STORY LYNN FARAH – Dec 14 , 2023 – Style
My cmnt: Contrary to the lies of the Left, America is still the land of freedom and opportunity – for people of any race. People walk thousands of mile just to illegally enter America. People vote with their feet. No one is streaming into communist, Muslim or African countries while still risking life and limb to come to America and north and western Europe.
My cmnt: Americans of Jewish, Chinese, Indian, African and European descent have all made wonderful lives for themselves because America, unlike anywhere else on earth, is still the land of opportunity, where those with talent, energy and drive can make their fortune regardless of their background.
From art collections and private jets to massive stakes in companies, hip-hop artists have set the tone for savvy business-minded musicians. They have showed how diversifying beyond the recording studio can add longevity to their careers as well as dollars to their bank accounts.
Here’s a run-down of some of the world’s wealthiest hip-hop artists according to Celebrity Net Worth and Forbes – so who takes the throne?
10. Snoop Dogg: US$160 million
Snoop D-O-double G, as his legions know him, began rapping in 1992 and was signed by Dr Dre’s Death Row Records, previously known as Future Shock. Since his first single “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” in 1993, the award-winning rapper has been releasing hits ever since. His impressive rap catalogue includes 15 singles, four soundtrack albums, 25 mixtapes and 16 promotional singles.
The Californian is an intelligent businessman too, making much of his fortune away from music. He has made several appearances as himself in films, started a marijuana delivery service – and has a cooking show with Martha Stewart Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Challenge, per Yahoo! Finance.
9. Lil Wayne: US$170 million
Lil Wayne began his career at 12, signing with rapper Birdman and becoming the youngest person to sign with Cash Money Records. Today, the 41-year-old rapper has released multiple songs, singles, albums and musical collaborations with Drake, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West.
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He has also earned income from other avenues such as his fashion label Trukfit, books, record label Young Money Entertainment, cannabis brand GKUA and sports agency Young Money Sports.
8. Pharrell Williams: US$250 million
If anyone understands the value of diversifying his brand, it’s Pharrell Williams. Williams may have released his debut single “Frontin” in 2003 and followed up with his debut solo album In My Mind in 2006, but the producer and designer has actually been making music since the early 1990s, per The Vogue.
Sony Music says: “After numerous accolades for The Neptunes [a music duo consisting of Williams and Chad Hugo], including a Grammy for producer of the year in 2004 and a producer of the decade acknowledgement from Billboard, the charismatic Williams remained a force in mainstream music as a producer, songwriter, tough-talking rapper and falsetto-equipped singer.”
He capitalised on his musical accolades by branching into other avenues, including jewellery design and being French luxury brand Louis Vuitton’s creative director for menswear. He collaborated with Takashi Murakami on a sculpture at Art Basel in 2009 and founded I am Other, a multimedia collective and record label with a YouTube channel and clothing lines. He also created Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear. Other collaborations in luxury fashion include Nike Dunk trainers, Moncler and Chanel.
7. Eminem: US$250 million
Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? Eminem burst on the scene as a rapper and protégé of Dr Dre with his infectious “My Name Is” in 1999. Since then, the artist has released numerous albums. However, it is his business acumen outside the recording studio where he really begins to tally up the dollars.
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He has a Sirius XM channel called Shade 45, earned millions at the box office for his film 8 Mile, and published his memoir The Way I Am. The 51-year-old also opened a restaurant called Mom’s Spaghetti and is now a character on the popular video game Fortnite.
6. Drake: US$250 million
The “Champagne Papi” may be one of the youngest on the list at 37 years old, but he is already one of the richest. Drake began his rapping career in 2006 when he launched Room for Improvement. The Canadian rapper has since released numerous albums, singles and collaborations with other artists, but his foray into business contributed much to his income.
In 2015, he signed a deal with Apple Music to the tune of US$19 million. He launched his whiskey brand Virginia Black and formed his music label called Ovo Sound. He also partnered with Nike on a sneaker line, per Free Your Music.
5. Kanye West: US$400 million
In 2004, his first record The College Dropout became one of the most successful rap albums ever, selling about 10 million copies. Despite the artist’s turbulent personal life, he’s still an acute businessman. His ventures include the Yeezy clothing line and the highly successful Yeezy Boost 350 in partnership with Adidas, which helped him earn millions, per Hypebeast. He has also collaborated with Balenciaga and Gap in 2022 on the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga line. Of course, these partnerships came to an end after his anti-Semitic comments on social media last year.
