When neverending debates of the greatest of all time in rap commence, Jay-Z's name reigns as mandatory in these conversations. The longevity that Jay-Z has adored over the course of almost 30 ...

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on a street called Marcy Projects.

Sadie Bell was a digital news writer on the music team at PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023. Her work has previously appeared in Alternative Press, Billboard, NYLON, Rolling Stone, and Thrillist.