- The "God's Plan" artist has won Grammy awards for his music, but his business ventures span way beyond the recording studio.
- He co-runs October's Very Own an umbrella company for his clothing line, record label, and radio station is an ambassador for the NBA's Toronto Raptors , and has quite the real estate portfolio.
- He's currently No. 3 on Forbes highest-paid acts in Hip Hop raking in $75 million in 2019.
- From his start as an actor on "Degrassi: The Next Generation" to his current status as a hip hop icon, here's how Drake made his millions and what he's been spending it all on since.
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Drake has been named the No. 5 richest rapper in the world with a $150 million net worth — here's a look at how he got there
Rapper Aubrey " Drake " Graham has an estimated net worth of $150 million and was ranked No. 5 on Forbes list of richest rappers in 2019 he's also the youngest on the list by 10 years.
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Drake a music artist who goes by his middle name was named the No. 5 richest rapper of 2019 by Forbes.
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Source: Forbes
The rappers net worth is estimated to be $150 million.
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Joe Scarnici/Getty Images
Source: Forbes
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At 32 years old, Drake is the youngest on the list.
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Prince Williams/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Forbes
From 2018 to 2019, Drakes net worth grew by 50%, according to Forbes. And thats thanks to way more than just his music.
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John Salangsang/AP
Source: Forbes
Drake told Forbes that he is always trying to get "better at things that make money."
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Steve Russell/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Forbes
While that "objective" of his does include reportedly making around $2 million per night on tour...
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Reuters
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Source: Forbes
...it also includes his various business projects like the OVO family of brands he started.
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champagnepapi/Instagram
Source: Business of Fashion
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OVO stands for Octobers Very Own Drake was born in October so the brand name is a nod to himself. The company started as an online community where the budding rap star released his first studio album, "Thank Me Later."
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October's Very Own/Instagram
Source: Business of Fashion
OVO co-founder Oliver El-Khatib likened the MySpace page where the brand started to todays Instagram in terms of the platforms ability to facilitate a connection between an artist and their fans.
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Oliver El-Khatib/Instagram
Source: Business of Fashion
Before he reached hip hop superstardom, Drake was an actor. He was a regular on the teen-focused soap opera, "Degrassi: The Next Generation." So Drake, the actor, turned to a MySpace page to transition to Drake, the musician.
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George Pimentel/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Vox , Business of Fashion
The page turned into a blog, which became a spot for Drake, El-Khatib, and their team to post inspiration and also their original work, El-Khatib said. When the first album came out in 2010, it went right to the top of the US Billboard 200 list.
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OVO Blog
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Source: Business of Fashion
Drake went on to make several more albums,some of which reached No. 1 on charts and won various awards.
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David Becker/Getty Images
Source: Biography
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He also won a Grammy Award for the best rap album in 2013.
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Reuters
Source: Biography
In 2011, the brand started to release clothing. El-Khatib said it was because the group needed some tour-specific clothing for employees at venues to easily recognize the team. Since then, fashion has been the companys biggest source of revenue and is projected to do $50 million in sales in 2019.
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George Pimentel/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Business Of Fashion
The brand has also participated in collaborations with other fashion icons. In December 2013, Drake announced a collaboration line with Nikes Jordan Brand.
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Courtesy of GOAT
Source: GQ
But clothing isnt the companys only source of revenue. There is also OVO Sound and OVO Sound Radio a record label and radio program respectively.
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October's Very Own/Instagram
Source: Business Of Fashion
The actor-turned-musician also has quite an extensive real estate portfolio.
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Source: Business Insider , Architectural Digest
His most recent Los Angeles acquisition was a $4.5 million ranch in Hidden Hills a neighborhood also known for being the home of celebs like the Kardashians.
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Google/USGS
Source: Variety , Architectural Digest , Curbed
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He dubbed the first of his three Hidden Hills homes the Yolo Estate. Drake paid $7.7 million for the estate in 2012.
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Google/USGS
Source: Business Insider , Trulia
The third home a 1950s-style ranch bumped up Drakes Hidden Hills acreage to a cool 6.7 acres. Thats roughly the size of five football fields.
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Source: Variety , Architectural Digest , Curbed
Before all the acting, businesses, and subsequent sources of income, Graham was busy growing up in Toronto, Canada.
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Saturday Night Live/YouTube
Source: Saturday Night Live
He was raised predominantly by his single mother in a Jewish household.
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Source: Biography
Through his own song lyrics and different interviews with magazines like GQ, the rapper has touched on having a complicated relationship with his father, but in recent years the rapper has said, "Were cool" now.
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champagnepapi/Instagram
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Like many religiously observant Jewish people, Drake had a Bar Mitzvah when he was around 13 years old. Billboard reported that he even hosted a "re-Bar Mitzvah" for his 31st birthday.
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champagnepapi/Instagram
Source: Billboard
One of the ways Drake stays connected to his Toronto roots is through his ambassadorship-turned-partnership with the citys NBA team, the Raptors.
