Adnis Reeves Taught His Son Life Lessons – Facts about Jay-Z’s Father

Despite being estranged from his own family, Adnis Reeves, the late father of renowned rapper Jay-Z, imparted valuable lessons about family to his son.

Adnis Reeves grew up in a tight and conservative family. However, as he started his own family, he took a troubling path that led to a strained relationship with his ex-wife, Gloria Carter, and their son, Shawn Corey Carter, also known as Jay-Z.

Jay-Z went on to achieve fame in the music industry and later found peace after reconnecting with Adnis. Meanwhile, Adnis’ death also marked a turning point in Gloria’s life.

According to Jay-Z’s 2010 memoir “Decoded,” Adnis Reeves grew up in a strict religious household. His mother, Ruby, served as a deaconess, while his father, who shared the same name as him, was a pastor.

Adnis adhered to a conservative lifestyle, which included wearing modest clothing, attending regular worship services, and singing exclusively to conservative music. In their home, secular music, such as the Motown sound, was strictly forbidden.

Even though Adnis was forbidden from listening to non-religious music, he, being quite a rebel in his own way, found a way to expose himself to more progressive tracks.

Adnis had three sisters and two brothers, whose names were kept undisclosed to the public, except for one sibling—Ray. Ray and Adnis appeared to share a strong bond.

When Adnis started his own family and became a father, he failed to fulfill his fatherhood responsibilities. Jay-Z recounted in his memoir that Adnis “left them for good.” Jay-Z was only 11 at the time.

Jay-Z, who vows not to repeat his father’s mistakes, admitted that he was hurt when his father, whom he looked up to as his “superhero,” left him at a young age because they had formed a deep connection.

Despite their estrangement, Jay-Z reminisced about a couple of moments of connection he shared with Adnis, like when he treated him and his cousin B-High to a steak dinner at a restaurant.

Jay-Z also picked up his father’s personality traits, such as being “crazy for detail,” leadership qualities, and a strong sense of protection towards his family. Jay-Z said in the book:

“When we’d go to visit my aunt and uncle and cousins my father would give me the responsibility of leading, even though I was the youngest.”

Adnis not only showed Jay-Z how to exude confidence and remain aware of his surroundings but also taught him how to become an artist, a profession that Jay-Z has successfully achieved.

Since his music career took off, Jay-Z has dedicated several songs to Adnis Reeves. Among Jay-Z’s tracks about his relationship with his dad were “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” “This Life Forever,” and “Where Have You Been.”

In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z said he rekindled his connection with his dad in 2003 and learned the real reason for his sudden abandonment. His mother, Gloria Carter, helped him meet his father.

During the father-son’s conversation, Adnis told Jay-Z that his brother and Jay-Z’s uncle, Rey, had been stabbed. Upon hearing the news, Adnis immediately left their house to find the culprit. Unfortunately, Rey died.

Rey’s death affected Adnis’ life. Adnis had a strong sense of injustice and felt driven to seek revenge for his brother’s untimely passing. This obsession led him down a self-destructive path and to the breakdown of his marriage with Gloria.

Gloria recently married her new partner, Roxanne Wilshire.

Gloria, who was in her 30s, raised Jay-Z and his two sisters, Andrea and Michelle Carter, alone. Gloria admitted it was “hard,” but she did what she could to keep them alive and their morals right.

At the time, Jay-Z was nine and unaware of his dad’s pain. Now, as an adult, the artist understood the traumatic event that caused his dad to lose a part of his soul.

Jay-Z said he felt at peace about his conversation with Adnis, which turned out to be their final moment together. A couple of months after their reconciliation, Adnis passed away due to liver-related issues.

Adnis Reeves’ ex-wife Gloria is now a married woman, and his son Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé, supported her new chapter in life. Gloria recently married her new partner, Roxanne Wilshire.

Gloria came out as gay in 2017. The following year, Jay-Z revealed that he had already known his mom was gay, but it was the first time he and Gloria had talked about it, and she loved that part of herself.

Like how he dedicated his songs to his late father, Jay-Z dedicated a track to his mom, “Smile,” in honor of her coming-out story. In 2019, he expressed gratitude to his mom at the GLAAD Media Awards for allowing him to share her story.