JAY-Z
Co-Owner of The 40/40 Club
JAY-Z is a co-owner of The 40/40 Club, which he established in partnership with Desiree Perez and Juan Perez in 2003. A self-made entrepreneur, JAY-Z has constructed a multifaceted portfolio of ventures spanning music, film and television production, apparel, and luxury spirits.
Gaining prominence early on in his music career, JAY-Z created his first music label in 1994, Roc-A-Fella, where he released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, which is commemorated in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame today. During that period, JAY-Z wanted to find a home base where he could exclusively record his music. Invigorated by the concept of building something original, JAY-Z established Baseline Studios in 2000, embodying his innate belief in creating opportunities for himself and those close to him. Baseline became a coveted hub for artists and producers of all skill levels to test out beats and experiment with music, and where Desiree and Juan Perez helped manage accounting and operational needs.
Three years later, the trio combined their individual expertise in music, entertainment, and entrepreneurship to pursue a new professional undertaking — opening a sports club. The 40/40 Club’s flagship location in Manhattan quickly became the premier destination to enjoy sports in a sophisticated atmosphere, largely due to JAY-Z’s creative flair and decision-making in designing every detail of the interior to ensure it exuded the right vibe. Gaining traction as a hotspot in the New York City nightlife scene, JAY-Z, Desiree, and Juan Perez took The 40/40 Club nationwide, opening additional locations from Atlantic City to Las Vegas in under five years. More than two decades later, JAY-Z has remained a proponent of The 40/40 Club’s transformation and success, attending and hosting pop-up events in recent years at functions like the annual Fanatics Fest.
Following the launch of The 40/40 Club, JAY-Z became President of Def Jam Recordings in 2004 — a position he maintained until 2007. Purposeful in his mission to cultivate a business empire, JAY-Z locked in on a new endeavor to build an all-encompassing entertainment organization. Capitalizing on that opportunity, he enlisted Desiree Perez, Juan Perez, Jay Brown, and Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith to jointly found Roc Nation in 2008 — a pursuit that ultimately revolutionized the music industry. Now recognized as the world’s leading entertainment company, Roc Nation represents some of the most celebrated artists, producers, and songwriters, and is renowned for its premiere brand management, strategic marketing, touring, and production services. Bridging his business acumen with the same love of sports that led to the creation of The 40/40 Club, JAY-Z helped establish Roc Nation Sports in 2013, expanding Roc Nation's client roster to advocate for up-and-coming collegiate and established professional athletes.
Before and after the formation of Roc Nation, JAY-Z has leveraged his business prowess to conceptualize and invest in companies of differing varieties. In 2012, he was the driving force behind the Made In America Festival, which drew in an audience of over 80,000 people and secured more than $10 million in economic impact for the city of Philadelphia. JAY-Z became a co-owner of TIDAL, a streaming platform launched by Roc Nation, in 2015. Outside of music and entertainment, JAY-Z has made a name for himself in clothing, first establishing Rocawear and later supporting the Roc Nation-owned apparel line, Paper Planes. Staking a claim in the luxury spirits industry, he co-founded D'USSÉ Cognac and then acquired Armand de Brignac Champagne. JAY-Z co-founded Marcy Venture Partners in 2018 to assist emerging, innovative businesses and brands with an emphasis on sustainability, inclusivity, accessibility, and empowerment.
JAY-Z has long translated his ambitious work ethic into his philanthropic mission. In 2019, JAY-Z co-founded REFORM Alliance, a nonprofit that coordinates efforts to transform the prison and probation systems with the intent to create better pathways after incarceration and improve the safety of communities. Through his position as a board member, JAY-Z helps the United Justice Coalition (UJC) convene leaders across industries to take action against inequalities in the legal system. Beyond justice reform, JAY-Z is involved in a number of philanthropic causes, particularly those surrounding education. Working alongside his mother, Gloria Carter, JAY-Z co-founded The Shawn Carter Foundation. The Foundation, which has been in operation for more than twenty years, enables marginalized students to obtain higher education through scholarships to mitigate financial hardships deterring their academic journey and programs designed to provide unique learning opportunities to help scholars achieve their professional goals.
Throughout his meteoric rise, JAY-Z has amassed a legacy within the music industry and as a respected figure in culture. He is one of the most successful recording artists of all time, with 25 GRAMMY award wins to date. JAY-Z was the recipient of the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award in 2024 after making history as the first solo hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Preceding those accomplishments, in 2017, JAY-Z was the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Notably, he has won two Emmy awards for his work as an executive producer and director of Super Bowl halftime shows.
To learn more about JAY-Z, follow him on Instagram, X, Facebook, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.