| AT millennium's end, the hottest rapper in pop music is
Jay-Z. Since the release of his quadruple-platinum Vol. II … Hard
Knock Life, Jay-Z has had an incredible string of urban radio hits: "Can
I Get a …," "Hard Knock Life," "Jigga What, Jigga
Who," "Money, Cash" … the list goes on and on. And
unlike many of today's most popular rap artists, he built an extensive catalog
of hits before making his mark on the charts and enjoys underground respectability
as well as mainstream acceptance.
Longtime rap fans may remember Jay-Z as an associate of the Jaz, who had a minor hit in 1988 with "Hawaiian Sophie." Before that, he was Shawn Carter, a young man from Brooklyn's Marcy Projects. Though Carter was a promising student, his wild behavior led him to a vocational high school in Brooklyn, where he met future stars Christopher Wallace (the Notorious B.I.G.) and Trevor Smith (Busta Rhymes). |
