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Straight outa Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, few rappers have done as much to define contemporary hip-hop as Jay-Z. Blessed with effortless flow and a seemingly limitless gift for freestyle rhyme, Jay-Z (born Shawn Corey Carter) is both successful and prolific, having released a solo record every year from 1996 to 2003. In 2004 he announced his retirement from writing and performing, choosing to concentrate on his other job; President and CEO of Def Jam and his own Roc-A-Fella records. But Hova's got beats in his blood and it wasn't long before he got bored wearing a suit, actually, Jay-Z is also notorious for his dapper fashion sense and he couldn't stop himself from showing up on several hit remixes by fellow Roc-A-Fella rappers Kanye West and Young Jeezy, as well as duets with Beyonce and Pharrell. In a bizarre and innovative cross-genre move, he collaborated with rockers Linkin Park on an EP and concert tour that featured Jay's raps over the band's hard, crunching guitars. Jigga has always been respected for his ability to balance the mainstream (obvious hits like "Big Pimpin', "Izzo"") with nuanced, lyrical portrayals of street life on tracks like "Song Cry" and "99 Problems." Jay is also said to be able to compose entire songs in his head in minutes without pen or paper, and claims that The Blueprint was written in two days. Jay-Z attended the same school as iconic East Coast rap luminaries Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes and his stage name is a modification of his neighborhood nickname, Jazzy. These days, Jay-Z is officially back with a bang; he's the star of a high-profile Budweiser ad campaign that leaks his blistering new track, "Show Me What You Got" and promises fans they haven't heard anything yet. The new album is rumored to feature a diverse guest list including Timbaland, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Cool & Dre and Coldplay's Chris Martin. Proof positive that Jay-Z couldn't stop making hot music if he tried.

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