With almost three decades in the rap game, there’s no secret that Jay Z’s trajectory has been nothing short of aspirational. From investments worth an estimated $300 million, owning the rights to his masters, the opening of the prolific 40/40 club in New York and an art collection worth a projected $75 million Jay Z’s business acumen is quite enviable really. You would be a complete fool to think that Billionaire status wasn’t written in his stars. In fact, the rapper has been telling us for years just how rich and just how much better he is than everyone else. In honour of his newfound billionaire-ship here are ten examples of when Jay Z made us feel broke.
Hard Knock life volume. 2: “It’s Like that” ft. Kid capri, 1998
I vowed to never stop winnin, ’til the earth stop spinnin
Rock hot linen, cop hot cars and hot women
“We made it” freestyle. jay z & J electronica, 2014
Hop off the slave ship
Popped off my chain and took it to Jacob, I got it gold plated
Walked in that bitch like “Nigga we made it!”
I own my own masters
You know I ain’t missin’ no royalty statements
I can’t be rated (God, God), damn Hov stunt on them haters
Everything is love: “boss”. The carters, 2018
Everybody’s bosses ’til it’s time to pay for the office
‘Til them invoices, separate the men from the boys, over here
We measure success by how many people successful next to you
Here we say you broke if everybody is broke except for you
Boss!
the professional: “Gasngsta shit”. Dj clue ft Jay Z & Ja Rule, 1998
I understand why y’all niggas is mad at me
Sittin’ around like, “Damn, that could be me”
All the cars and the bitches, livin’ lavishly
But there’s only one problem: y’all ain’t bad as me
Who could flip a record company from a half a ki?
Then drop a gold album, do the math with me
Turn right around and go platinum, that would be
Fuck it, I lost count, why don’t you tell me the amount?
“Drug Dealers Anonymous”. Pusha T ft Jay Z, 2016
Who deserves the medal of freedom is my accountant
He been hula hooping through loop holes, working ’round shit
IRS should’ve had the townhouses surrounded
Thanks to the lawyers
I marbled the foyer
I tore the floor up
Yeah, that’s for Koi fish
We been dining on oysters
I walk through the garage it’s like multiple choices
I told ‘em pull the Royce up
I’m getting ghost, I’m hearing noises
I think it’s the boys, but I been banking at Deutsche
We got storefronts, we got employee stubs
We been opening studios and 40/40s up
The paper trail is gorgeous
Magna carter holy grail: “Picasso baby”, 2013
V1:Marble Floors, gold Ceilings
Oh what a feeling, fuck it I want a billion
Jeff Koons balloons, I just wanna blow up
Condos in my condos, I wanna row of
Christie’s with my missy, live at the MoMA
V2: Yellow Basquiat in my kitchen corner
Go ahead lean on that shit Blue
You own it
Reasonable Doubt, “cashmere thoughts”, 1996
I’m solid gold, I rap like a mink stole
I stick pearl tongues your world’ll never know
The life and times of S.Carter. Volume 3: “SO ghetto”, 1993
I’m fuckin with the model chicks Friday night at Life
So I’m cruisin in the car with this boozy broad
She said, “Jigga-Man you rich, take the du-rag off”
Who is frostie???: “dead presidents”, 2015
Yesterday I was needin’ this dough
Get it? I was kneadin’ this dough
Long as your math is fast if your readin’ is slow
reasonable doubt: “Politics as usual”, 1996
I’m taking wages down in Vegas just in case Tyson
Have a major night off, that’s clean money, the tax write-off
You ain’t seen money in your life, when it
Comes to this cheese y’all like Three Blind Mice
