These Rappers Are Living Large

posted in: Music News • Pop • Urban

In late July, reports started coming in that rapper Soulja Boy dropped a whopping $35 million on his own private jet. What’s more, the young rapper was to trick out his new whip with an additional $20 million, tricking out the G5 with 4 liquor bars, Italian leather seating and flat screens up the wazoo. As it turns out however, the veracity of the story started to be called into question shortly afterwards and was debunked early last week by one of Soulja’s reps.

There’s a couple of reasons why we should’ve seen this one coming: for one, the concept of Soulja Boy having $55 million to drop on anything in 2011 is a little surprising (in fact, while Soulja’s spokesperson confirmed that the story was untrue, Soulja himself was slapped with a lein for taxes owed to the IRS). Also, the story was originally reported in gossip blog TMZ, and though it sounds like they had the wool pulled over their eyes as well, shame on everybody for jumping on what now appears to be an elaborate publicity stunt.

However, this whole story got us thinking about some of our other favorite hip hop artists and the money they’ve dropped in the name of a lavish lifestyle. Opulence, extravagance and luxury is the name of the game”from the hood to hood rich to just plain rich. And many of our favorites fit this description to a T.

One of those top earners, Bryan Williams aka Birdman, has certainly earned his wealth; built less on album sales and more on his position at Cash Money Records and his tenacity and success as an entrepreneur. He’s worked hard so he probably felt like getting something nice for himself as a gift. Last August, Birdman bought himself a $1.5 million dollar diamond encrusted, 900 karat watch. A $1.5 million dollar watch might seem a little much but bear in mind that there’s only two of this watch in the world. The other owner? Elton John.  Check out the video after the jump for a quick peek into William’s swagged out trailer and the watch in question.

For a more heartwarming story of wealth being put to use, consider Lil Wayne. Wayne had a big year financially speaking in 2010 despite his incarceration. Now, Wayne’s got money to burn from all of those shows and album sales. So he’s probably got a nice house and a nice car but Wayne made headlines in December when he bought one of his fans a brand new wheelchair. Rhonda Austin, the fan in question, wrote the rapper during his stint in jail and Wayne, touched by her words and her mother Evelyn’s medical predicament which left her homebound, ordered the family The Quantum 6000 powerchair. The chair retails upwards of $11,000 and, considering Wayne’s rap background, is likely the Bugatti of wheelchairs.

Finally, you can talk about hip hop and money without talking about MC Hammer. The pop-rap performer’s storied career has been covered, analyzed and dissected to death. What was his most glaring excess during his time in the spotlight, you ask? Not the unpaid $500,000 loan from football star Deion Sanders (who he did a song with!), not the staff of 200 he had employed at the height of his fame. It was the mansion. Hammer dropped $20 million on the palatial estate in the early ’90s”check here for a jaw dropping overview of the place”and the terrace out front ever had a letter “H” insert, just in case you didn’t know whose house you were going to. Alas, Hammer would declare bankruptcy in 1996 and was forced to sell, amongst other things, his beloved mansion at a fraction of what he paid for it. As usual, it looks like Notorious B.I.G. said it best.