Things You Didn't Know About Jay-Z

Hip-hop fans have been listening to, watching, and reading about Jay-Z for what seems like forever. At this point, it feels like Hov is a guy we know really well—even if he doesn't know us at all.

The main reason for this is that Jay has revealed so much about himself through his songs: how he shot his brother, the pain he felt when his father left him, the stillborn child his ex-girlfriend gave birth to. It's hard not to feel a kinship to him. He isn't quite as much of a soul-bearing artist as Eminem (who exposes every single detail), but he does poke his head out to reveal jarring facts about himself on occasion.

Still, no matter how much Hov you've listened to, there are plenty of below-the-radar facts of which you may not be aware. Not anymore, though. We did some research and dug up several interesting tidbits of information from Jay-Z profiles, interviews, and books that have come out over the years.

So without further ado, here are 50 Things You Didn't Know About Jay-Z.

- Reasonable Doubt was originally titled Heir to the Throne.

- When asked his favorite movie during an online chat with fans on AOL, he said it's a tie between Godfather II and True Romance.

- He practiced saying "opium" for an hour to perfect his delivery on Reasonable Doubt's "Regrets."

- Sir Paul McCartney knighted him "Sir Hova of Brooklyn" (with a sword) in an unofficial ceremony.

- It was Jason Kidd who first suggested Jay-Z's ownership position with the New Jersey Nets.

- He got Trackmasters to produce for him by betting Steve Stoute he could beat him in Madden.

- He wanted "Heart of The City" to be the first single for The Blueprint.

- He spoke to Biggie over the phone on the night he was killed.

- At one point, Memphis Bleek owed him $3 million in losses stemming from a card game.

- He falsely told Annie composer Charles Strouse that he won an essay-writing contest and saw Annie on Broadway as a child in order to clear the sample for "Hard Knock Life."

- His father died the same night Jay celebrated the opening of the 40/40 Club.

- According to Combat Jack, Jay signed with Payday Records for about $25,000 to $30,000.

- His building on 560 State Street also housed Lord Jamar & Tone of Trackmasters.

- Biggs called him up to Harlem in the middle of the night and played him Biggie's "Who Shot Ya" for the first time to "inspire" him.

- Despite Dame Dash's insistence, he refused to shoot a video for "People Talking."

- He claims to be cool with Bill Clinton, who frequents his restaurant, The Spotted Pig.

- He used to carry a gun in an empty VHS box in his hustling days.

- When he was 15, he lost a rap contest judged by LL Cool J.

- Years later, he beat LL Cool J in a rap battle.

- He dissed DMX on Mic Geronimo's "Time To Build," even though DMX was also featured on the song.

- He personally helped 9th Wonder score placements for Destiny's Child, Mary J. Blige, and Memphis Bleek.

- According to Trackmasters, Jay didn't get along with Mya during the making of "Best of Me Part 2" because she was "acting like a spoiled brat."

- In the early days of the Roc, Jay and Dame Dash would rent limos and put Rocafella license plates on them.

- According to ?uestlove, Jay asked him to do a "real Roots album" when he was president of Def Jam because he didn't want to "look like the guy that destroyed America's rap group."

- He helped The Roots clear a Radiohead sample in the 11th hour by personally reaching out to the band.

- Mary J. Blige got on "Can't Knock The Hustle" as a favor to Dame Dash, whom she had previously "dated."

- "Money Cash Hoes" started out as a joke with Swizz sliding his hand across the keyboard.

- Jay stopped answering Swizz Beatz' phone calls during the Roc-A-Fella/Ruff Ryders feud.

- He encouraged No I.D. to go for the Executive Vice President of A&R position at Def Jam.

- When Bono heard comments that Jay-Z publicly made about U2's upcoming project, he went back into the studio to rework the album.

- Jay-Z almost had his own Jeep Commander line with Chrysler.

- Kanye West advised Jay on how to rap over the track that became The Blueprint 3 song, "Thank You."

- He first started hustling in Trenton, New Jersey—not his native New York City.

- "Guts" is his card game of choice.

- He has two sisters, one of whom is reportedly a correctional officer at Rikers Island.

- He jokingly went by the pimp name "Cashmere Jones" during the Reasonable Doubt era.

- He says his greatest NYC moment was when he attended a Diana Ross concert in Central Park that was famously rained out.

- Smoking weed helped him finish making "Izzo."

- "Don't You Know" was originally supposed to be a Nas diss record.

- He chose the scratches on "D'Evils," not DJ Premier.

- Read the full story here.

- Jay-Z simply comes from his childhood nickname "Jazzy," not an homage to Jaz-O or the J/Z subway line at Marcy Avenue.

- In the 6th grade, he tested at a 12th grade level.

- He frequently takes Beyoncé on dinner dates at Lucali's, a small pizza spot in Brooklyn.

- Dick Gregory's Nigger: An Autobiography is one his favorite books.

- He once beat Busta Rhymes in a freestyle battle in high school.

- He got control of most of his masters when he became president of Def Jam.

- He once surprised Biggie by sending him Patron and cigars on the red carpet.

- He can freestyle and beatbox at the same time.

- According to Young Guru, he has about "four or five" albums' worth of unreleased songs.