The rapper Jay Z has been rewarded for his work and songwriting. He becomes the first hip-hop artist to be admitted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Hall's mission is to, "preserve, honor and celebrate the legacy of the great songwriters whose work has enriched the world’s culture". Jay Z grew up in a poor area of New York. He got into hip-hop and became one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. He has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. He is also a successful businessman. He owns a sports bar in New York and the music streaming service Tidal.
Barack Obama talked about his admiration for Jay Z. He said: "I am a fan and I've been listening to Jay Z since I was a young and hungry state senator. I'm pretty sure I'm still the only president to listen to Jay Z's music in the [White House]." Mr Obama said Jay Z is a "true American original" because of his contribution to American culture. He said Jay Z is the "greatest rapper of all time". Jay Z's music publisher accepted the award for him. It said: "[Jay Z] would tell up-and-coming hip-hop artists today that there can be no mistake or question that you are indeed songwriters."