Jay-Z becomes the first rapper billionaire

Forbes confirmed on June 3, 2019 that Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter had become the first rapper to achieve billionaire status, with wealth built across music, fashion (Rocawear), spirits (Armand de Brignac champagne, D'Ussé cognac), streaming (Tidal), art, and real estate. His business empire redefined what a hip-hop artist could build and inspired a generation of Black entrepreneur-artists.