Beefs (10)
VS
Takeover vs Ether (2001). Greatest technical rap beef. Later friends.
"Ether — you know who did it" · Ether, 2001
VS
Come Home with Me era beef with Jay-Z. Roc vs Dipset.
"You wear skirts? I thought you was the king" · Killa Cam / Oh Boy freestyle, 2002
VS
Post-Watch the Throne public falling out. Kanye aired grievances on stage 2016.
"I gave you flow, I gave you style, you gave me nothing" · Drug Dealers Anonymous / Lemonade response, 2016
VS
Jay-Z dissed Prodigy on Takeover (2001). Prodigy's sickle cell referenced.
"Lil nigga, lil nigga, lil nigga" · Takeover, 2001
VS
Jay-Z took shots at Mase on several tracks. Mase responded on The Oracle. Post-Roc era.
"You said you was King, I was in the field" · 30 Something, 2006
VS
Subliminals traded. Jay dissed 50 on several tracks. Never fully escalated.
"I dumbed down my lyrics to double my dollars" · Moment of Clarity, 2003
VS
Wayne vs Jay era. Wayne said he was better than Jay-Z. Jay responded subtly on tracks.
"D.O.A. — autotune is death to the culture" · D.O.A., 2009
VS
Jay took subliminal shots at Drake on Jay Electronica's Shiny Suit Theory. Never fully escalated.
"I be in Calabasas moving like a don" · Versace, 2013
VS
Benzino used The Source to take shots at Jay-Z alongside his Eminem beef.
"The Source says Jay-Z will never be as real as Nas" · Pull Your Skirt Up, 2003
VS
KRS-One dissed Jay-Z for commercializing hip-hop. Hip-hop purist vs entrepreneur.
"Jay-Z is entertainment not hip-hop" · Interview, 2007
Discography
Studio Albums
Reasonable Doubt
1996
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
1997
Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life
1998
Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter
1999
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
2000
The Blueprint
2001
The Best of Both Worlds
2002
The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse
2002
The Black Album
2003
Unfinished Business
2004
Kingdom Come
2006
American Gangster
2007
The Blueprint 3
2009
DJ Hero: Renegade Edition
2009
Watch the Throne
2011
Magna Carta… Holy Grail
2013
4:44
2017
Mixtapes
S. Carter Collection
2003
Operation Desert Storm, Part 2
2003
God's Black
2004
The Purple Album
2004
Serious Business DJ Clue & Keyz Collaboration
2005
God’s Gift: The Nas/Jay-Z Project
2005
Brooklyn Soul
2007
The Latin Album
2007
My President Is Black
2008
Jay-Z Sings the Blues “The Forgotten Stories”
2008
A Prelude to Blueprint 3
2009
Creative Control
2010
Before Reasonable Doubt: The Demos
2015
The Black Gangster
2015
EPs
Hustlers EP
1996
Collabo EP
2002
Collision Course
2004
Collab
Kanye West
Collab
Watch the Throne (2011). Blueprint 2 collabs. Later fell out publicly.
Pharrell Williams
Collab
Neptunes produced Excuse Me Miss, N***a What, multiple tracks.
Timbaland
Collab
Big Pimpin, Dirt Off Your Shoulder. Blueprint era collaboration.
Just Blaze
Collab
Core Blueprint producer. The Takeover, N***a Please.
No I.D.
Collab
No I.D. executive produced Jay-Z's 4:44.
Hit-Boy
Collab
Hit-Boy produced N****s in Paris and 4:44 co-production.
UGK
Collab
Big Pimpin' (2000). Jay-Z with UGK — landmark South-North collab.
Young Jeezy
Collab
Go Crazy (Jay-Z and Jeezy). Blueprint 3 era.
Swizz Beatz
Collab
On to the Next One. Swizz produced multiple Jay-Z tracks.
Nipsey Hussle
Collab
Jay-Z and Nipsey worked together. Jay-Z was deeply affected by his death.
Lauryn Hill
Collab
Rap/R&B crossover era peers. Jay-Z and Lauryn moved in same NYC circles.
Wyclef Jean
Collab
Two Wrongs — Jay-Z and Wyclef collab. Late 90s NY connection.
Dave
Collab
Dave samples and references Jay-Z. UK rap acknowledges US hip-hop roots.
Foxy Brown
Collab
Ain't No N***a (1996) — debut collab with Jay-Z launched Foxy's career.
Big Pun
Collab
Capital Punishment features Jay-Z collab. 90s NY rap crossover.
Childish Gambino
Collab
Donald Glover appeared in projects with Jay-Z adjacent circle.
Missy Elliott
Collab
Got Ur Self A Gun (Sopranos). Roc-A-Fella/Bad Boy era collabs.
Aaliyah
Collab
Are You Feeling Me and other tracks. Both Atlantic/Def Jam orbit.
Erykah Badu
Collab
Jay-Z and Erykah Badu moved in same late-90s NY/ATL artistic circles.
Big L
Collab
Big L and Jay-Z battled and recorded together in Harlem.
