Back in 2007, Jay-Z made a bold statement in song about both his lyrical prowess and his future financial fortunes: “I’m already the G.O.A.T.–next stop is the billie.”
Sure enough, Forbes declared him hip-hop’s first billionaire earlier this month. The news caught the attention of observers around the world—not only due to the breadth of Jay-Z’s financial achievement, but because of what it means for others looking to follow in his footsteps.
5. Drake
$150 million
4. Kanye West
$240 million
3. Diddy
$740 million
2. Dr. Dre
$800 million
1. Jay-Z
$1 billion
forbes.com
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