54
SHAWN “JAY-Z” CARTER, 48
Founder, Roc Nation
JAY BROWN, 44
CEO, Roc Nation
DESIREE PEREZ, 47
COO, Roc Nation
Last Year’s Rank: 51
ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR: JAY-Z’s 4:44 album.
ROC ’N’ ROLL: Another year of growth was capped off by JAY-Z’s eight Grammy nominations — the most of any artist — including record, song and album of the year for 4:44, which extended his record among solo artists to 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200. Meanwhile, the 4:44 Tour — Jay’s first since signing a new $200 million, 10-year deal with Live Nation in May — is shaping up to be the biggest of his career, with average gross revenue up 21 percent from his last trek in 2013. But it wasn’t just about Hov at the Roc this past year; label signee Rapsody scored two Grammy nominations of her own for her album Laila’s Wisdom, while management clients Big Sean and DJ Khaled both landed No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.
DIVERSIFIED NATION: The company launched Home Team Publishing with singer-songwriters Rhett Akins and his son Thomas Rhett.