T.I.
Collab
Swagga Like Us (2008). Both rap businessmen who built empires alongside music.
Ja Rule
Collab
Ja Rule and Jay-Z collaborated before the 50 Cent era split them apart.
Fabolous
Collab
Breathe on Jay-Z Unplugged. Both Def Jam Brooklyn artists of the same era.
Wale
Collab
Lotus Flower Bomb and Matrimony. Wale and Jay-Z collaborated on multiple records.
Curren$y
Collab
Curren$y and Jay-Z collaborated on Jet Life adjacent projects.
Bun B
Collab
Big Pimpin' (2000). Bun B and UGK on one of Jay-Z's biggest records ever.
Pete Rock
Collab
Pete Rock and Jay-Z collaborated. NY production connection from the golden era.
Frank Ocean
Collab
Frank Ocean appeared on Watch the Throne deluxe. Jay-Z and Frank Ocean worked together.
Jermaine Dupri
Collab
Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z collaborated on multiple tracks. Atlanta-NY connection.
Nelly
Collab
Nelly and Jay-Z appeared on tracks together during their commercial peaks.
De La Soul
Collab
De La Soul and Jay-Z collaborated on crossover projects. NY hip-hop connection.
Large Professor
Collab
Large Professor worked with Jay-Z during the Reasonable Doubt era.
Gang Starr
Collab
DJ Premier produced D'evils and other Jay-Z classics. Reasonable Doubt connection.
Irv Gotti
Collab
Irv Gotti produced early Jay-Z records before starting Murder Inc.
Mentored
Big Daddy Kane
Mentored
Big Daddy Kane mentored Jay-Z. Jay-Z has cited Kane as his biggest influence.
Kool G Rap
Mentored
Kool G Rap influenced Jay-Z's street narrative style. A direct lineage.
Slick Rick
Mentored
Jay-Z has cited Slick Rick as a huge influence on his storytelling approach.
Signed
Def Jam Recordings
Signed
Jay-Z became Def Jam president/CEO 2004-2008.
Megan Thee Stallion
Signed
Roc Nation management deal. Backed Megan in label dispute with 1501.
Beanie Sigel
Signed
Signed Beanie Sigel to Roc-A-Fella. The Reason, The Truth.
Freeway
Signed
Signed Freeway to Roc-A-Fella. Philadelphia Freeway.
Jadakiss
Signed
The LOX signed to Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam. Jay-Z co-signed them.
Produced
DJ Premier
Produced
D'Evils on Reasonable Doubt. Premier/Jay-Z early collab.
Bink!
Produced
Bink! produced multiple Roc-A-Fella tracks for Jay-Z including Blueprint era.
9th Wonder
Produced
9th Wonder produced for Jay-Z. Underground producer getting mainstream placement.
No I.D.
Produced
No I.D. produced multiple Jay-Z tracks. Industry connection across eras.
The Neptunes
Produced
The Neptunes produced multiple Jay-Z tracks. I Just Wanna Love U.
Founded
Roc-A-Fella Records
Founded
Co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 with Damon Dash.
Roc Nation
Founded
Founded Roc Nation in 2008 after leaving Def Jam CEO role.
Damon Dash
Founded
Co-founded Roc-A-Fella with Dame Dash. Split publicly in 2004.
Friendship
The Notorious B.I.G.
Friendship
Close friends. Jay-Z has called Biggie the greatest rapper ever.
MF DOOM
Friendship
DOOM cited as influence by many in Jay-Z's world. Underground/mainstream bridge.
Rakim
Friendship
Jay-Z has cited Rakim as one of the greatest. Same NY lyrical tradition.
Lil Wayne
Friendship
Both rap royalty. Mutual respect despite subliminal shots. Carter vs Blueprint eras.
LL Cool J
Friendship
Both Def Jam. Jay-Z has cited LL Cool J as a major influence and Queens pioneer.
Lupe Fiasco
Friendship
Jay-Z signed Lupe Fiasco to Atlantic/Def Jam. Jay-Z cosign launched his career.
Dave East
Friendship
Dave East is a Nas protege in the Queens/NY lyrical tradition Jay-Z represents.
Big L
Friendship
Big L and Jay-Z were both Harlem. Stretch and Bobbito freestyle together. Big L's death shook Jay-Z.
L.A. Reid
Friendship
L.A. Reid and Jay-Z have been industry peers and collaborators for decades.
J. Prince
Friendship
J. Prince and Jay-Z are music industry power brokers who have mutual respect.
Media
Drink Champs
Media
Legendary Drink Champs episode. Revealed Tidal details, 4:44 insights.
Rap Radar
Media
Rap Radar long-form Jay-Z interview.
Sway Calloway
Media
Sway has interviewed Jay-Z many times. One of the most trusted journalists in hip-hop.
Stretch & Bobbito
Media
Jay-Z freestyled on Stretch and Bobbito in 1993. Historic radio session.
VIBE Magazine
Media
Jay-Z has appeared on numerous VIBE covers across his career.