In 2013, Jay-Z invested about $2 million in Uber; 6 years later, his stake was estimated to be worth around $70 million

JAY-Z, Grammy award-winning rapper, has risen to prominence through his career in hip-hop music, but his fame grew further to include business, entertainment, and charity works. One such investment is his supposed ownership of a stake in Uber.

According to a Forbes report, Empire State of Mind rapper acquired a stake in Uber for $2 million in 2013. The stake was valued at approximately $70 million in 2019. The $70 million was an estimated value of the stake at the time, rather than money JAY-Z was reported to have made from selling it.

JAY-Z’s $2 million Uber investment

Forbes included the Uber stake among the $220 million it estimated JAY-Z held in cash and investments in 2019. The publication reported that he had reportedly purchased the Uber stake for $2 million in 2013 and estimated its value at $70 million six years later.


According to the report, JAY-Z later wired Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick another $5 million in an attempt to increase his holdings, but Kalanick rebuffed the offer.

The Uber stake was part of the portfolio Forbes considered when it estimated JAY-Z’s net worth at $1 billion in 2019. Forbes described him as the first hip-hop artist to reach billionaire status.

From Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects to hip-hop

Born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York, JAY-Z grew up in the Marcy Projects, he was raised mainly by his mother, Gloria Carter, who sometimes worked two jobs.

As a teenager, Carter sold crack cocaine and later reflected on that period of his life, as per a Britannica report. He began writing rhymes and was influenced by groups including Run-DMC.

How Shawn Carter became JAY-Z

Carter eventually adopted the name JAY-Z and founded Roc-A-Fella Records with two friends. His debut album, 'Reasonable Doubt', was released in 1996 and eventually sold more than one million copies in the United States.

How JAY-Z became a hip-hop star

JAY-Z’s career gained momentum with 'Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life' in 1998. The album became his first to top the Billboard 200 and earned him his first Grammy for best rap album.

He followed it with 'The Blueprint' in 2001. In 2004, JAY-Z became president of Def Jam Recordings before stepping down from the position in 2007.

In 2008, he founded Roc Nation, which developed into a full-service entertainment conglomerate.

JAY-Z’s business ventures beyond music

JAY-Z expanded his business interests into film production, clothing and sports. In 2015, he acquired TIDAL by purchasing its parent company, Aspiro AB, as per the Britannica report.

His business ventures became an important part of the career he built alongside his work as a recording artist.

JAY-Z and Beyoncé’s music partnership

JAY-Z married Beyoncé in 2008, and the two have collaborated on music.

His 2017 album '4:44' addressed personal issues and explored themes involving racism and politics. In 2018, JAY-Z and Beyoncé released 'Everything Is Love', a joint album.

The couple have three children: Blue Ivy and twins Rumi and Sir.

JAY-Z’s Grammy record and major honors

He became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. The Blueprint was added to the National Recording Registry in 2018, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

By 2025, JAY-Z had won 25 Grammy Awards.

JAY-Z’s philanthropy and legacy

JAY-Z’s career has also included philanthropic and social justice work. In 2002, he and his mother founded the Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides college scholarships for students facing financial and socioeconomic barriers, as per the Britannica report.

He also cofounded REFORM Alliance and serves on the advisory board of the United Justice Coalition.