“I’m Not A Businessman, I’m A Business, Man.” Lyrics
I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man
It takes a lot of talent, will, and skill to become a great rapper during any time period. Although many have succeeded in hip-hop, such as 2pac, Biggie, Nas, etc., not many can say that they've been able to succeed in everything they do. A prime example of this rare form of success is Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z. He truly seems to have a "Midas touch."
Jay started off like any other rapper, attempting to make it in a man's game. He was trying to get a record deal, working with friends Jaz-O and Big Daddy Kane, and freestyling anywhere he could in attempt to be noticed. This plan didn't work out that well for Jay, so he kept selling CD's out of his car to anybody who would walk by. Jay took his first huge step in his music career in the year 1995, when he got with his friends Damon Dash and Kareem Biggs to create the record label known as Roc-a-Fella Records. Since then, he's proven himself as a talented label exec, as in 2009, he formed his second label, Roc Nation, signing the likes of rappers J. Cole and Jay Electronica along with female vocalist Rita Ora.
Although Hova is highly successful, musically, it doesn't stop there. To expand on this, look at his former ownership of the Brooklyn Nets. He owned a share in the and team and was highly influential in their relocation from new Jersey to his hometown, Brooklyn. It's obvious that he has love for basketball, as he also executive produced the soundtrack for the popular NBA game,
