All self employment and most other jobs in the United States pay taxes into the Social Security system and thus are considered "covered earnings." Your covered earnings determine your eligibility for Social Security benefits and the amount you receive. You can typically access your covered earnings history through your account on the SSA.gov website.
If you do not have covered earnings in past years, then you will not be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, though you may be eligible for auxiliary benefits, like spousal benefits, that are based on someone else's earnings record. If you indicate that you have no earnings in past years, and you also do not enter any current or future covered earnings, we will not calculate any retirement benefits for you, though we may calculate auxiliary benefits if eligible.