Shawn Carter, known as JAY-Z, is the greatest rapper of all time. His nickname, HOV, stems from Jay-Hova, a play on the name Jehovah. Jehovah is the name of God, therefore JAY-Z is the God of rap. Of course, more proof is needed for him being the rap GOAT, and I’m here to provide that.

With over 125 million album sales, JAY-Z is the fifth-highest-selling rapper of all time, only behind the likes of Chris Brown, Kanye West, Drake and Eminem, from fourth to first. Being one of the highest-selling rappers is an impressive feat in itself, but that’s not where his true success comes from. HOV has amassed a collection of 266 awards in 577 nominations, notably led by 24 Grammys, 34 total BET and BET Hip Hop awards, 6 Billboard awards and 21 MTV awards. With the most number-one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 – 14 – and being the first rapper ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, JAY-Z’s catalog is no stranger to success.

JAY-Z’s catalog is deep, and with that comes some of the greatest albums and songs ever. Though he is categorized as an “East Coast hip hop” rapper, his music expands across multiple subgenres of rap, such as “pop rap,” “boom bap” and “hardcore hip hop.” As well as his music finding diversity in hip hop, JAY-Z has created music for nearly every situation, whether it’s introspective, about love or for partying. He’s honest with his listeners and tells stories of his own life, making for raw, emotional music. His music has adapted perfectly to eras and production changes, with little hiccups while doing so.

Discussing his backstory is something that JAY-Z never strays away from, as examples of it can be found on nearly every one of his records. Some of the most notable are “Marcy Me,” “December 4th,” “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” and the majority of Reasonable Doubt. His ability to reflect on his life growing up in the Marcy Projects being a world-famous rapper with such ease and in an interesting way demonstrates his skills as a musician. 

JAY-Z and Beyoncé have what’s arguably the most known relationship in the world, so it’s no surprise that a lot of his music either features Beyoncé or is about their relationship. Some of both of the artists’ most iconic songs have been a duo together, such as “Crazy In Love,” “Drunk In Love,” “03’ Bonnie & Clyde” and their collab album, EVERYTHING IS LOVE. The love songs between them are the ones that give the much more upbeat listening, but it’s their solo songs relating to the difficulties in their relationship that characterize their love far better. As talented as Beyoncé is, this is about JAY-Z’s rap greatness, so therefore I’m only going to highlight the rawness of his song, “4:44.” The title track of his latest album from 2017, it revolves around his infidelity in his relationship with Beyoncé, essentially holding itself as an apology and love letter to her in one, four-minutes-and-forty-four-second song.

JAY-Z’s career is backed by accredited and recognizable music, having created or been featured on some of the most iconic songs of the past three decades. He’s brought countless big-name artists into the scene, and revolutionized rap as a genre with his longevity and creativity. No rapper has come close to the bar that JAY-Z has set with his career thus far, a bar that may be raised further should he make more music. His nickname is perfectly fitting, as Jay-Hova is in fact the God of rap.