jay z was among the five inductees for the 48th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala held Thursday, June 15, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York. Joining him were Kenneth Brian "Babyface" Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Chicago's Robert Lamm & James Pankow, and Max Martin.

These songwriters were chosen to be this year's inductees for their notable song compositions. Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, is known for impressive wordplay, which has made him one of the most influential artists in the hip hop scene.

Songwriters Hall of Fame

The 47-year-old artist was supposed to be at the 48th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala as the first rapper to be honored in the yearly event. Jay Z, however, failed to attend the ceremony amid Beyonce's upcoming delivery.

Reports said the "99 Problems" rapper and his daughter Blue Ivy were seen near a hospital in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, causing fans to speculate that Beyonce may have given birth to their twins. Despite his absence at the Awards Gala, Jay Z made his presence felt on social media by thanking his music influences and mentioning them one by one.

Jay Z: A timeline of his career

The American rapper, songwriter, and businessman started his career by selling his own music out of his car in 1995.

In the same year, Jay Z, along with Damon Dash and Kareem Biggs, established an independent label called Roc-A-Fella Records.

The "Empire State of Mind" artist reached a deal with distribution company Priority for the release of his debut album, "Reasonable Doubt," which featured DJ Premier, Super DJ Clark Kent, and The Notorious B.I.G.

The album became an instant hit and even ranked 23rd on Billboard 200. Jay Z's debut release was also listed on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.

His reign in the pop culture continued with the release of a follow-up album, titled "In My Lifetime Vol. 1," reaching platinum status in the U.S. It was succeeded by "Vol.

2... Hard Knock Life," "Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter," and "The Dynasty" from 1998-2000. He earned his first Grammy award for "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" under his second album.

Jay Z's "The Blueprint" also made it to Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2001. The said album was reportedly written in just two days. After his decade-long career in the music industry, the American rapper continues to prove his place in the hip-hop genre.
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