Drake, better known as Aubrey Drake Graham (or as “Wheelchair Jimmy” to Degrassi fans) is the fourth richest rapper in the world, according to Forbes.
On Wednesday, Forbes also revealed he was the twenty fifth highest paid celebrity over the past twelve months - pegged to the stellar performance of his album Scorpion and his joint tour with Migos. He could be set to make even more money this year, as he's going the Las Vegas residency route at XS Nightclub in Wynn and recently just dropped a new album called 'Care Package'.
The 'Nice for What' musician recently celebrated yet another career milestone with a controversial tattoo, which depicted himself with waving at The Beatles in their iconic Abbey Road shot. Drake beat yet another of the British band's records, as he now officially has more top ten hits than them and in 2018 also had more singles in the top ten simultaneously than The Beatles.
Drake's been making money since he was 15 and first appeared on Canada’s iconic teen TV show Degrassi as amateur rapper Jimmy Brooks. Since his stint on the greatest teen television show of our time, he's been busy.
He's sold out tours around the world, collaborated with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, and even launched his own champagne brand to coincide with his Instagram handle, @champagnepapi. And of course, the former Cash Money Records superstar famously bought up Birkin bags for his future wife.
To celebrate his endless wins, he's been upping his fashion game, showing off an $11,000 custom Brioni jacket paired with a $200,000 diamond chain. One particularly luxurious new piece is a diamond watch that required its own security team during a night out in Mayfair.
He wore the piece of bling again during a Raptors vs. Warriors game when fans realized the $750k timepiece actually had a hidden pornographic message with NSFW text bars that can be rearranged to spell out inappropriate phrases. He showed off the watch on Instagram, deeming its message "I want to caress you tonight" poetic.
His biggest purchase yet is his private plane, "Air Drake." He posted a video of the jet where he humblebrags, "No rental, no timeshare." He reportedly partnered with Canadian company Cargojet on the elaborate aircraft.
Here's how much money Drake has amassed since his teen stardom, from his real estate investments to his OVO clothing line and how he spends it (hello Birkin bag collection).
What is Drake’s net worth?
Drake is estimated to be worth at least $150 million in 2019 according to Forbes.
How does Drake’s wealth compare to Kanye West and Jay Z’s net worth?
According to Forbes, Drake falls behind Jay-Z, P. Diddy, and Dr. Dre on their 2018 list of wealthiest hip-hop artists. Drake is tied with Eminem in fourth place.
Kanye West's finances are less clear. He is reportedly worth $160 million, though famously claimed he was $53 million in debt in 2016 (there are rumors his wife, Kim Kardashian, bailed him out). He and Kardashian are estimated to have a combined net worth of $335 million.
As far as last year's earnings go however, Drake didn't make nearly as much as Jay-Z or Kanye West. Forbes Celebrity 100 revealed that Kanye West was the third highest paid celebrity (thanks mostly to his Yeezy empire), while Jay-Z trailed along further behind at twenty thanks to his stadium tour with his his wife Beyonce. Jay-Z also became the first ever hip hop billionaire earlier this year, with Forbes claiming that his takes in Uber, alcohol brands and his music have netted him a comfortable pay day.
Drake on the other hand came in at 25th.
Which Drake album made the most money?
Drake is the second most-streamed artist of all time on Spotify - it’s helpful that he’s been rapping since 2003. He signed with Lil Wayne’s Young Money label in 2002 with a $2 million advance, according to Page Six.
How much profit do Drake tours make?
According to Forbes, Drake made $94 million by 2017 with a good chunk of it coming from his Boy Meets World tour.
His second most successful tour was the Summer Sixteen tour, which was a 54-date run alongside Future. It was the highest-grossing hip hop tour in history, bringing in $85 million.
And while his next tour was successful, it didn’t top the summer of 2016. His Aubrey and the Three Migos tour in 2018 is one of the top-grossing North American tours, reportedly bringing in $79 million. While impressive, this puts his touring total far behind Ed Sheeran ($432 million), Taylor Swift ($345 million), and Beyoncé and Jay-Z ($254 mil).
Only time will tell how the Assassination Vacation tour sells.
Where does Drake’s wealth come from?
Drake has his own label, OVO Sound. It coincides with his clothing label, October’s Very Own, which made a reported $50 million in revenue in 2018, according to Business of Fashion. OVO sells everything from monogrammed hoodies to owl tees.
OVO also hosts an annual music festival in Toronto. Past headliners have included Kanye West, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar.
Drake also has lucrative deals with Sprite, Apple and Nike. He left Jay-Z’s Tidal behind to sign with Apple for $19 million and went on to release promotions for them.
Otherwise, the 32-year-old Canadian rapper has an equity stake in Virginia Black whiskey and the Toronto Raptors basketball team. He also has a new tour residency at XS Nightclub in Las Vegas this fall.
What does Drake spend money on?
He has invested in plenty of real estate. There's the 2-acre, $6.7 million property in his hometown of Toronto, Canada, and an $8 million mansion in the Hidden Hills, California gated community. His California crash pad has been compared to Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion and comes complete with an outdoor pool, wine cellar, and tennis court. He purchased the manse in 2012 for $7.7 million and dubbed it the “YOLO Estate.”
If the Cali neighborhood sounds familiar, it’s because his neighbors are Kanye, the Kardashians, and Justin Bieber.
And like many other A-listers, he has an impressive car collection, including a Rolls Royce, McLaren, and a Bentley that made a memorable appearance in his “Started From the Bottom” music video.
He also spends money on an extensive Birkin collection - but it isn’t for himself or for his devoted mother, Sandi Graham. Instead, it’s a type of dowry he’s saving for his wife-to-be. It’s unclear if his baby’s mother, former adult film star Sophie Brussaux, received a Birkin from the collection.
Champagne Papi also embraced his Instagram name by launching his own champers, called Mod Sélection. The bottles come handcrafted and engraved - selling for $300 to $400.
He also recently commissioned a $400,000 diamond-encrusted phone case complete with his mascot, the OVO owl.
Drake was previously on the hunt for a Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which sell for around $160,000. "I should get it. My birthday's coming up. Maybe I'll buy it for myself as a treat," he told The Hollywood Reporter.
Let's not forget his new private jet, "Air Drake." The plane is a custom Boeing 767 and is valued at $181.5 million. Drake flaunts a large owl decal on the exterior, while he has filled the interior with purple velvet and leather seats to create a comfortable and spacious lounge environment for his flights. And yes, the rapper has fully purchased and paid for the jet.
What are Drake's more philanthropic endeavors?
When he isn't stacking his closet full of Birkins, he's given thousands away. He visited Miami and donated at least $200,000 during a charity spree that began while he was shooting the music video for “Go’s Plan” at Miami Senior High School. He donated $25k to the school, along with school uniforms from his own clothing line.
He went on to surprise a University of Miami major with a $50k donation towards her tuition, along with donating $10k to the school’s music program which serves Miami communities. He also paid for $50k worth of groceries at Sabor Tropical Supermarket (he got on the megaphone and announced that he was picking up the bill for everyone who happened to be in the store - it was part of his music video for "God's Plan") and gave residents of the Lotus Village homeless shelter $50,000 towards the facility and $150 gift cards.
How many Grammys does Drake have?
After the last Grammys, he has four - and that’s after 42 nominations.
