What Is Jay-Z's Net Worth? A Look at the Rapper's Billion-Dollar Empire

Mar. 15, 2025

Shawn Carter, also known as Jay-Z, attends ‘The Harder They Fall’ world premiere during the 65th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on Oct. 6, 2021 in London.Photo:Karwai Tang/WireImage

Karwai Tang/WireImage

In 2019,Jay-Zmade history when he became hip-hop’s first billionaire.

The rapper — whose legal name is Shawn Carter — has built his empire through his successful music career and his various businesses. PerForbes, his net worth is estimated to be $2.5 billion as of December 2024, with half owing to his music career and the remainder coming from “self-made” ventures.

During theForbes 400 Summitin 2010, Carter told investorWarren Buffettthat the “greatest trick in music” was people convincing musicians that they “can’t be an artist and make money.”

“Hip-hop from the beginning has always been aspirational. It always broke that notion that an artist can’t think about money as well,” the Grammy winner said. “Just so long as you separate the two and you’re not making music with business in mind.”

Most recently, on Dec. 8, Carter was named in a lawsuit connected toSean “Diddy” Combs, accusing both of them of child rape in 2000. In a response via his company Roc Nation onX, Carter accused the plaintiff’s attorney of orchestrating a “blackmail attempt” to extort money from him. However, he wrote that he wasn’t like other “celebrities” and that he was a “young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn.”

From the success of his music career to how he’s become a business mogul, here’s everything to know about how Jay-Z built his net worth.

What is Jay-Z’s net worth?

Jay-Z attends the Roc Nation Sports Super Bowl Party at Poodle Room at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Feb. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

As of December 2024,Forbesreports that Carter is worth $2.5 billion, an update from the $1.4 billion reported two years earlier, when he also took the no. 3 spot in the outlet’s2022 list of highest-paid entertainers.

In 2021,Forbesreported that Carter’s wealth stemmed from multiple sources, including his music catalog, businesses, investments, partnerships, art collection and real estate holdings with his wife, singerBeyoncé. That year, two major business deals — involving his liquor company Armand de Brignac and music streaming company Tidal — significantly boosted his net worth from $1 billion to $1.4 billion, per the outlet.

Though Carter is at billionaire status today, his younger self didn’t see it coming. In a 200260 Minutesinterview, the rapper was asked what he would have said 15 years earlier if someone told him he would be “rich” and “famous,” to which Carter responded, “How?”

“I had no aspirations, no plans, no goals, no backup goals,” he said. “How is that going to happen? Doing what?”

What are Jay-Z’s album and tour sales?

Jay-Z performs on stage during the ‘On the Run II’ tour at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 2, 2018, in East Rutherford, N.J.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Carter’s music career spans over three decades, starting with the release of his debut album,Reasonable Doubt, through his entertainment company Roc-A-Fella Records in 1996.

The rapper’s 2017 album4:44debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, further cementing Carter’s record as the solo artist with the most No. 1 albums on the chart, according toBillboard.

In 2021,Forbesreported that Carter’s music catalog (which includes nearly 300 songs) was valued at $95 million, thanks to negotiations that gave him ownership of both the publishing rights and master recordings.

What are Jay-Z’s businesses?

Jay-Z attends the Shawn Carter Foundation 20th Anniversary Black Tie Gala at Pier 60 on July 14, 2023, in New York City.Kevin Mazur/Getty

The start of Carter’s music career also coincides with his business pursuits. At the 2010 Forbes 400 summit, he told the crowd that “every single label shut the door” on him and his partners at the beginning of his career, perCNBC. Thus, they “didn’t give up” and instead launched their own label, Roc-A-Fella Records, in 1994 so that he could release his debut album.

In 2008, Carter partnered with Live Nation and founded entertainment agency Roc Nation, per CNBC. According toVariety,Carter signed a $200 million deal with Live Nation in May 2017 that would extend the touring partnership another decade.Forbesreported in 2021 that Roc Nation was valued at $140 million.

In July 2023,ESPNreported that Roc Nation had entered a $25 million, five-year deal with the NFL to reshape the Super Bowl halftime show, produce music tied to the season and amplify the league’s social justice agenda, among other goals.

According toForbes, the business mogul has also built a portfolio of lucrative liquor ventures, including French champagne Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades), in which he sold a 50% stake to LVMH in 2021. That year,Forbesreported that the deal brought the value of the luxury liquor company to about $640 million.

He also held a stake in the cognac brand D’Ussé, selling the majority to Bacardi in February 2023.

According to the 2021Forbesreport, he also has shares in companies such as Block and Uber and has a fine art collection valued at $70 million.

What has Jay-Z said about his wealth?

Jay-Z attends the Los Angeles premiere of Sony Pictures' ‘The Book Of Clarence.'.Monica Schipper/WireImage

Monica Schipper/WireImage

In a November 2017 interview withThe New York Times, Carter said that money isn’t “the endgame.”

“It’s not about who got more money and who got more houses … you’ve earned it, buy what you want,” the music mogul said. “But don’t forget what’s important. Without people, being rich would be very boring.

The rapper added, “No one to share with, no one to have … You know what I mean? You’d just be a rich person, one person on the planet — just, like, well then what do you do?”

Carter has also sung about wealth, as his song “Legacy” opens up with his daughter,Blue Ivy, asking, “Daddy, what’s a will?”

“Generational wealth, that’s the key,” Carter sings. “My parents ain’t have s—, so that ship started with me.”

source: people.com