From the Booth to the Boardroom —These Rappers Gave Us the Blueprint for Success

Gone are the days when rappers limited themselves to musical ventures, as some of today’s biggest artists have also become successful entrepreneurs.

These visionaries are carving out niches in various industries. From Jay-Z to 50 Cent, rappers are expanding their empires. Here are some of the most prolific quotes from musicians about their business savviness.

In 2019, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop artist to reach billionaire status. The “Empire State of Mind” MC built his impressive fortune by making good investments, business partnerships, and music.

Jay has never been shy about his successes. “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man,” he raps on Kanye West’s "Diamonds From Sierra Leone." He later expanded on this point during an interview with Men’s Health.

“My brands are an extension of me,” Hov said, adding, “The clothes are an extension of me. The music is an extension of me. All my businesses are part of the culture, so I have to stay true to whatever I'm feeling at the time, whatever direction I'm heading in.”

Before being hit with a scathing lawsuit by his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, Diddy was one of the most prolific names in hip-hop.

He has played an integral role in the success of businesses like AQUAHydrate and Ciroc while also maintaining his position as the CEO of Bad Boy Records. Diddy often offers advice to young entrepreneurs, suggesting that they spend their time learning about their prospective industries.

“They have to get on those computers instead of just going to Instagram and Snapchat, they need to do research about what fields that they want to be in,” Diddy told ABC News. “You can't rise in this game if you don't have the education.”

50 Cent burst onto the music scene in 2003 following the release of his smash hit In Da Club. Since then, he has dropped five studio albums and a slate of television and film projects.

He also serves as an executive producer on Power and its spinoff series. 50 Cent sat down with CNBC to discuss his rules for success. In the interview, he suggested that people focus on businesses they are passionate about.

“People who work for themselves work a lot harder,” the mogul said. “For me, I don’t care what hour it is. If I can’t sleep, I work. I wake up at between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m., because I know I have a project or have to get something done.”

In addition to winning 13 Grammy Awards, Pharrell Williams has become a successful entrepreneur and designer.

He has collaborated with Adidas and Louis Vuitton while maintaining creative partnerships with Chanel and Tiffany & Co. Pharrell was also included on Rolling Stone’s Future 25 list. He spo0kecandidly about his success.

“Confidence is in my work ethic,” Pharrell told the publication. “If I show you something that’s undeniable, well, then, it’s undeniable.”