3 Kings
by Zack O'Malley Greenburg
A deeply reported history of the business of hip-hop, and a blueprint for the careers of its three most dynamic stars: Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-ZBeing a successful musician was simply never enough for the three kings of hip-hop. With a combined net worth of well over $2 billion, Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z lifted themselves from childhood adversity into tycoon territory, amassing a level of fame and wealth that not only outshone all other contemporary hip-hop artists, but currently makes them the three richest American musicians, period. Yet their fortunes have little to do with selling their own albums: between Diddy's Ciroc vodka, Dre's $3 billion sale of his Beats headphones to Apple, and Jay-Z's Tidal streaming service and other assets, these artists have transcended pop music fame to become lifestyle icons and moguls.Hip-hop is no longer just a musical genre; it's become a way of life that encompasses fashion, film, food, drink, sports, electronics and more - one...