Ever fantasized about a life of sports cars, diamonds, and cognac? For some people, that lifestyle is reality. Who wouldn’t want to be one of the wealthiest rappers in the world?
With fortunes that branch out from hip-hop to international business, many rappers have invested money in a lot of financial sectors to help amass their fortune. Below, we give you the 5 richest rappers and a must-read guide on how they made their millions.
Richest Rappers Number 1 – Kanye West
Kanye West had been climbing the wealthiest rappers list for years, building an empire from music producing, rapping, and songwriting. However, it was his forays into fashion that really pushed him to the top of the billionaire rappers list.
His net worth is still in discussion. Documents he provided to the Forbes rich list claimed he owned over $3 billion, though the magazine predicted it is more likely around $1.3 billion. These documents showed the earnings from his Yeezy fashion label, which have been the key to the gate of the billionaires’ club for Kanye West.
Jay-Z
Jay-Z was crowned as the first Hip-Hop billionaire by Forbes magazine in 2019. He is most famous for his long run of hit albums, and his outstanding ability to spot talent (Rihanna, Kanye West). Despite all success, much of his fortune has been amassed due to his talent as a shrewd businessman.
Night clubs, a music subscription service, search engines, and champagne are all his known business assets. They provided a rough estimate which came in at just over $1 billion last year.
P. Diddy
Sean ‘Puff Daddy’ Combs falls just under the 1 billion barrier, with an estimated net worth of $885 million. Originally, his focus was firmly on music with his record label Bad Boy Entertainment. It was responsible for launching the career of numerous artists such as Mase and the Notorious B.I.G.
In the past few years, he has turned his attention to other areas. These include a clothing and cologne brand. He has also branched out into other entertainment forms, appearing in movies and creating content for MTV.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre is one of the most famous hip-hop producers in the world. Starting out with N.W.A, he later embarked on a solo career. Much of his income came from the wealth of artists he wrote and produced for, including Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Eminem.
Dr. Dre sold his headphone brand Beats to Apple for $3 billion a few years ago. However, Forbes refuted his claim to the rapper’s rich list number 1 spot. They believed he only had a stake in the company and that after outstanding debts, his wealth was around 800 million.
Eminem
Following in the footsteps of Dr. Dre, Eminem earned a lot of his fortune by launching other artists on his record label, while pursuing his own career. Unlike others on the list, Eminem’s focus has remained with music, with some deviations to product endorsements and a very successful foray into movies.
This may account for the gap in the wealth between him and others on the list. Eminem is rumored to be worth around $230 million.
Joining the Billionaire Club
Do you want to join them? It seems like the way to do it is by making money from music, then investing it in successful businesses. With some product endorsements and a clothing brand or two, you could soon join the richest rappers list.
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