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Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
Source: City News Toronto , TIME
In 2013, the rapper who grew up a "die-hard fan" of the team was named Raptors global ambassador.
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Reuters
Source: Hardwood Diagnostic , City News Toronto
He said as ambassador, he wants "to bring the excitement into this building, I want a team that people are dying to come see, I want the tickets to be extremely hard to get, I want to bring that aggression, I want to bring that energy."
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Nick Turchiaro/Reuters
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Source: Hardwood Diagnostic , City News Toronto
Hes even hinted at wanting to buy the team one day.
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champagnepapi/Instagram
Source: Instagram
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With Drakes help, the team launched a publicity campaign in 2014.
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John E. Sokolowski/Reuters
Source: USA Today , Toronto Raptors
Team representatives have said "We the North" is an attitude and mindset that they hoped fans all over the world would get behind...
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Toronto Raptors/YouTube
Source: USA Today , Toronto Raptors
...and they have.
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Dan Hamilton/Reuters
Source: USA Today , Toronto Raptors
In 2017, the partnership between the star and the team grew its philanthropy reach. Drake and the Raptors donated a total of $3 million to Toronto and to Canada Basketball.
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Mark Blinch/Reuters
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Source: City News Toronto
The money was to be used to build courts around the city and facilitate the overall growth of the sport in the community.
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Toronto Raptors/YouTube
Source: City News Toronto
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In March 2019, the Raptors practice facility was renamed the OVO Athletic Centre.
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Steve Russell/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Complex
Even though Drake is often seen courtside cheering on the Raptors...
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Kyle Terada/Reuters
Source: TIME
...hes also proven to be a Golden State Warriors fan at times.
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Vaughn Ridley/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: TIME
In fact, he bet French Montana $60,000 that the Warriors would beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals the Warriors lost and Drake was out a cool $60K.
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Getty/Ronald Martinez
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Source: Bleacher Report
Another NBA team that has had the rappers heart at one point is the Miami Heat.
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Chris Trotman/Getty
Source: TIME , SB Nation , Heat Nation
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Hes been accused of being a "bandwagon fan" someone who supports whatever team is supposed to be the best that season.
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Source: TIME , SB Nation , Heat Nation
He was spotted on the Heats sidelines cheering for pals Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James.
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Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Source: TIME , SB Nation , Heat Nation
But the rapper has also proven to show some philanthropic love for the Florida city.
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Reuters
In 2018, he donated $50,000 to help pay for a new homeless shelter after visiting Miamis Lotus House the citys only homeless shelter for women and children at the time. He also gave Target gift cards to mothers and toys to children.
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Drake/YouTube
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Source: Miami Herald
The rapper used his "Gods Plan" music video budget of almost $1 million to make different donations around the city. The video opens with a statement that reads: "... Dont tell the label ..."
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Drake YouTube , TIME , ABC News
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He filmed the video in various locations around Miami and made subsequent donations. He gave Destiny James, a student at the University of Miami, a check for $50,000 ...
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Miami Herald
... he walked into a grocery store and told shoppers hed pay for everything they bought that day ...
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Miami Herald
... he walked up to families and handed them stacks of cash ...
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Miami Herald
... he donated $25,000 to Miami Senior High School ...
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Drake/YouTube
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Source: Miami Herald
... he danced with kids at the Overtown Youth Center ...
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Miami Herald
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... and donated $20,000 to the Miami Fire Department.
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Miami Herald
Other lucky people around the city were given cars and shopping sprees at Saks Fifth Avenue.
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Drake/YouTube
Source: Miami Herald , Drake YouTube
While its clear the rapper has spent a significant amount of money on strangers, he has also reportedly been supporting Sophie Brussaux a former adult-film star and the mother of Adonis, Drakes son.
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Tom Szczerbowski/Stringer/Getty Images
Source: TMZ , People , Hollywood Life , Hypebeast
Drake hasnt been without his share of controversies. When fellow rapper Pusha T announced to the world that Drake, in fact, did have a son, it made headlines. He also called out Drake for wearing blackface on one of his album covers.
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Octobers Very Own defended himself in the conversation around blackface, but he did confirm Pusha Ts allegations that he had a son. The confirmation came in 2018 when Drake said he was "hiding the world from my son," not the other way around.
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Sophie B./Instagram
Source: Vanity Fair , Cosmopolitan
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Drake is constantly working on new ventures like investing in tech company Omni and making music. Theres no telling whats next in Drakes plan.
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John E. Sokolowski/Reuters
Source: Kulture Hub , Biography , Forbes
See Also:
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- Michael Jackson was 'the highest-paid dead celebrity of 2018,' but the singer died in debt. Here are some of the most extravagant things he spent his fortune on.
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SEE ALSO: Peek inside Michael Jordan's houses, cars, and travels and see what $1.9 billion buys
DON'T MISS: Michael Jackson was 'the highest-paid dead celebrity of 2018,' but the singer died in debt. Here are some of the most extravagant things he spent his fortune on.
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