4. Berner: US$410 million
Gilbert “Berner” Milam is signed to Wiz Khalifa’s label Taylor Gang Entertainment. The musician has released 40 albums, but fortune lies in California’s move to legalise marijuana, which saw his already famous cannabis company Cookies skyrocket. Per Business Insider, Cookies is now a US$1 billion company.
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3. Dr Dre: US$500 million
The original godfather of California rap, Dr Dre discovered and produced for multiple rappers, including Snoop Dogg and Eminem. The former N.W.A member began his career in the 1980s and worked alongside Ice Cube and Eazy-E. In 2014, the prolific producer’s headphones company Beats Electronics and streaming music service Beats Music were sold to Apple for a staggering US$3 billion dollars, making it one of the biggest deals in music history. In addition to the monster deal, he launched his own record company Aftermath Entertainment.
2. Diddy: US$850 million
Sean Love Combs aka the original “Bad Boy”, Diddy began rapping in 1990s and has garnered various accolades. His albums and collaborations with other musicians solidified his reputation as a significant force in the hip-hop game. However, his business ventures are what secured his riches.
These include deals with alcohol firm Diageo, opening a preparatory school in Harlem, and launching his own high quality booze company Combs Wines and Spirits, fashion line Sean John, and media company Revolt TV. However, amid sexual assault allegations this year, Diddy is no longer involved with Diageo or the prep school – and has even stepped down as chairman from Revolt TV.
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1. Jay Z: US$2.5 billion
When Jay-Z rapped “I’m Not A Businessman, I’m A Business, Man”, he meant it. Beyoncé’s hubby, whom many deem one of the best rappers of all time, is also one of the wealthiest musicians of all time. His extensive list of businesses and investments includes Roc-A-Fella Records, entertainment company Roc Nation, fashion label Rocawear, Uber and Savage X Fenty.
Additionally, the billionaire is an avid art collector, with his collection valued at US$70 million, per Parade magazine.
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Meet America’s Black billionaires
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Meet America’s Black billionaires
Oprah Winfrey speaking onstage during the 45th NAACP Image Awards presented by TV One at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2014.
They’re entertainers, media moguls, elite athletes, music artists, tech tycoons, and investors.
Stacker compiled a list of the 10 richest Black Americans using data from Forbes. Individuals were ranked by their overall wealth ranking, with the richest person taking the #1 spot.
America’s Black billionaires represent an array of industries and business ventures; however, over half of those on this list made the bulk of their wealth in the sports or entertainment industries. The people on this list are worth $27 billion combined, which is a lot of money—but that’s just one-eighth of the net worth of the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, at an estimated $218 billion.
The United States is home to the most billionaires of any country represented on Forbes’ list of 2,640 billionaires in 2023.
Despite some barriers, America’s Black billionaires have risen to the top tiers of financial success. In fact, other than African dictators, America is home to the most wealthy black people on earth.
Paras Griffin // Getty Images
#10. Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry speaking onstage during 2022 InvestFest at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on August 07, 2022.
– Net worth: $1 billion
– Global wealth rank: 2,593
– Age: 53
– Source of wealth: Movies, television
Tyler Perry is a director, actor, producer, and writer who built his empire from movies and television. He owns 100% of his content, including the popular “Madea” franchise. Perry lives in Atlanta, where his 330-acre, 12-stage Tyler Perry Studios is located.
Harry How // Getty Images
#9. LeBron James
LeBron James standing with his hands on his hips after a foul during the first quarter of the LA Laker’s game against the Denver Nuggets in game four of the Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena on May 22, 2023, in Los Angeles, California.
– Net worth: $1 billion
– Global wealth rank: 2,537
– Age: 38
– Source of wealth: Basketball
Considered one of the all-time greatest basketball players, LeBron James is the first active NBA player to make Forbes’ billionaire list. James started his NBA career at 18 years old with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he went on to play for the Miami Heat and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Beyond basketball, James makes money through endorsement deals with Pepsi, Walmart, and Nike and has equity in Beats by Dre and Blaze Pizza.
Jamie Squire // Getty Images
#8. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods watching his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the 2015 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2015.
– Net worth: $1.1 billion
– Global wealth rank: 2,505
– Age: 47
– Source of wealth: Golf
Tiger Woods is considered one of the best golfers ever and is tied for first in PGA Tour wins. He is the second active athlete—after LeBron James—to make the Forbes billionaire list. Beyond golf, Woods makes money through his investments in real estate, a golf course design business, a high-end mini-golf chain, and TMRW Sports, a tech and sports venture he co-founded with plans to launch a new golf league.
