Topline
Jay-Z became the most-nominated artist in the history of the Grammy Awards Wednesday, though the 51-year-old rapper and billionaire didn’t even release any of his own album.
Jay-Z attends 2020 Roc Nation THE BRUNCH on January 25, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by ... [+]
Key Facts
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, received his 83rd Grammy nomination Tuesday.
Though Jay did not put out an album this year, he was nominated three times for his work on Kanye West’s album “Donda,” and DMX’s song “Bath Salts.”
Jay-Z, who helped to jumpstart West’s career, made an unexpected appearance on the song “Jail,” the rappers’ first collaboration since their 2011 album Watch The Throne.
Jay-Z surpassed producer Quincy Jones, who had previously tied the rapper with 80 nominations.
Paul McCartney is now the second most-nominated artist, with 81 nods.
Big Number
23. That’s how many Grammy Awards Jay-Z has won. He took home his first award in 1998. In 2017 he received eight nominations for his album 4:44, more than any other year, though he did not win any awards.
Tangent
Jay-Z’s wife Beyoncé holds the record for the most Grammy wins in history, which she achieved during last year’s ceremony when she took home her 28th award. The Knowles-Carter Grammys success has extended to their children: their oldest daughter Blue Ivy Carter won her first Grammy last year at 9-years-old, making her one of the youngest people to ever win the award.
Key Background
Jay-Z is one of the most well-paid celebrities. Forbes estimated his net worth to be over $1.3 billion this year, and he first became a billionaire in 2019. The Brooklyn-born Jay-Z has dominated the rap categories for most of his career, and has also achieved nominations for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Pop Duo and Best R&B performance. Though Jay-Z has criticized the music awards in some of his songs, he and Beyonce host an annual pre-ceremony breakfast, one of the most exclusive events of the awards season. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October.
Further Reading
Jon Batiste, Justin Bieber Lead 2022 Grammy Nominations (Forbes)
Five Lessons For Founders And CEOs From Jay-Z’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Speech (Forbes)