Once a troubled youth from the projects of Brooklyn, Shawn Carter--better known as Jay-Z--abandoned a life of gangs and drugs to become a best-selling hip-hop artist and the CEO of a multimillion-dollar company, Def Jam Recordings.

After narrowly escaping a violent gang-related incident during his teen years, Carter turned to music, founding Roc-a-Fella Records to promote an up-and-coming performer: Carter's alter ego Jay-Z. Carter and associates worked hard to garner attention for "Jay-Z," shopping demo tapes to major labels that specialized in rap and hip hop. The efforts paid off when Jay-Z's first album, "Reasonable Doubt," rose to No. 23 on the Billboard 200. Four Grammys and a dozen hit songs later, Jay-Z is one of the most recognized names in rap music.

More recently however, Carter has eased back on his performances to devote time to his entrepreneurial interests. As the CEO for Def Jam Recordings, the artist-turned-business-tycoon spends his days cultivating talent for the company that launched the music careers of LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and the Beastie Boys. In addition to marketing new music, the New York native finds time to juggle outside ventures ranging from luxury watches to his own S. Carter high-end clothing line. But whether the thirty-something entertainer from Brooklyn shows up on stage as Jay-Z or arrives early to the office as Shawn Carter, his goal is always the same: bringing the best product to market.