Venture capital is no longer limited to the suits of the finance set.
From Hollywood’s A-list to internationally known rock stars, many celebrities have started to nudge their way into the investment world, often with a surprising amount of stealth. In our #LowKeyInvestors series, we unearth some of the most successful under-the-radar business ventures of celebritydom you might have missed.
Check out the notable stories of these five #LowKeyInvestors.
On “0 to 100,” Drake spits a philosophical maxim: “Know yourself, know your worth.” In other words, be self-aware of your skills—knowing your strengths and weaknesses will push you to work with talented individuals who can fill in the gaps. Over the years, Drake has stayed true to his own advice, collaborating with everyone from eSports companies to whiskey distilling experts.
It looks as if Ashton Kutcher wasn’t just method acting when he was playing the role of Steve Jobs. Investing heavily in companies like Uber and Bird, Kutcher has transformed from everyone’s favorite merry prankster into a venture capital mastermind. Whoa, dude!
In the 2000s, the members of Linkin Park were making bank, selling out stadiums and hitting multiplatinum milestones left and right. But Mike Shinoda and his bandmates had another lucrative hustle: investing in startups. Launching their VC firm Machine Shop Ventures in 2015, the rap-rock shredders have made millions since, continuing to prove that musicians can also be incredible businessmen.
Kenny G, the master of the sax, has also shown an incredible capacity for smart investing. Supposedly around 80 percent of his investments netted a profit. Forget Charles Schwab or Ameritrade—Kenny G is your new stock market guru.
Nas has been in the investing game for quite some time. From Dropbox to Lyft, the Queens-born rapper has proved himself to be quite the shrewd investor for the past 20 years. When it comes to lyrics versus money, it’s hard to tell what Nas is better at handling.
