The City Is Mine: Jay Z’s Best Non-Hot 97 Purchases

Shortly after Funkmaster Flex dropped another bomb-filled rant about Jay Z, rumors began to circulate that Jay was part of a group looking to purchase the Emmis Communications-owned station.

photo: WENN

The rumors came from MediaTakeOut, so as always, one should consider the source. But whether Jay drops some coin on Hot 97 or not, he’s still set for life. Take a look at Jay Z’s best non-Hot 97 purchases and curse your poverty-stricken life.

—

Photo: WENN

photo: WENN

The 40/40 Club

Rumor has it you’ll never hear any Diplomats music inside of a 40/40. But with locations in New York, Atlanta, and more rumored to be on the way, you’ll hear the sound of registers ringing and champagne glasses toasting.

photo: WENN

Barclays Center Shares

The real coup in Jay Z’s deal with the Brooklyn Nets was owning a small piece of the Barclays Center. Giving up one-fifth of one percent of the building valued to be worth $741 million made Jay’s shares worth about $1.5 million when he sold them to former Nets coach Jason Kidd.

photo: WENN

Beyonce’s Engagement Ring

Whatever Jay paid, he got a good deal.

photo: WENN

Ace of Spades

Sometimes the math from Forbes.com is done funny style, so take the assertion that Jay’s Armand de Brignac bubbly is worth $28.3 million with a grain of salt. Either way, Jay is caking after buying out his shareholders to become the principal owner of Armand de Brignac in November of 2014.

photo: WENN

Brooklyn Nets Stock

Establishing Roc Nation Sports meant Jay had to dump his stock in the Brooklyn Nets right before they went from mediocre to terrible. Jay owned roughly 1/15 of a percent, yet still netted half a million when he unloaded his shares to Jason Kidd in September of 2013.

100 Copies of Nipsey’s Hussle’s Crenshaw

Game recognize game. When Nipsey Hussle decided to sell physical copies of his 2013 album, Crenshaw, at $100 each, Jay rewarded Nip’s entrepreneurial spirit by purchasing 100 copies himself.

photo: WENN

$4.5 Million Basquiat Painting

They say rich folks buy art for its cultural capital. If nothing else, at least Jay can continue name dropping Jean-Michel Basquiat and Larry Gagosian while his Basquiat painting(s) appreciates in value.

Skylar Diggins’ Benz

Jigga diversified his Roc Nation Sports team by inking Notre Dame hooper Skylar Diggins. He sweetened the deal by copping her a Benz as a graduation gift (cough…tax writeoff).

$1 Million Rolls Royce For Beyonce

As cliché as it sounds, “A happy life starts with a happy wife.” When alleged sidepieces come out of the blue making cheating allegations in terrible rap songs, you want wifey to remember that 1959 convertible Rolls Royce you copped her.

Services of Murray Richman

If you ever decide to hit a peer with a few knife pokes—the way Jay Z allegedly did Lance “Un” Rivera—back in 1999, it’s good to have one of the country’s best lawyers on retainer.

Life+Times

Funkmaster Flex thinks the it’s trash, but Jay Z’s curated lifestyle site keeps his brand popping. And thanks to all those rants, ‘Hov got a ton of free publicity.

photo: WENN

Solange’s Silence

We’re kidding here! Well, mostly kidding. Does anyone want to guess what it took to keep Solange quiet about that infamous night in the elevator?

The Reasonable Doubt Masters

This was allegedly the move that broke up the Roc. Jay sold his shares in Roc-a-fella, then assumed the presidency of Def Jam in 2004. In exchange, he reportedly received the master recordings to his debut album.