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“You wanna know what’s more important than throwing away money at a strip club? Credit.” That is one of the most recited lines from Jay-Z’s 10th-studio album 4:44. Not surprisingly, with a mindset like that, Shawn Carter becomes hip-hop’s first billionaire.
Earlier today (June 3), Forbes officially dubbed Jay-Z a billionaire. The news site revealed that the majority of his net worth breeds from wise investments citing Roc Nation, Tidal and stakes in companies like Uber.
All the while, this doesn’t come as a complete shock. Throughout his career, Hov has made chess-like moves and invested wisely. Below, I have listed his investments and how much he’s acquired from each.
1.Armand de Brignac
Total: $310 million
After purchasing the brand in 2014, Jay-Z has been able to reap the benefits of the “Ace of Spades” champagne bottle. Recently, the Blueprint spitter alluded to this on his featured verse for Meek Mill’s track “What’s Free.”
“100% of Ace of Spades, worth half a B (Uh),” he raps.
2. D’ussé
Total: $100 million
While rapping with his wife Beyoncé on “Drunk In Love,” Jay emphasized his love for the cognac. “That d’ussé is the shit if I do say so myself,” he spits. His joint venture with Bacardi moves almost 200,000 cases and continues to grow annually.
3. Tidal
Total: $100 million
Jay’s decision to purchase Tidal is a perfect example of his chess-like moves. In 2015, Jay-Z placed a bid to purchase the streaming service’s parent company for a little under $60 million. Since relaunching the streaming service, Jay recruited other celebrity investors such as his wife Beyoncé, Kanye West, and more.
4. Art collection
Total: $70 million
The Carters appear to have a love for art. Last year, the duo shot their music video for “Ape Shit” inside an iconic museum — the Louvre.
5. Real Estate
Total: $50 million
On his album 4:44, Hov emphasized the importance of real estate on his track “The Story of O.J.”
“I coulda bought a place in Dumbo before it was Dumbo for like 2 million,” he raps. “That same building today is worth 25 million. Guess how I’m feelin’? Dumbo.”
Two years ago, Jay and Bey bought a $26 million East Hampton mansion and a $88 million Bel Air Estate. In addition to that, Jay-Z also owns a Tribeca penthouse, which was priced at $6.85 million in 2004.
Congrats, Jay-Z!