In 1996, Jay-Z created his own label to get his debut disc, Reasonable Doubt on the shelves. Nearly three decades on, we'd say any skepticism regarding his career has been fully shattered.
In 2010, Jay-Z spoke to Fresh Air about growing up in a housing project in Brooklyn, watching crack cocaine transform his neighborhood and finding his identity in a recording studio.
Fresh Air celebrates 50 years of hip-hop: Jay-Z wlrn.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wlrn.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.