Hova. Jiggaman. Young Hov. Jazzy. JAY-Z. No matter what name he goes by, Shawn Carter's name is synonymous with success. From his genre-defining albums to his savvy business ventures (and everywhere in between), JAY-Z has been the most successful rapper in history. Currently in a three-headed race to become rap's first billionaire (alongside Dr. Dre and Diddy), JAY-Z is almost in a league of his own. After all, it was on his guest verse on Kanye's "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)" from 2005's Late Registration, Jay rapped, "I'm not a businessman; I'm a business, man! Let me handle my business, damn."

 

Every great rapper has great guest verses, and JAY-Z is no stranger to spitting hot bars on other artists' tracks. From his early days rapping over the likes of Foxy Brown, Memphis Bleek, and Puff Daddy, JAY-Z became a well sought after guest artist, brandishing song after song with his signature effortless flow. Handling everything from underground favorites to chart-topping singles — with one of his most notable verses coming on Beyoncé's No. 1 hit "Crazy In Love" — there have been seldom few beats featuring Jay that haven't benefitted from his presence.

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In honor of the release of his 14th studio album — titled 4:44 and coming this Friday — we present 55 of JAY-Z's best guest verses. Follow the playlist below on Tidal, and enjoy diving into the history of the sheer genius of JAY-Z.