Jay-Z has revealed he shot his brother when he was just 12.

The rap superstar pulled a gun on his drug-addicted older sibling Eric after he discovered he had stolen his ring.

The hip-hop mogul - real name Shawn Carter - decided to get himself a firearm and take revenge.

He told The Guardian Weekend magazine: "I went to someone's crib, someone's house, and got a gun. Guns were everywhere. You didn't have to go far to get one. Just everywhere..."

But after the shooting he admits he was fearful about would happen next, he added: "I thought my life was over. I thought I'd go to jail forever. It was terrible. I was a boy, a child. I was terrified."

However, Jay-Z's fears never came to anything, because Eric decided not to press charges and instead apologised to his brother for stealing and for being a crack addict.

The 'Empire State of Mind' rapper - who is married to Beyonce Knowles - grew up in the tough Marcy Houses projects in Brooklyn, in New York City.

This year he was named the highest-earning man in hip-hop by Forbes after raking in $63 million in the last 12 months, thanks to his 'Blueprint 3' world tour and other ventures including his record label, fashion line, and stakes in the New York Nets basketball team, Broadway music 'Fela!' and a chain of sports bars.