyn, NY.) There's no telling what the future will hold for Jay-Z, but one thing's for sure - it will be bright.