Jay-Z Tickets

Jay-Z is touring this spring with Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, bringing two different sounds from the hip hop industry to fans across the country. The rap giant is traveling behind his latest album, "American Gangster."


Jay-Z is known for blending a street style with a popular flow, resulting in some of the most successful rap tracks of all time. He has been recording since 1989, after taking a short break from 2003 to 2006 in order to focus on a number of other business exploits.

The rapper grew up in the March Houses housing project in Brooklyn New York. He found hip hop music at an early age and was nicknamed "Jazzy," which evolved into his nickname (his birth name is Shawn Carter).

Jay Z released "Reasonable Doubt" in 1996 off of his label, Roc-A-Fella Records. Sean "Diddy" Combs produced the follow-up "In My Lifetime, Vol.1," which was released in 1997 and was certified Platinum in the U.S. "Vol. 2?Hard Knock Life" came out the following year and was the rappers most commercially successful album of his early career. It included the title track and "Can I Get A?"

"Vol.3?Life and Times of S. Carter" was released in 1999, and was a more pop-oriented collection. It sold 5.6 million records worldwide and included the massive hit "Big Pimpin" with UGK. The following year he began to develop other artists and released "The Dynasty: Roc La Familia." The collection featured Amil, Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek.

"The Blueprint" came out in 2001, and is considered by many to be a hip hop classic. It included the massive hits "Izzo (H.O.V.A.) "Girls, Girls, Girls," "Hola Hovito," "Heart of the City (Aint No Love)," "Song Cry," and "Renegade." "The Blueprint: The Gift & the Curse" was released the following year, and was also extremely popular. It included the hit singles "Excuse Me Miss" and "03 Bonnie and Clyde."

The Black Album hit shelves in 2003 - it was expected to be Jay-Zs last. The album was extremely popular, including the massive hits "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," "Change Clothes" and "99 Problems." Just a year later, Jay-Z teamed up with rockers Linkin Park to release "Collision Course," which combined the hip hop and rock for which both acts were known.

Jay-Z took time to focus on his clothing brand, hip hop clubs, hotel investments, basketball teams and recording label (with a stint as President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings). In 2006, though, he returned from retirement to release "Kingdom Come," which included the hit single "Show Me What You Got." He was also featured in Rihannas "Umbrella," which became the anthem of the summer.

In 2007, "American Gangster" was released. The concept album chronicles Jay-Zs life as a street hustler, which has been a common theme throughout his career. While the album is related to the film of the same name staring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, it is not an official soundtrack.