Stephen McCarthy // Getty Images
#7. Tope Awotona
Tope Awotona on center stage during day three of Collision 2022 at Enercare Centre in Toronto, Canada.
– Net worth: $1.2 billion
– Global wealth rank: 2,303
– Age: 42
– Source of wealth: Software
Tope Awotona is the founder and CEO of Calendly, a software company that automates meeting scheduling. Born in Nigeria, Awotona and his family immigrated to Atlanta when he was a teenager. He has a background in sales for tech companies and founded Calendly in 2013.
Scott Olson / Staff // Getty Images
#6. Alexander Karp
Alexander Karp attending the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 7, 2015.
– Net worth: $1.8 billion
– Global wealth rank: 1,700
– Age: 55
– Source of wealth: Software firm
Alexander Karp is co-founder and CEO of Palantir, a software company specializing in big data analytics driven by artificial intelligence. Palantir does contract work for the Department of Defense, the FBI, and the Danish National Police, which use the platform for defense and intelligence strategy. Karp is originally from New York and grew up in Philadelphia; Palantir is headquartered in Denver.
Mike Powell // Getty Images
#5. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan, #23 of the Chicago Bulls, resting on the court during a game.
– Net worth: $2 billion
– Global wealth rank: 1,528
– Age: 60
– Source of wealth: Charlotte Hornets, endorsements
Michael Jordan is considered one of the all-time greatest basketball players alongside LeBron James. Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Today, his wealth comes from owning the Charlotte Hornets NBA team, co-owning a NASCAR team, investing in DraftKings, and endorsement deals with Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade.
Kevin Mazur // Getty Images
#4. Jay-Z
Jay-Z attending 2020 Roc Nation THE BRUNCH on January 25, 2020, in Los Angeles, California.
– Net worth: $2.5 billion
– Global wealth rank: 1,256
– Age: 53
– Source of wealth: Multiple
Jay-Z, whose name is Shawn Carter, is a multihyphenate and hip-hop’s first billionaire. He is a rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur married to singer Beyoncé. Jay-Z’s wealth comes from his fine art collection, music catalog, the Roc Nation entertainment company he founded, and various brand investments, including liquor, clothing lines, music streaming, a chain of sports bars, and more.
Steve Jennings // Getty Images
#3. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey speaking during Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour presented by WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined) at Chase Center on February 22, 2020, in San Francisco, California.
– Net worth: $2.5 billion
– Global wealth rank: 1,254
– Age: 69
– Source of wealth: TV shows
Oprah Winfrey was the first Black woman billionaire in the U.S. and is the only woman on this list. The foundation of her wealth is her nationally syndicated talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” which aired for 25 years starting in 1986. Winfrey leveraged her talk show into a media empire that now includes the OWN cable channel and Harpo Productions. Winfrey, born in Mississippi and raised in Milwaukee and Nashville, also has made money as an actor and an investor in WeightWatchers.
Icon Sportswire / Contributor // Getty Images
#2. David Steward
David Steward addressing the crowd during a press conference hosted by World Wide Technology Raceway announcing the date of their NASCAR Cup Series Race for the 2022 season on September 15, 2021, at Bally Sports Live in Ballpark Village in St. Louis, Missouri.
– Net worth: $6 billion
– Global wealth rank: 431
– Age: 71
– Source of wealth: IT provider
David Steward is the founder of World Wide Technology, an IT provider that helps large companies with digital strategy and technology and supply chain solutions. Steward also co-founded Telcobuy, a spinoff of World Wide Technology that provides enterprise networking services and data security. He was born in Chicago and grew up in Missouri.
Kevin Mazur // Getty Images
#1. Robert F. Smith
Robert Smith speaking onstage at RFK Human Rights’ Ripple of Hope Awards Honoring VP Joe Biden, Howard Schultz, and Scott Minerd in New York City.
– Net worth: $8 billion
– Global wealth rank: 266
– Age: 60
– Source of wealth: Private equity
The richest Black American is Robert F. Smith, who founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software companies. Smith grew up in Denver and worked as a chemical engineer before earning his MBA. He started Vista Equity Partners in 2000, and it has posted annual returns of 30% every year.
Data reporting by Elena Cox. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.
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