World’s richest musician is worth £2.5 billion – twice as much as Taylor Swift

Throwing dollar bills, spraying champagne, and flaunting flashy jewellery, rappers often talk about the money in their accounts, but with an empire worth $2.5 billion, the world’s richest musician has the funds to back it up.

Despite not releasing a new album in eight years, Jay-Z has continued to hold the title of the world’s richest musician but is also a savvy businessman, doubling his net worth since 2019 with a whole host of non-music ventures.

His career has spanned 30 years beginning in 1996 with the launch of his Roc-A-Fella label and the release of his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt. Since then, he has sold over 125 million records globally and clinched 24 Grammy awards.

But Jay-Z’s vast wealth, predicted to be around $2.5 billion according to Forbes, has come from his wide range of business sales rather than sales from his hits.

Despite Taylor Swift bagging a historic $190 million post-tax earnings from her historic Eras Tour, Swift is valued at £1.3 billion, giving her the title of the second richest musician.

Although the two have come to their fortunes in drastically different ways, Swift is thought to be the first billionaire solely from her music having amassed around £473 million from royalties and touring, owning a music catalogue worth another £483 million, and holding real estate assets estimated at £99 million.

The 55-year-old, on the other hand, has amassed his wealth through his own start-ups as well as early investments in some of the world’s biggest companies such as Uber and SpaceX.

One of Jay-Z’s most surprising ventures began in 2013 when it was announced that he was creating a sports agency Roc Nation Sports. The agency started as an underdog with many of the sporting giants brushing it aside, but after stealing a New York Yankee from one of the most famous baseball agents, the firm began to explode.

Later signing basketball giants Kevin Durant and Jeremy Lin, it is now ranked as the seventh biggest sports agency in the world valued at around $200 million.

Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter, cashed out another pay-day in 2021 after selling his music streaming service Tidal for $297 million to a financial tech company, just six years after acquiring it himself.

Beyonce’s husband’s ventures go on, with a $200 million contract to promote Live Nation an entertainment company and ticket-selling business.

However, his biggest pay-days come from his alcohol dealings, being a huge player in two businesses that have amassed him a billion dollars on their own.

In the ’90s Jay-Z would regularly feature champagne from the brand Cristal in his music videos and songs. But after their CEO made racist comments, he changed his allegiance to Armand de Brignac, culminating in him buying 50 percent of the company in 2006, acquiring the rest eight years later.

In 2021, Europe’s richest man, LVMH’s owner Bernard Arnault, purchased 50 per cent off Jay Z for a reported $630 million, leaving the rapper with a hander $300 million profit.

But his largest payout comes from the drinks conglomerate Bacardi after Jay Z went into business with them to buy D’ussé, a luxury cognac business.

In 2023, the Brooklyn-born tycoon cemented his empire of wealth when the rum company bought his stake out for an eye-watering $750 million.