Jay Z is one of the most well-known and highly-regarded rappers in the industry. The 46-year-old is much more than a rapper and has become somewhat of a titan in the industry as well. However, despite Jay Z’s longstanding career and all the time he’s spent in the spotlight, there are still some things that many people don’t know about him. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Jay Z. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: He Wanted a NASA Shuttle to Go on Tour. For his 2011 Watch the Throne tour with Kanye West, Jay really wanted to bring along a NASA space shuttle. However, plans fell through when his management realized how expensive (and big) it would be.
Number Fourteen: He Made Brooklyn Famous. Jay referenced the address of 560 State Street in Brooklyn in “Empire State of Mind.” Since its mention in 2010, the address has become a bit of a tourist destination. The address was where Jay used to deal.
Number Thirteen: He Went to High School in Good Company. Jay went to Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, located in Brooklyn, New York. The high school is also the alma mater of Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes.
Number Twelve: He Spoke to Biggie the Night He Died. Jay and Biggie were reportedly close, and Jay even spoke to Biggie on the phone the night that he died in Los Angeles in 1997.
Number Eleven: He Lost a Rap Battle to LL Cool J. LL Cool J is another famous face who attended Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, and he and Jay actually got into a rap battle. Jay challenged Cool J to a battle many years later and won to exact his revenge.
Number Ten: He Was Very Precocious. According to one of Jay’s former teachers, by the time he was in sixth grade, he was testing at a 12th-grade level. Impressive!
Number Nine: He Has a Class Named After Him. In 2011, Georgetown University instated a course titled, “Sociology of Hip-Hop – Urban Theodicy of Jay-Z.” The class is reportedly quite difficult, though it likely attracted many students because of the pop culture reference.