Most Expensive Rapper Homes: Jay-Z & Beyonce, Drake & More

Hip-hop is not just a culture anymore but a multi-billion-dollar business. Jay-Z became the genre's first billionaire while his protégés, Kanye West and Rihanna, joined him soon after. As of 2022, Forbes declared Diddy a billionaire, as well. Hip-hop is as lucrative now as it's ever been in its 50-year history, and it's common for rappers to splurge on extravagant real estate. Hip-hop artists drop vast amounts of money on sprawling ultra-exclusive homes. Rapper homes are generally large and exquisite, signifying the lavish and showy lifestyle associated with the genre. Below, we've broken down a few rapper homes with unbelievable price tags.

Drake primarily lived on the YOLO Estate in Hidden Hills, California, before his $100 million mansion was complete. The Canadian rapper bought two acres of prime real estate in Bridle Path, Toronto, in 2016. Bridle Path is one of Canada’s most exclusive residential locations and is home to Canada’s elite, such as legendary singer Celine Dion. Drake reportedly paid $6.7 million for the plot of land, and work on the ultra-luxury property started immediately.

The Canadian rapper hired famed designer Ferris Rafauli to oversee the interior design and décor of the house. Ferris brought Drake’s architectural vision for his palace to life with no expenses spared. The palatial home was worth a reported $100 million by the time the Canadian star moved in. This is partly due to the zip code of Bridle Path and the uber-luxurious installments (i.e., a $400K mattress) and art pieces Ferris used for the mansion.

Drake continuously updated his fans on his dream home's progress via his Instagram. The Palace was also the set of the "Toosie Slide" music video. Architectural Digest featured the 50,000 square feet abode once it was completed in their April 2020 issue. Drake sold his Hidden Hills mansion for a reported $12 million. The Toronto Palace is now his primary residence. Drake currently has the most expensive rapper home recorded.

You wouldn’t imagine that Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce would struggle to find a home to buy, right? But, that’s precisely what happened to the superstar couple when they opted to move to California. The Carters reportedly spent three years searching for a home in Los Angeles. However, they finally decided to settle on the Bel-Air neighborhood's $90 million modern mansion.

The mansion sits on 1.5 acres of land and has 30,000 square feet of livable space. Paul McClean designed the palatial residence. It had an initial asking price of $120 million, but the Carters managed to negotiate it down to $88 million. They also reportedly spent $750,000 on renovations and customizations before officially moving in with their children. The rapper's mansion is currently the second most expensive home on this list and the most expensive rapper home in the United States.

Kanye left his sprawling $20 million Hidden Hills mansion after a divorce from reality TV superstar Kim Kardashian. He eventually settled half an hour away in Malibu after purchasing and renovating the $57 million beachfront residence. Tadao Ando designed the 4,000 square feet home. Kanye was inspired and intrigued by Tadao’s work in Naoshima. This is believed to be the reason why he immediately bought the property. The "Can’t Tell Me Nothing" rapper also reportedly bought a $4.5 million mansion right next to his former Hidden Hills home to easily see his children.

Dr. Dre has managed to keep his modern-day castle out of the public eye. We know that the legendary gangsta rapper/super-producer purchased the property from Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen in 2014. Tom and Gisele reportedly build the home from the ground up after purchasing the land for $11 million. The castle sits on four acres and is reported to have 18,000 square feet of living space. Of course, it wouldn’t be a real castle if it did not have a moat.

Tom and Gisele’s initial asking price for the home was $50 million, but Dr. Dre purchased it after the couple slashed the price to $40 million. Brentwood is one of California’s exclusive estates that constantly attract celebrities and the wealthy in society. Dr. Dre’s neighbors include LeBron James, Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Heidi Klum. Dr. Dre also owns other residential properties around California.

Diddy purchased the mansion in 2014 because he wanted to be close to his children. The European-inspired mansion was renovated just before the music mogul moved in. It boasts 17,000 square feet of interior space with eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. The property sits on 1.3 acres of land, and TMZ reports a separate spa pavilion with a steam room, massage parlor, and a full-service beauty salon.

Combs also owns two side-by-side mansions in Miami’s exclusive Star Island and a sprawling property in Toluca Lake. The latter was occupied by his ex-wife and mother of his four children, Kim Porter, who died in 2018. Diddy has reportedly offloaded the mansion from his real estate portfolio.

Travis Scott has had a wonderfully progressive career in recent years. He is one of the most streamed artists of his generation, thanks to hit songs like the Drake-assisted "Sicko Mode," "Butterfly Effect," and "Antidote." Travis has also embarked on sold-out tours and headlined several festivals worldwide. The "Franchise" rapper additionally holds a substantial endorsement portfolio. It includes deals with Nike, McDonald's, toy maker Mattel, fashion house Christian Dior, and cereals brand General Mills.

The Houston-born rapper was, therefore, comfortably able to afford $23 million for this yacht-inspired home in Brentwood, California. Travis bought the modern mansion in 2020. Sources allegedly close to the hip-hop star said that he paid for the property in cash. The initial asking price for the 17,000 square feet mansion was $42 million.

The queen of rap has consistently appeared on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid rappers. She reportedly amassed $29 million in earnings between 2021 and 2022. This is despite not releasing an album or going on tour in over five years. The Lil Wayne protégé reportedly dropped $19.5 million in 2022 for a Hidden Hills mansion. Her new mansion never got a chance to hit the property market; as such, the property details are scarce. Tax records show that the mansion has 12,000 square feet of interior space with eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms. Nicki has currently been living with her husband and son in Calabasas.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning MC has had an incredible run in hip-hop since he debuted the groundbreaking, culture-defining Good Kid M.A.A.D City album. Kung Fu Kenny is widely touted as one of the greatest hip-hop artists ever. His albums Damn, To Pimp A Butterfly, and the aforementioned Good Kid M.A.A.D City often appear on greatest albums of all time lists. Dr. Dre, The Game, and Snoop Dogg crowned him the generational successor of West Coast hip-hop.

All this success afforded the Grammy-winning Compton rapper a mansion in the coveted East Gate neighborhood of Bel-Air. The home was built in the '50s and was designed by renowned L.A. architect Edward Fickett. The property has just over 8,000 square feet of living space. Kendrick Lamar is said to have previously lived with his family in Manhattan Beach. He has additionally purchased residential properties in Calabasas, which are currently occupied by his other family members.

Lil Wayne finally moved to the West Coast. He purchased a modern farmhouse-inspired mansion for a reported $15.4 million in 2021. His immediate next-door neighbor is the reality TV star and influencer Kylie Jenner. Wayne’s property has two buildings; the main house and a smaller guest house. The total livable area of the property is 12,000 square feet with a total of seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms.

The legendary Grammy-winning New Orleans native spent most of his career living in Miami. He purchased a mansion in Biscayne Bay in 2018 for $16.5 million. Weezy later listed the property for $30 million but it was purchased in 2023 for a reported $22 million. The Hidden Hills estate is currently his primary residence.

Big Sean bought the French Normandy-style mansion in a very affluent and guard-gated enclave of Encino. The plot sits on about a third of an acre and comprises just over 10,000 square feet of living space. Sean Don secured the property at a $2 million discount. Records show that the mansion was built in 2005 and then completely renovated around 2016. Sean had just completed the sale of his $11 million Beverly Hills home that he had purchased in 2017 when he moved into his Encino pad.  

Honorable mentions for rapper homes include The Promise owned by Rick Ross, Tyler, the Creator’s house in Bel-Air, Offset and Cardi B's Atlanta home, and Swizz Beatz & Alicia Keys’ $20.8 million architectural wonder.