“Everyday a star is born.” On December 4, 1969 that star was Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. Thirty-nine years later he is a worldwide one-man phenomenon. Men respect him, ladies love him. He has not only managed to become one of the most influential artists of our time, he also managed to snag Beyoncé.
His recent “Answer the Call” performance at a 9/11 charity concert at Madison Square Garden in New York mesmerized fans. Appearances by Beyoncé, John Mayer, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Kanye West and Diddy, among others, made for a star-studded unforgettable memorial moment. He also brought down the house at MTV’s 2009 Video Music Awards, closing out the show with Alicia Keys in a powerful performance of “New York, New York.”
With his latest effort, “Blueprint 3,” Jay-Z is set to reaffirm to fans and critics alike that no matter how old, no matter how successful, no matter how far from Brooklyn, he will always have it.
Artistic value aside, “Blueprint 3” is on target to become Jay-Z’s 11th No. 1 album, according to billboard.com. Sales projections run anywhere from 350,000 – 500,000 units for the first week. If this prediction proves to be true, the milestone would push him ahead of Elvis Presley to become the solo artist with the most No. 1 albums. Jay-Z would also rank second for most No. 1 albums by any act, second only to the Beatles.
As he gears up to cradle the world in his palm once again, Jay-Z will likely be all over place in the coming months. At least this will relieve wife Beyoncé of her duty to hold down the spotlight. As he moves forward in solidifying his moment in history one thing seems undeniable: Jay-Z is still both a financial and artistic force to be reckoned with. As the man says, “clap for him.”
Written by Shaira B.
