Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard and Vibe in 2023. Known for his complex lyrical ability—which often uses double entendres and word play—and braggadocio, his music is built upon a rags to riches narrative. He served as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings from 2004 to 2007, and founded the entertainment company Roc Nation the following year.
Leslie Edward Pridgen, better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Originally hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he first gained recognition after appearing on Jay-Z's fifth album, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia in 2000. The following year, he became a member of the Philadelphia-based hip hop collective State Property, which were signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings. After releasing their debut album, Pridgen signed to Roc-A-Fella as a solo artist and began work on his debut album, Philadelphia Freeway (2003). Upon release, the album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical response. He released a follow-up, Free at Last (2007) to moderate reception before him and fellow State Property cohorts were dropped from the label.
Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994. Carter issued his debut album, Reasonable Doubt (1996) as the label's first release, in a joint venture with Priority Records. The label signed and released albums for acts including Kanye West, Cam'ron, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Juelz Santana, Freeway, Jadakiss, Teairra Marí, State Property, and The Diplomats before its dissolution in 2013.
M.O.P. is an American hip-hop duo composed of rappers Billy Danze and Lil' Fame, best known for their song "Ante Up." The group has frequently collaborated with DJ Premier. The group is part of the Gang Starr Foundation. Fame occasionally produces under the moniker Fizzy Womack and has produced tracks on every M.O.P. release since 1996's Firing Squad. He has also worked for other artists, including Kool G Rap and Wu-Tang Clan.
Gerrell Gaddis, better known by his stage name Rell, is an American R&B singer and songwriter from Bowman, South Carolina. He was the first male R&B singer to sign to New York City-based label Roc-A-Fella Records, where he recorded with artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Consequence, and Young Gunz.
Stargate is a Norwegian record production and songwriting duo, composed of Tor E. Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen and based in Los Angeles, California. The duo has been credited on hit songs and albums for American R&B, pop and hip hop acts.
Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by Jay-Z in 2008. Headquartered in New York City, the company is a successor to his previous Roc-A-Fella Records label, with additional offices in Los Angeles and London. It serves as a record label, talent agency, media production firm and clothing line along with educational and philanthropic programs.
Bridget Kelly is an American singer and songwriter from New York City. Kelly, an R&B recording artist, has written songs for Kelly Clarkson. In 2008, she secured a recording contract with American rapper and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z's record label Roc Nation.
Alexis Jordan is an American former singer and actress from Columbia, South Carolina. Jordan rose to fame as a contestant on the first season of America's Got Talent in 2006 at the age of 14. After being eliminated from the show, she began to upload cover songs to YouTube, which received millions of views. The exposure led Jordan to the attention of Norwegian production team Stargate and American rapper Jay-Z, who both went on to sign her to their joint label, StarRoc.
"Happiness" is the debut single by American singer and 2006 America's Got Talent contestant Alexis Jordan. It is the lead single from her self-titled debut studio album, released in the United States on September 7, 2010. The upbeat dance-pop and house rhythm behind the track was entirely sampled from electronic artist Deadmau5's "Brazil ". The lyrics were written by Autumn Rowe, and the track was re-edited for the lyrics by Stargate.
Alexis Jordan is the debut and only studio album by American singer Alexis Jordan. It was released from February 25, 2011, through Roc Nation. After being signed to rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation label in March 2010, Jordan began working with Norwegian production duo Stargate on the album, Jordan also worked with producers Sandy Vee, Nightwatch, Espionage. The album was recorded between January 2007 and October 2010.
"Hush Hush" is a song by American recording artist Alexis Jordan, taken from her self-titled debut album (2011). It was released as the album's third and final single on June 10, 2011. The dance-pop song was written by Autumn Rowe, Stargate and Sandy Vee. Alexis called the song "feisty" and that it was a song that "unleashes a fiery side of her personality".
Takeover Entertainment was a British entertainment company. The organization operates an independent record label, talent agency, a music production company, as well as its own music publishing house. The company was founded in 2006 and is run by Kwasi Danquah III, Archie Lamb and Jack Foster. It specializes in producing R&B, hip hop and electronic music. It was dissolved in October 2013
Takeover Roc Nation was an American-British entertainment company, which acts as a co-owned subsidiary of Takeover Entertainment and Roc Nation. It was founded in June 2010 by American rapper and entrepreneur Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and English rapper and entrepreneur Kwasi "Tinchy Stryder" Danquah III of the company, Takeover Entertainment Limited. The partnership was dissolved in 2013 with the shutdown of Takeover Entertainment.
"Why I Love You" is a song by American hip hop artists Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song features pop musician Mr. Hudson who is signed to West's GOOD Music label. "Why I Love You" heavily samples French house duo Cassius' 2010 single "I <3 U So", which itself is based upon a sample from the original 1971 version of "I Feel a Song " by Sandra Richardson. The song almost entirely features Jay-Z rapping and only contains a few lines provided by West. Lyrically, the song is about the people who have stood in the way of Jay-Z throughout the year and expresses themes of victory and anger. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who normally praised the production.
The discography of Roc Nation, an American company and record label, consists of five singles, four collaborative singles and eight charted songs by Jay-Z, four by J. Cole, three by Alexis Jordan, ten by Willow Smith and three by Rita Ora.
"Talk That Talk" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her 2011 studio album of the same name. It features a rap verse by American rapper Jay-Z, who had previously collaborated with Rihanna on her song "Umbrella" in 2007 and "Run This Town" in 2009. The song was written by Jay-Z, Ester Dean, together with the Norwegian production duo Stargate. Def Jam Recordings serviced the track to urban contemporary radio in the United States on January 17, 2012, as the third single from Talk That Talk. It was released in France as a CD single on March 26. "Talk That Talk" is a hip hop song with R&B beats, rough drums and unrefined synths, and has a similar style to Rihanna's 2010 single "Rude Boy". It contains a brief sample of "I Got a Story to Tell" by the Notorious B.I.G. Therefore, the Buckwild, Sean Combs, Chucky Thompson, and the Notorious B.I.G. are credited as songwriters despite the Notorious B.I.G's death in 1997.
"A Star Is Born" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Jay-Z from his eleventh studio album The Blueprint 3 (2009). The song, produced by Kanye West, Kenoe and No I.D., features a verse from American rapper J. Cole, Jay-Z's protege and the first artist to be signed to his Roc Nation label. In the song, Jay-Z recognizes rappers who have risen to fame in the last decade, such as Wu-Tang Clan, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, T.I., Eminem and 50 Cent. Notably, Jay-Z also gives shout-outs to Mobb Deep, Nas and two artists whom he had previously insulted on his 2001 song "Takeover".
The discography of American singer Alexis Jordan consists of one studio album, six singles and five music videos.
"Acid Rain" is a song recorded by American recording artist Alexis Jordan. It was written by Sia with co-writing and production from Norwegian production outfit StarGate and Dutch disc jockeys (DJs) Bingo Players. The latter duo are credited for the inclusion of a sample of their own electro house single "Get Up (Rattle)". "Acid Rain" initially premiered on January 14, 2013, featuring two verses of Jordan's label-mate, American rapper J. Cole. An alternate version of the song excluding Cole was released for digital download on February 20, 2013.
