Though rap is touted to be a young man’s game, merely hopping trends and delivering occasional music is hardly the path to longevity. Anybody willing to look to the OGs should understand the importance of investments and deals. Hip-hop is a genre that values money above all else, although power and respect battle neck and neck for second place. The old adage goes, one must allow their money to work for them. In hip-hop, such lessons are learned on the fly; not everyone is blessed with hustler’s ambition, nor adequately prepared for the cutthroat world of wealth expansion.
Although some argue that business acumen cannot be taught, it can perhaps be harnessed. Such is the raison d’etre for T.I.’s new business series, The Grand Hustle, premiering exclusively on BET - – July 19th , airing Thursdays 10/9c. In a press release detailing the show’s central theme, Tip ensures that “it doesn’t matter if you got your hustle at Harvard or the hood.” Elaborating on this notion, he continues, stating “The Grand Hustle is about how you handle business and what you can do for the brand so I wanted to create a show that offers an equal playing field.”
Clearly, Tip has earned his seat at the table. In honor of his latest entrepreneurial success, we’ve decided to compile a list of five of hip-hop’s definitive hustlers. For those seeking inspiration, look no further As Jay-Z famously said, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” Evidently, the following six have handled their business and then some.
Over the course of his legendary career, Dr. Dre has amassed one of music’s quintessential discographies, perfected the modern-day dark banger, and signed some of the game’s most influential artists. Not only that, but the NWA pioneer has earned his way to the one percent, coming within a hair of being hip-hop’s first billionaire.
In 1998, Dre linked up with Jimmy Iovine to start his own record label, Aftermath. While initially plagued by a rocky start, Dre eventually went on to achieve success with artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, and The Game. In 2001, Dre reportedly sold thirty percent of his stake in Aftermath to Interscope, which netted him a cool $35 million, while also "securing the bag" producing for Mary J. Blige’s “Family Affair,” a collaboration that put approximately two million in his pocket.
In 2006, Dre and Jimmy Iovine once again reaffirmed their partnership, embarking on a quest to reinvent the headphone game. Teaming with Monster Audio, Dre ultimately attached himself to “Beats by Dre” (later shortening to “Beats”). In 2014, after the headphones proved popular with rappers, athletes, and of course, the general public, “Beats” was later bought by Apple for a reported $3 billion, a move touted by Forbes as "the biggest single-year payday of any musician in history.”
50 Cent
Having studied under the watchful eye of the aforementioned Dr. Dre for so long, it’s no wonder that 50 Cent picked up a few notable tricks of the trade. Yet 50 has always been industrious, from his mixtape-slinging Power Of The Dollar days; even his breakout “How To Rob” revealed an undeniable sense of hustler’s ambition.
Given the immediate success of his mainstream debut Get Rich Or Die Tryin, it wasn’t surprising when Fif branched out into the clothing industry; in 2003, 50 and Reebok joined forces to add sneakers to G-Unit clothing. 50 also diversified his income in 2004, signing a partnership with Glacéau, a company best known for Vitaminwater; eventually, Glacéau was sold to Coca-Cola, netting Fif a reported $100 million. In 2007, 50 took a dive into the book industry, starting “G-Unit Books,” which published thirteen titles, including his collaboration with Robert Greene, The 50th Law.
Suffice it to say, 50 has consistently managed to keep his finger in a variety of pies. Most recently, the rapper has been keeping busy on “Power,’ where he has previously claimed to earn $20,000 per episode. And that isn’t even talking about his underwear ducats; in 2014, Fif landed a reported $78 million signing with FRIGO Revolution Wear. Clearly, the man understands the value of wearing one’s worth.
T.I.
The pioneer of Grand Hustle himself, slash self-proclaimed inventor of trap music has proven himself a viable entrepreneur, currently enjoying a reported net worth of $50 million. For those wondering how Tip has managed to climb to such lofty heights, opening the Club Crucial nightclub in Atlanta surely played a role. Tip also managed to secure a deal with Chevrolet, following the success of his single “Top Back.
As many rappers have done, Tip lent his name recognition and no-doubt refined palette to Rémy Martin Cognac, where he was hired as a “Global Creative Consultant.” In 2016, Tip joined the likes of Jay-Z, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, and more as one of the myriad artists to buy ownership stakes in the streaming service Tidal. In that same year, Tip opened yet another club, this time of the strip variety; should any die-hard Tip enthusiast be seeking adult entertainment, look no further than V Live in Atlanta.
