Hip-hop fans have been listening to, watching, and reading about Jay-Z for what seems like forever. At this point, it feels like Hov is a guy we know really well—even if he doesn't know us at all.
The main reason for this is that Jay has revealed so much about himself through his songs: how he shot his brother, the pain he felt when his father left him, the stillborn child his ex-girlfriend gave birth to. It's hard not to feel a kinship to him. He isn't quite as much of a soul-bearing artist as Eminem (who exposes every single detail), but he does poke his head out to reveal jarring facts about himself on occasion.
Still, no matter how much Hov you've listened to, there are plenty of below-the-radar facts of which you may not be aware. Not anymore, though. We did some research and dug up several interesting tidbits of information from Jay-Z profiles, interviews, and books that have come out over the years.
So without further ado, here are 50 Things You Didn't Know About Jay-Z.
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