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Jay Z Is the First Rapper Inducted Into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Jay-Z attends 2017 Roc Nation Pre-Grammy Brunch at Owlwood Estate on February 11, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ari Perilstein/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

This year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees include: Motown founder Berry Gordy; Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds; new jack swing and peak-Janet Jackson producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; superproducer Max Martin; Robert Lamm, James Pankow and Peter Cetera of “Chicago”; and the rapper born Shawn Carter. Jay Z‘s induction is the group’s most notable because he’s now the first rapper ever to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also has the distinction of having the most No. 1 records for a solo artist (13) and being tied with former protégé Kanye West for most Grammys by a rapper (“21 Grammys / I’m a savage, nigga”).

Hov and Beyoncé did recently appear on DJ Khaled’s “Shining,” but Jay Z has been focusing outside of hip-hop in recent months. He’s reportedly launching his own venture-capital fund and is in the middle of a production deal with the film studio The Weinstein Company.