The Gunsmoke Mafia

Everyone in the Gunsmoke Mafia knows this, but ya’ll might not… Jay-Z is my favourite artist ever.  Ever since I was gr.7 (which was about ’97), I have always loved the music that Jay puts out.  In my opinion he has a lethal combination of skills that makes him one of the greatest of all time in hip-hop, and in turn, entertainment business.  Well put together lyrics, smooth delivery, consistency, mixed with some of the best productions ever made in rap music, make’s Jay-Z a living legend.  He’s released more than 10 studio albums and hundreds of featured appearances on other songs.

Lets put aside his music and look at his success as a business man and entertainer.  Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter, at 39 years old, has an estimated net worth of 350 million dollars.  His numerous business ventures and lucrative deals over the past years have resulted in such massive wealth.  Hit the jump for some more details, links to articles and media. BestLife Magazine writes an excellent article about the God MC.  Here’s an excerpt:

By selling nearly 40 million albums and building a business empire that extends far beyond music into clothing, fragrances, the New Jersey Nets, sports bars, liquor, and hotels (to name just a few of his seemingly innumerable investments), Jay-Z has transformed himself into one of the most potent brands in the world. But that brand retains its power only if people remain convinced that the product they are purchasing somehow genuinely reflects Jay-Z and his tastes. As he famously put it in one of his raps, “I’m not a businessman/I’m a business, man.”

BestLife article:

But as laid-back and accessible as he seems, he also exudes a calm air of confidence. He doesn’t need to be aggressive or impose his will in a ham-fisted manner. Half a dozen people are floating around the studio, ready to read any sign of need or impatience on his part. He’s cooperative and congenial in the way that only someone who knows he can immediately put an end to any experience that moves in an unpleasant direction can be. “Jay-Hova,” he has called himself, echoing the name of the mighty, vengeful God of the Hebrew Bible. He has anointed himself the “God MC.”

Online magazine, The Corporate Takeover wrote a detailed piece on Jay-Z using his entertainment persona as a brand and selling it.  Some might argue that he “sold out” *cough* Nas *cough*, but in a business as cut throat as the music industry, it seems whoever doesn’t make the moves will sink into obscurity.  Here’s an exerpt from CT article:

Over the years, Carter has successfully used Jay-Z’s influence as a hip-hop star to build a franchise of businesses that capitalize on the rapper’s popularity. “[Jay-Z] is a purveyor of quality and value,” says Robby Wells, chief strategy officer for Acme Content Co. “He adds value to the lives of his consumers—just like any trusted brand. Where he is different than a typical brand is that he has an extreme amount of highly valuable influence. He could easily stand on the merits of what he is famous for, but he has shot to extreme levels of success due to his influence.”

Check out this chart that CT made to show a few of Jay-Z’s business ventures.