Jay Z Net Worth 2024: How Much Is Jay-Z Worth Right Now

Jay Z is as famous for being an entrepreneur as he is for being a rapper, but how much has he earned through those entrepreneurial endeavors, and what exactly is Jay-Z net worth?

Jay Z Net Worth as of 2019: $650 million

Jay Z, Shawn Carter, has earned his net worth through his career in the music industry, and as an extremely successful entrepreneur. He was a co-founder of Roc-A-Fella records. Every single album Jay Z has ever released has gone platinum. Through the combination of his rapping career and business opportunities, such as ownership stake in the New Jersey Nets, Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation Sports, Arsenal Football Club, 40/40 nightclubs, and Def Jam Records, Jay Z’s net worth is expected to reach $1 billion or more within his lifetime. But how did he get to this point? We take a look back at Hov’s career:

1995

1995: With no major label willing to give him a record deal, Jay Z and his friends Damon Dash and Kareem Bigs created Roc-A-Fella records.

1996

Jay Z released his debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996, ranking 248 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of all Time. He would eventually go on to sell more than 55 million studio albums worldwide.
June 25, 1996: Jay Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, is released. As of 2006, has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States. Well received by critics upon its release, the album has since been heralded by music writers as Jay Z’s “crowning achievement”.

1997

November 4, 1997: Jay Z’s second album, In My Lifetime Vol. 1, is released. The album debuted at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum in sales by the RIAA in the United States. The album featured guest contributions by Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Babyface, Blackstreet, Teddy Riley, Too $hort, andPuff Daddy.

1998

September 29, 1998: Jay Z’s third album, Vol.2… Hard Knock Life, was released. Vol. 2 would eventually become Jay Z’s most commercially successful album; it was certified 5× Platinum in the United States and has to date sold over five million copies. The album went on to win a Grammy Award, although Jay Z boycotted the ceremony protesting DMX’s failure to garner a Grammy nomination.

1999

December 14, 1999: Jay Z’s fourth album, Vol 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, is released. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 462,000 copies in its first week. It was a significant commercial success, shipping two million copies within its first month of release. Upon its release,Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter received positive reviews from most music critics. On February 14, 2001, the album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of three million copies in the United States.
Also in 1999, Jay Z and friend Damon Dash launched the clothing company Rocawear. It currently has annual sales of $700 million.

2000

October 31, 2000: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, Jay Z’s fifth studio album, is released. It was originally intended to become a compilation album for Roc-A-Fella artists but somehow turned into a Jay Z album. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 557,789 copies sold in its first week and more than 2.3 million copies sold to date. The album ended up becoming the 20th highest selling R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the 2000–2010 decade according to Billboard.

2001

September 11, 2001: Jay Z’s sixth album, and maybe most successful, The Blueprint, is released. The Blueprint was written in only two days. Eminem was the only guest rapper on the album, producing and rapping on the song “Renegade”. Upon its release, The Blueprint received universal acclaim, with critics praising Jay-Z’s lyricism and the production, and is considered one of Jay-Z’s best albums and has been labeled as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

2002

March 26, 2002: The Best of Both Worlds, a collaborative album between Jay Z and R. Kelly, is released. The album received lukewarm reviews from music critics, but still went platinum in the US for selling more than a million copies.
November 12, 2002: Jay Z’s 7th album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, is released. This album, like Jay-Z’s previous four, debuted at #1 with over 545,000 units shipped in its first week of sales, and has sold 2,117,000 units as of February 2012 in the U.S.

2003

November 14, 2003: The Black Album, Jay Z’s 8th album, is released. It was advertised as his final album before retiring, which is as a recurring theme throughout the songs, although Jay Z resumed his recording career in 2006. When The Black Albumwas released, it received widespread acclaim from critics. In its first week, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 463,000 copies in the United States. It became Jay Z’s top selling record of the 2000s decade, and by July 2013, it had sold 3,516,000 copies in the US.
November 25, 2003: Jay Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This concert was his “retirement party”. All proceeds went to charity. Other performers included collaborators like The Roots, Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown,Pharrell Williams and R. Kelly with special appearances by Voletta Wallace and Afeni Shakur, the mothers of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur respectively.
Also in 2003, the Jay Z co-owned night club, the 40/40 Club, opens in New York, the first of such clubs.

