Jay Z is the first hip hop artist to land billionaire status.
A combination of successful companies, a lucrative catalog of music, smart investments and real estate holdings all contribute to the mogul’s considerable wealth, according to a new Forbes story on Monday.
Jay, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, has amassed a fortune that ‘conservatively totals $1 billion.’
The financial outlet has been keeping an eye on the rapper’s wealth since it first featured him on the 2010 cover of the Forbes 400 – a ranking of the 400 richest Americans- alongside American business magnate Warren Buffet.
Since then, Jay has made a serious a smart business choices like stakes in swanky booze brands Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac which the outet claims are worth $310 million and $100 million respectively.
