How Did Jay-z Create A $450 Million Empire? Ms. Bels Monday, March 28, 2011 Credits & Debits, Music 101, Power Moves It is no surprise that Sean “Jay-Z” Carter is the second richest hip-hop artists [read here]. With a net worth of $450 million, his ability to strategically create a successful brand and various business ventures proves that this former street hustler is smarter than your ivy-league spun CEOs. Forbes writer, Zack O’Malley Greensburg, recently penned a book about the mogul titled Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office. The book highlights the highs and lows of Jay-Z’s rise to the top. With many successes under his belt, the book also shines a light on several failed business ventures of Mr. Carter. Check out this video of Mr. Greensburg with Dan Gross/Yahoo!: To read the full article, check out Yahoo! Finance.