Jay-Z's Siblings & Their Relationship Through the Years

Jay-Z's siblings have been through the struggles of surviving in Brooklyn under the care of a single mother. Jay-Z, supported and encouraged by his siblings, once shot his only brother out of frustration.

Jay-Z and his three siblings grew up without a father figure, but they had a level-headed mother who sustained them through the most challenging times. Ironically, Jay-Z, the billionaire rapper, had no clue that he was living in poverty until he went on a field trip in the sixth grade.

The rapper once had a life-threatening altercation with his brother while he sold the distasteful products his brother consumed. The rap star took up illegal business to provide for his family as he felt the need to protect them despite being the youngest.

Jay-Z and His Siblings' Childhood

Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in a somewhat dangerous area on the East coast at the time. He is the youngest of his parents' four children, preceded by two sisters and a brother.

Growing up, the musician lived with his family at Marcy Houses' apartment 5C in Brooklyn. His mother was a driving force behind the family's sustenance, working as a clerk at an investment firm in the city, while his father, Adnis Reeves, abandoned them when he was 11 years old.

However, the hardships that came with being a child of a single mother caused Jay-Z to find new ways to sustain himself and contribute to his underprivileged home. He attended and excelled at several high schools in Brooklyn before dropping out to sell illegal substances in the 80s.

Jay-Z's father returned when the rapper was an adult, and they were reconnected by his mother, who discovered that Adnis was extremely unwell. The rapper revealed that he did not resolve all his issues with his father, but he forgave him nonetheless, and three months after they reunited, Adnis died.

Jay-Z learned that his uncle, Ray, was killed outside a bar in Brooklyn, and law enforcement did not follow up on the murder. His father became enraged at the loss of his brother and stopped at nothing to deal with the murderer. The unjust reality that Adnis faced drove him to alcohol abuse, ultimately ruining his marriage.

Considering the circumstances that eroded his father's composure, Jay-Z concluded that men do not abandon families without reasoning. Still, he does not condone leaving children to fend for themselves.

Growing up, the rapper did not take note of the fact that his family was poverty-stricken. He always felt they just lived in an apartment like anyone else from a different building and that sharing a bedroom with his brother was normal. He explained how a sixth-grade field trip to his teacher's home taught him about his own. He said:

"But that's when it registered to me that my family didn't have as much. We definitely didn't have the same refrigerator she had in her kitchen, one that had two levers on the outer door, one for water and the other for ice cubes. Poverty is relative."

During a D'ussé Friday interview, Jay Z's mother spoke about how she faced difficulty raising her children alone but stayed steadfast. She revealed that they moved to the projects to save money to buy a home, but their plan did not pan out. She "kept it real" with her kids through the challenges and found a way out of the projects.

Jay-Z Had a Difficult Relationship with His Brother as a Child

Jay-Z's family members have always been sports lovers, especially basketball. Gloria's sons both played basketball, and her older son, Eric, who played in junior and summer leagues, was a star player. When they lived at Marcy, Jay-Z's father put a basketball hoop in their living room, which they treated like Madison Square Garden.

When Jay-Z was 12 years old and Eric was about 16, the rapper became frustrated with the situation at home and his brother not making it any easier. Eric was dealing with drug abuse and often sold the rapper's jewelry and their family belongings to afford the drugs he was addicted to. He reacted off instinct and shot his brother in the shoulder.

Young Jay-Z became engrossed in fear and felt he would spend the rest of his life in jail; however, Eric immediately forgave him and took accountability for his wrongdoings. Jay mentioned that he never shot at anyone else after that but was unsuccessfully shot at on three occasions in a firearm-infested Brooklyn.

He addressed the altercation between him and Eric in his song "You Must Love Me," rapping, "Saw the devil in your eyes, high off more than weed, confused, I just closed my young eyes and squeezed."

He revealed in a Playboy interview how he does not enjoy talking about the altercation as that breathes life into those regretful memories every time. Jaz-O admitted to giving Jay-Z the gun he used to shoot his brother, and though the rapper took the blame for the shooting, he questioned why an adult would give a weapon to a child.

Jay-Z grew up very close to his brother. After his father, Eric was the person he looked up to. His older brother was a leadership figure for him and was everything he aspired to be. Still, Jay-Z felt he did not recognize Eric when he began heavily abusing substances.

Jay Z Has a Song Connected to Andrea Carter

Jay-Z has a sister named Andrea Carter, who is called Annie by her family. Although she is the sister of arguably the greatest hip-hop artist of all time, Andrea leads a largely private life. There is a scarcity of information about her in the media, but her youngest brother mentioned her in his memoir "Decoded."

The rapper revealed that his sister was the reason he made the hit single "Hard Knock Life" off his album "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life," which features fellow New York rapper and father of three, Ja Rule. Jay-Z revealed that he saw the Broadway show "Annie" on TV and was instantly drawn to it as that is his sister's name.

As he watched the show, Jay-Z heard "Hard Knock Life" during the program and resonated with the lyrics, "Instead of treated, we get tricked; instead of kisses, we get kicked." To legally use the song as a sample, Jay-Z lied to the copyright owners about doing an essay contest about the importance of "Annie."

In February 2020, Andrea made a rare appearance with her older brother and his superstar wife, Beyoncé. She was spotted in New York City walking next to her mother and the superstar. Beyoncé wore a gold coat and high heels and completed her look with dark-tinted shades.

He is married to one of the world's most famous musicians, with the record for most Grammy Award wins.

Michelle Carter Has Only a Few Public Appearances

Jay-Z's sisters lead a private life without considerable information about them available in the media. Growing up, the "Blueprint" rapper was a bit obsessed with the now-deceased King of Pop, Michael Jackson. He strutted his best Michael Jackson impressions and dance moves while his sisters played his background singers.

Since childhood, Jay-Z has been searching for applause, and he had his older sisters to make him feel like the star. His sister Michelle Carter is an avid supporter of his endeavors and appears at some events. She was seen at The Shawn Carter Foundation Mother's Day Event at New York's 40/40 Club on May 11, 2013.

The event, attended by Dina Manzo, is intended to celebrate mothers and holds a special place in Michelle's family, as her mother raised her and her siblings without their father's support. In July 2013, Michelle attended Jay-Z's "Magna Carta Holy Grail" release party and was present for the exciting dance-off.

With the anguish of his childhood left in the past, Jay-Z and his siblings became hip-hop royalty. Despite the challenges, his mother is celebrated for raising him to be the articulate wordsmith he is.

He is married to one of the world's most famous musicians, with the record for most Grammy Award wins. Together they welcomed three children, including pop culture darling Blue Ivy Carter.