Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z (stylized as JAY-Z) is an American rapper, songwriter, record executive, businessman, and media proprietor. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists in history and is also well known for being the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, cultivating major industry artists such as Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole.