Jay-Z
USA, 1986–now
American rapper and businessman (b. 1969, Shawn Carter). Started as Jaz-O's protege and toured as Big Daddy Kane's hype man before Reasonable Doubt (1996); founding Roc-A-Fella himself turned the rapper-as-owner into the industry's default ambition.
MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced Jay-Z and 0 artists Jay-Z influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Jay-Z?
- Big Daddy Kane — Kane took the young Jay-Z under his wing and out on tour, and the blueprint Jay-Z then ran with was Kane's.
- Kool G Rap — The mafioso rap G Rap invented is the mode Jay-Z made mainstream on Reasonable Doubt.