When we first started tracking Jay-Z's net worth back in September 2009, we estimated the total value of his holdings (minus debt) was $300 million. That was 10 years ago. Technically, around 3,500 days ago. A lot has happened in that decade. Jay got married, had a couple of kids, released some albums, bought a couple of houses, purchased a jet, and made several business acquisitions. As of today, June 3, 2019, we are proud to officially confirm that Jay-Z is now a billionaire on his own.
We first added Jay-Z to Celebrity Net Worth on September 10, 2009. With that, we became the very first news outlet to track the personal net worth of Mr. Sean Carter. At that time, we pegged his net worth at $300 million. By September 2012, his net worth had jumped to $475 million. He crossed the $500 million mark for the first time in 2013 and topped the $600 million mark by 2015. Between 2015 and 2019, his net worth skyrocketed, thanks primarily to some very wise business investments. We estimate that Jay ended 2018 with a net worth of $950 million.
Table of Contents
Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Jay-Z |
| Real Name | Shawn Corey Carter |
| Date of Birth | December 4, 1969 |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York |
| Profession | Rapper, Entrepreneur, Producer |
| Spouse | Beyoncé Knowles |
Investment Highlights
In 1999, Jay and Damon Dash co-created the Rocawear clothing line. By 2000, the company was generating $50 million in revenue per year. At its peak, Rocawear generated $700 million in annual revenue. After ousting Damon, Jay sold the company to Iconix Brand Group for a little over $200 million.
In 2004, Jay bought a minority stake in what would eventually become the Brooklyn Nets. The acquisition also came with a small stake in their home stadium, the Barclays Center, where he has a 40/40 club. He had to sell the stake in the team for $2.35 million when he launched his sports management business, Roc Nation Sports. However, he still owns the stake in the arena.
In 2014, Jay became the majority owner in the champagne company Armand de Brignac. He had previously been a paid endorser of the brand but ultimately decided to buy the company out completely. Today, this investment is worth $310 million. He also co-owns a brand of cognac with Bacardi called D'Usse, with his stake in the venture worth $100 million.
Earnings By Year
By our count, between 2007 and 2018, Jay's regular income from performances, royalties, capital gains, and endorsements tops $620 million. In 2018, his total earnings amounted to $79 million.
Billionaire Status
To be clear, today is the first day Jay-Z has held billionaire status independently. Technically, he and Beyoncé Knowles have been combined billionaires for several years. They have earned a combined $1.4 billion from performances, royalties, endorsements, etc., since 2007. By our estimate, their combined net worth first topped the $1 billion mark in July 2014. As of this writing, Beyoncé's net worth is $500 million.
Fellow Billionaires
So mark it down on your calendar, folks: June 3, 2019, is the day the world first saw a billionaire rapper. He joins the following fellow celebrities who have crossed into billionaire status:
- George Lucas – $5.4 billion
- Steven Spielberg – $3.7 billion
- Oprah Winfrey – $3.5 billion
- Michael Jordan – $1.5 billion
- Paul McCartney – $1 billion ($1.3 billion when combined with his wife's family fortune)
- David Copperfield – $1 billion
- Jay-Z Net Worth – $1 billion
