On June 3rd the internet was abuzz as Forbes named Sean “Jay-Z†Carter aka HOV the first hip hop billionaire. I saw this up and down my social media pages but I honestly felt like it didn’t get enough acknowledgment from the “Cultureâ€. We have a new billionaire that looks like us, speaks like us, and does the things that we do. It is celebration time!
I don’t know when I met Him, I just remember playing his music over and over. I wouldn’t classify myself as a hip hop head but I love good music. Mr. Carter, I am not sure how he got my attention but I was captured. It could have been his lyrics as they laced the beat, his swag or his stature. People thought it was strange when I would pipe out about my crush, them often making fun of his big lips. Who’s laughing now? Typical ugly duckling that turns into a swan. I see you Shawn.
According to Forbes, Shawn “Jay-Z Carter’s portfolio breaks down like so:
$310 million in Armand de Brignac
$220 in cash & investments
$100 million in Tidal
$75 million in Roc Nation
$75 million Music catalog
$70 million in Art his collection
and rounding it out is $50 million in real estate.
This my friends is a well diverse portfolio. Everyone thought it was a game when he was giving knowledge on his 4:44 album. He was educating the masses on what he did to get where he is now.
In this article Forbes referred to a meeting between Warren Buffett and Jay-Z. This is key. Warren
Buffett is the 3rd wealthiest man in the world. I wish I was a fly on the wall in that meeting. I wonder what tips Mr. Buffett gave Mr. Carter. I wonder what they ate. Did they laugh, and how did he get
Buffett to sit with him? My mind wondered was this the first meeting or the only meeting they let us, Joe Blow the public, in on. This is a true testament of keeping key people around. In my DJ Khalid voice, Warren Buffett is the key.
How did a hip hop artist get such a diverse portfolio? Jay-Z’s portfolio is a collection of things that he interest him. The portfolio has alcohol, music, art and he has to have a place to live. He didn’t have to make major investments into things he knew nothing about. This is a great tool to keep in mind. Invest in what you know, and you make it grow. He has been pictured and talked about his alcohol brands in his videos and music. He rocked his merchandise and repped The “ROC†everywhere he went.
Watching Mr. Carter go from boy to man, has been like a motion picture. The maturity of his music has grown with me. I wasn’t there from the beginning, (I don’t want to create that illusion), but I have been on for the ride since I joined his fan club. Although it’s unspoken here, Beyonce, (his wife) has to have had some input on his success. The next day Forbes published she is the number 51 of the wealthiest self-made women in America. Every great man, has a great woman by his side.
This is great for the culture because little Black boys and girls can actually see someone that comes from where they come from as a billionaire now. Being able to see someone do or be something as major as this, is awesome. They know that they can be it as well. Representation matters.
As a child, I remember sitting in the hospital as my auntie was grading the papers of her students. Irecalled that my aunt has her doctorate degree. She is not the first person I know that has a doctorate or first black person to ever obtain a doctorate, but she is my aunt. That made it very real andobtainable for me. It pushed me to start the conversation of pursuing my masters degree. Having someone who look like you in key positions makes it appear achievable.
Jay-Z once asked, “You think I worked this hard to stay the same?†Hey, he went from an ole boy from Marcy Projects that ya’ll used to tell ya friends “was ugly and wouldn’t touch him†(Song Cry, 2002) to a billionaire. Ya’ll better watch who you walking over. Congratulations Jigga Man!
Cited Source: Forbes
In the Wind,
-Arnya T.M. Davis