2004

October 26, 2004: Unfinished Business, the second collaboration album between Jay Z and R. Kelly, is released. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart amid controversy and criticism. Like its predecessor, it was criticized for repetitive lyrics
November 30, 2004: Collision Course, a collaborative album between Jay Z and alternative rock band Linkin Park, is released. Collision Course went to #1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release. As of June 2014, it has sold 2 million copies in the United States alone. Worldwide the album has sold more than 7 million copies, making it the best selling Extended play worldwide.
Also in 2004, Jay Z was named as president of Def Jam Records

2005

October 27, 2005: Jay Z headlines New York radio station Power 105.1 annual concert, Powerhouse. The concert was entitled “I Declare War” sparking weeks of speculation as to whom Jay Z would declare war on. At the conclusion of the concert, Jay Z put many arguments to rest to the surprise of hip hop fans. The most significant development in this show was closure to the infamous hip hop rivalry between Jay Z and Nas. The two former rivals shook hands and shared the stage together to perform Jay Z’s “Dead Presidents” blended with Nas’s song “The World is Yours”.
October 2005: Jay Z was reported in English media as considering buying a stake of Arsenal F.C.
Also in 2005, the Jay Z co-owned 40/40 Club opens a new location in Atlantic City.

2006

November 21, 2006: Jay Z’s 9th studio album, Kingdom Come, is released. It was considered a “comeback album” for the established rapper, as 2003’s The Black Album was slated to be his final release. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, however losing to Jay Z’s former producer and protege Kanye West‘s Graduation. It sold selling about 680,000 copies in its first week, making it Jay-Z’s highest selling album within a one-week period.

2007

November 6, 2007: Jay Z’s 10th studio album, American Gangster, is released. It is his first concept album, which was inspired by the Ridley Scott film of the same name. Rolling Stone named it the third best album of 2007.
December 24, 2007: Jay Z stated that he would not remain at Def Jam as the company’s President, and vacated the position effective of January 1, 2008.
Also in 2007, the Jay Z co-owned 40/40 Club opens a new location in Las Vegas.

2009

September 8, 2009: Jay Z’s 11th album, The Blueprint 3, is released.

2010

November 16, 2010: Jay Z published a memoir entitled Decoded.

2011

August 8, 2011: A collaborative album between Jay Z and Kanye West, Watch The Throne, is released. It earne 7 Grammy nominations.

2012

In 2012, the Jay Z co-owned 40/40 Club opens a new location in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.

2013

April 2, 2013: ESPN reported that Jay Z will be launching his own sports agency, Roc Nation Sports.
July 4, 2013: Jay Z’s 12th studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, is released. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 528,000 copies in its first week, making it Jay-Z’s 13th consecutive studio album to top the charts.
September 2013: Jay Z sells his stock of the Barclay’s Center for $1.5 million.

2014

In 2014, the Jay Z co-owned 40/40 Club opens a new location in Atlanta.

2015

March 2015: Jay Z completed the $56 million purchase of Aspiro, a Norwegian company that operates the subscription-based music streaming service, Tidal.

2016 – 2017

As 2015 saw some ups and downs with Tidal’s streaming services and no musical developments from Jay Z, 2016 saw a bit more commercial success. The app received some notable boosts from some big names on its roster… including that of Mrs. Carter, Beyonce.
It’s rumored that the release of Beyonce’s Lemonade on Tidal actually gained the couple more money, despite the cheating accusations.
Jay Z also gained some notable features and released some notable hype-inducing verses in 2016, with his alleged album being worked for a release at the end of the year.
He also earned some extra cash by signing some big names to the Roc Nation label and cutting loose some of the less profitable acts.
With Jay Z’s net worth of $650 million, and his wife Beyonce Knowles’ net worth of about $450 million, they are one of the most powerful couples in America. With both of them continuing their music careers and expanding business opportunities, their net worth is sure to see a steady increase year by year.