There are some things I'll never understand - this is worth $450 million dollars?

[Darrell KSR]

Check out the lyrics to Jay-Z's "H.A.M." Warning, NSFW lyrics (but there's no audio here, just written words).

Jay-Z is reportedly worth nearly half a billion dollars. No wonder, with songs like this, huh?

https://genius.com/Jay-z-and-kanye-west-ham-lyrics

[KeithKSR]

I too do not understand how those lyrics lead one to be worth millions.

[BigBluePappy]

Wow...
Just wow...

[CitizenBBN]

As Robin Williams once said, you can fool some of the people some of the time and jerk the rest off.

[Doc]

One of our favorites. I put it on to get Shawn in the mood

[PedroDaGr8]

Because it isn't and never has been, the intended comparison (and its commentary) is entirely false. While highly respected as a rapper (his lyrical skill is often in his ability to apply multiple layers of hidden meaning and mixed metaphors masked by a strong bravado persona, sometimes though he drops the lyrical skill and just raps on bravado and it shows when does this), Jay Z has always been much more a successful businessman than a rapper. His only major money from rap was a deal with Live Nation for over $150 million. While nothing to sneeze at, it is just a fraction of his total value. Forbes lists his net worth at $810 million, much of that from the businesses he has started or invested in. His first success was the Roccawear clothing company he started with Damon Dash, that sold for $210 million back in 2007. He also founded Roccafella Records though he left that to become the CEO of Def Jam Records. I am unsure how much money he made from either of those. He now owns Roc Nation talent agency, which represents a wide range of talent and is quite successful. Other projects include Tidal (which he purchased almost entirely for $56 mil and just sold 1/3 for $200 mil), several clubs, and other businesses. Basically, is he good rapper? Yep when he wants to be. Did heg get to being worth between $0.5-1 Billion because of rap, not really other than it gave him the connections to use his business acumen. On that note, he credits being a crack dealer as helping him fine tune his business sense:

“I know about budgets. I was a drug dealer,” Jay Z told Vanity Fair contributing editor Lisa Robinson. “To be in a drug deal, you need to know what you can spend, what you need to re-up. Or if you want to start some sort of barbershop or car wash — those were the businesses back then. Things you can get in easily to get out of [that] life. At some point, you have to have an exit strategy, because your window is very small; you're going to get locked up or you're going to die.”

In conclusion, I would argue while he is famous as a rapper his business talent far eclipses his rap ability.

[KentuckyWildcat]

Some of you are just old and don't understand the younger generation.... :)

Note...I don't really listen to any music. I just watch Carrie Underwood videos.

[Darrell KSR]

I would argue while he is famous as a rapper his business talent far eclipses his rap ability.

No kidding.

That was crap on a stick.