It’s well known that most rappers come from the street. In fact, many of the greatest rappers have a rags-to-riches story, that sees that coming from poverty and attaining wealth and success thanks to their talent.
However, there are a select number of hip-hop and rap musicians who break this mould. These rappers were born into wealthier families, and grew up surrounded with relative affluence. It would be fair to class the rappers on this list as having at least a middle class upbringing, and in some cases, an upper-middle class background.
Here are 10 rappers who grew up rich (or were born rich).
10. Kid Rock
American singer-songwriter and rapper Robert James Ritchie, known professionally as Kid Rock, established himself in the Detroit hip-hop scene and achieved mainstream success with his blend of rap, country, and rock.
A self-taught musician, it is claimed Rock is able to play every instrument required from that of a backing band and has even overseen production on all but two of his studio albums.
Kid Rock is from Romeo, a picturesque village in Macomb County, Michigan. He is the son of Susan and William Ritchie – owners of multiple car dealerships, and with a net worth of $2 million.
9. Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri is an American rapper, record executive and entrepreneur. He first formed popular teen duo Kris Kross and then in 1993 established his own record label So So Def.
As an artist his albums Life in 1472 and Instructions earned him notoriety. In 2013, Dupri replaced Randy Jackson as Mariah Carey’s talent manager and five years later he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Dupri is the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin and grew up in College Park – part of the Atlanta Metropolitan area. His family are estimated to have a net worth of $5 million.
8. Diggy Simmons
Along with his rapping career, Diggy Simmons is also a model and actor. He was the youngest member of Lupe Fiasco’s short-lived rap collective, All City Chess Club. Diggy, his parents and five siblings were a main focus of MTV’s reality television show Run’s House.
Simmons currently stars as Doug Edwards on Television show Grown-ish. He is the fourth child of Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons of Run DMC with the family living in quaint Saddle River, New Jersey – a borough of New York City. They family have a reported worth of $60 million.
7. Gabe Day
Gabe Day began playing music when he was just nine, becoming known for his role in the video for rap song ‘Green Auras’ which gained negative attention for its connections to drug culture. He released his debut EP Every Scar Is A Healing Place in 2015.
Day went to the prestigious Berklee College of Music. He has a diverse family unit including three half-siblings and is himself of Irish, French, German and Algerian descent. Day is best known for being the son of actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who is worth an estimated $60 million.
6. OMG
Actor, rapper and songwriter O’Shea Jackson Jr is also known by the stage name OMG. He was raised in the San Fernando Valley and attended William Howard Taft High School in the upmarket Woodland Hills, California.
OMG is the oldest son of N.W.A star Ice Cube and in his feature film debut even portrayed his father as part of the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton. In 2010, Jackson and his brother Darrell featured on two Ice Cube songs ‘She Couldn’t Make It On Her Own’ and ‘Y’all Know How I Am’ from his album I Am the West.
It’s fair to say that OMG grew up wealthy, with his father achieving an estimated net worth of $65 million.
5. Lil’ Romeo
Lil’ Romeo is not only a rapper but also an actor and television personality raised in New Orleans. He found fame as a musician in the early 2000s after signing with No Limit Records, then owned by his father Master P.
He went on to release debut single ‘My Baby’ in 2001 and later the same year debut album Lil’ Romeo – which reached number six on the US Billboard 200, selling 100K copies in its first week and certified Gold. His Mother is former rapper Sonya C. The family’s net worth is reportedly around $200 million.
4. Ricky Hil
Ricky Hill emerged in the mid-2010s with works SYLDD in 2014 and Candy Painted Coffins a year later. The Manhattan-born rapper took a lengthy break before eventually releasing the record Same Shit Different Day in early 2021.
Raised in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut – the artist was born into money as the son of Fashion Mogul Tommy Hilfiger. The family has an estimated worth of $250 million.
3. Redfoo
Redfoo is best known for his role as part of the musical duo LMFAO releasing hit songs ‘Party Rock Anthem’ and ‘Sexy and I Know It.’ The group also recorded two studio albums – Party Rock in 2009 and Sorry for Party Rocking two years later.
He released debut solo record Party Rock Mansion in 2016 having previously been a day trader and even featured on business television CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer. Born in Los Angeles, the rapper is son of Berry Gordy Jr – founder of the Motown record label – and his writer-producer mother Nancy Leiviska. The pair boast a combined net worth of over $400 million.
2. Chet Hanks
Rapper and actor Chet Hanks is the son of thespian pair Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson – raised in a rich family, surrounded by influences from the world of the arts. He had a rocky adolescence and during high school was sent to a wilderness therapy program for troubled teens.
Hanks went on to study Theatre at Northwestern University and as an actor has secured recurring roles on television series Empire, Shameless and Your Honor. With his Father Tom being worth an estimated $300 million and actress Mother Rita Wilson $100 million, the family has a combined net worth of around $400 million.
1. Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith began his musical career supported by Justin Bieber when he featured on the 2010 single ‘Never Say Never’ from film The Karate Kid. The track made top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and was even certified five times Platinum in the US. He attended New Village Leadership Academy before being home-schooled by his parents.
Smith’s film debut was with his father Will in the 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happiness and he would once again appear with his Dad in After Earth three years later. Jaden was born in Malibu, California – and is also the son of actor Jada Pinkett Smith. Estimates suggest that the family is worth a combined $500 million.
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