TheGrio's 100: Bryan 'Birdman' Williams, Rapper-turned-business-mogul
theGRIO's 100 - Bryan 'Birdman' Williams is a bona-fide business mogul. While mostly known as a co-founder of Cash Money Records, his empire includes fashion...
Between spitting verses and driving the latest cars, rapper Bryan “Birdman” Williams has added to his portfolio and become a bona-fide business mogul. While he’s mostly known as the co-founder of Cash Money Records — signing rap heavyweights such as Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne — his empire includes fashion and real estate. And he’s continuing to expand its reach.
Williams and his brother Ronald started their record label in the 1990s (in the section of New Orleans later hit hard by Hurricane Katrina) by selling music from their car trunks. More than a decade later, Williams, which GQ calls “hip-hop’s most underestimated tycoon,” has an estimated net worth of at least $100 million.
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Bryan “Birdman” Williams is making history … as a rapper who is changing the game in music by developing a wide range of separate businesses. In 2011, Forbes ranked Williams as the fourth wealthiest hip hop artist, tied with rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, behind Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jay Z and Dr. Dre.
What’s next for Bryan?
Williams continues to work on new ideas. Last year Cash Money launched Cash Money Content, a publishing division which releases books aimed at an urban demographic.
In his own words …
“We’ve been having this billionaire mindset as a child. I always felt like if I could make $1 million, I could make $100 million. If I feel I could make $100 million, I’m just nine steps away from being a billionaire, and that’s the goal,” Williams said in an interview with Forbes.
A little-known fact about Birdman …
Williams likes to wear his wealth. He frequently wears custom-made diamond grills in his mouth, which he says are worth $500,000. He also says he tries to wear $1 million worth of clothes and jewelry everyday.
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