Not to mention, Tip can officially boast to be one of the only rappers (alongside Method Man, Jadakiss, and KRS One) to make up part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing an integral role in Ant Man’s crew. Most recently, Tip joins the BET family with his new competition series, The Grand Hustle, which premieres Thursday, July 19th at 10/9c. For more information visit www.bet.com/grandhustle and follow @GrandHustleBET on social.
Nas
On the surface, Nasir Jones has earned himself a reputation as a lyricist first, keeping his nose close to the streets with classic drops like Matic, both Ill and Still. Yet the man has quietly proven himself a capable businessman, with acumen to rival that of his longtime enemy-turned-friend Jay-Z.
Some of his business ventures include an undisclosed six-figure investment into Mass Appeal, which he made in 2013. For all those aspiring musicians out there, you might be familiar with LANDR, an automated audio mastering service. Evidently, Nas blessed the company with his investor’s touch, doing his part to advance digital audio culture for the layman. Foodies will no doubt recognize his involvement in the restaurant Sweet Chick, where he currently stands as a co-owner slash GOAT.
The industrious investor Nas has done his part to plant seeds in various startups, many of which have proven lucrative for the Queens legend. To name a few, Nas has invested in Rap Genius, Lyft, Dropbox, SeatGeek, and Ring; the latter was recently bought by the gigantic Amazon, netting the rapper a reported $40 million in profit. It’s no wonder he sought out like minds to found The Queensbridge Venture Partners, and with his track record, Nas’ net worth will likely climb exponentially.
Jay-Z
When people think of hip-hop businessmen, the name that tends to come to mind is Jay-Z. Throughout the course of his extensive career, the Jigga Man has become synonymous with the modern-day hustler, imbuing his very image with the hustler’s spirit. “I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell, “raps Jay-Z, on the classic Just Blaze banger “U Don’t Know”. “I am a hustler, baby, I'll sell water to a well.”
Skeptics take note. As of now, Jay’s net worth is reportedly sitting at a staggering $900 million, making him ever closer to that coveted billionaire bracket. In 1995 Jay co-founded a record label by the name of Roc-A-Fella Records, which went on to span the eventual Rocawear clothing brand, which was once earning annual sales of $700 million. In 2003, Jay opened the lavish 40/40 Club, a high-end sports bar in New York City.
Currently, Jay-Z upgraded to Roc Nation, an entertainment company and record label housing high profile names such as J. Cole, DJ Khaled, and Rihanna. Eventually, Roc Nation would branch out into sports, a management branch currently home to Kevin Durant, Victor Cruz and more. Plus, who can forget his widely discussed investment in Tidal, the high-quality streaming platform. Those keeping score be warned; there’s a very strong chance the Jigga Man hits the billionaire benchmark before his closest competitors, Diddy and Dre.
Diddy
Last but most certainly not least, the notorious mogul himself, Diddy. With a fortune to rival that of Scrooge McDuck, Diddy’s estimated $825 million (as of 2017) keeps him neck-and-neck with Jigga and Dre in the ongoing race for the billionaire club. While widely recognized as a longstanding fixture at the grown man’s table, many have pondered how Diddy managed to amass such wealth in the first place; after all, Puff has spent moments of reclusivity in the game, choosing to play the man behind curtain.
For one, Diddy, then Daddy, established Bad Boy Entertainment back in 1993, securing the loyalty of the one and only Notorious B.I.G. With commercial successes on deck, Diddy began his road to riches firmly entrenched in the music business. Eventually, he went on to found Sean John clothing in 1998, which remains successful to this day. Like many rappers, Diddy turned to the alcohol business, striking a lucrative deal with CIROC Vodka, which recently came through with the vanilla flavor.
Along with being a majority stakeholder in Revolt TV, he's also recently opened a charter school in Harlem called Capital Prep, and invested in Aquahydrate, a low-calorie sports beverage. And the list goes on. The versatility must be respected, and there are few paths Diddy won’t follow when it comes to amassing a Smaug-esque pile of infinite wealth.
