American rapper, Shawn Carter, more popularly known as JayZ, has become the first hip-hop artist to reach the billionaire status, according to Forbes.
American rapper, Shawn Carter, more popularly known as JayZ, has become the first hip-hop artist to reach the billionaire status, according to Forbes. Less than 10 years later, the magazine surveys Shawn Carter’s empire which spans music, a streaming service, liquor, art real estate and stakes in other companies and determined that it conservatively totals $1 billion.
It also notes that he built his own brands: the Rocawear clothing line (sold for $204 million in 2007); D’Ussé, a cognac he co-owns with Bacardi; Tidal, the music-streaming service; and his multifaceted Roc Nation music and sports empire. The artist’s primary holdings follow, which Forbes calculated by looking at the artist’s stakes in companies like Armand de Brignac champagne then added up his income, subtracting a healthy amount to account for a superstar lifestyle, which were then vetted by a roster of outside experts.
Here are the things JayZ has invested in that launched him into the billionire club
Armand de Brignac champagne: $310 million
Cash & investments, including a stake in Uber worth an estimated $70 million
$220 million
D’Ussé cognac: $100 million
Tidal streaming service: $100 million
Roc Nation: $75 million
Music catalog: $75 million
Art collection: $70 million
Real estate: $50 million
