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Rappers, unlike any other type of celeb, are a special group of people. They stand out in the celeb world. They are known for their steely personas, their attitude, and above all, their love of flaunting their wealth. Once a rapper’s made it big, you know about it. They love living lives of luxury. Rappers live their lives much like their music videos – the fast cars, the women, the jewelry, and fancy houses.

Once upon a time, it was all about luxury cars. Having a super-car was something that just screamed wealth. Actually, it still does. They all have them. But things have changed a tad on that front. Rappers are no longer preoccupied with owning flashy motors. That’s no longer a measurement of wealth – it’s just a given, it’s part and parcel of life in the rap game. Private jets are now what it’s all about. They’ve basically become a rite of passage with every rapper striving to own one. You own a private jet and you’re a baller, just like Jay-Z, perhaps the most successful rapper and now businessman of them all. Apparently, Beyoncé bought a private jet for her hubby, thought to be in the region of $50 million, of course customized and decked out in all of their gear. That’s aeronautical opulence for you. Incidentally, Jay-Z, ever the opportunist, has also launched his own private jet service, for the super-wealthy, and probably for a few rappers too who want to travel in style.

Pretty much every rapper flits about the world on a private jet, whether it’s one they’ve hired for the occasion or one they own. But it’s safe to say that very few have private jets like Jay-Z’s. They may have made a ton of cash in the rap industry, but affording to buy a private jet like Jay-Z’s – that’s taking things to another level. There are 15 wealthy rappers who can’t afford to buy a private jet like Jay-Z’s.

Tyga Charters Private Jets But Doesn't Actually Own One 

28-year-old American rapper Tyga hit the big time in 2011, and since then his career’s been on a steady upwards trajectory. But in recent years, he’s made the headlines more for things that have been happening in his personal life than his musical endeavors. There’s been plenty of drama due to his association with the Kardashian-Jenner clan, and it’s resulted in his popularity getting an almighty boost. With more popularity comes more opportunities, and from the looks of things, from Tyga’s extravagant lifestyle, we can safely assume that Tyga’s made the most of everything that’s come his way. He’s a busy guy, and lives a jet-setting lifestyle. Flying in private jets is his preferred way to get around. Apparently, he travels in private jets wherever he goes. We’ve seen plenty of pics over the years, him and his son going on day trips, or with him and Kylie Jenner partying at 300,000ft. He charters private jets but doesn’t actually own one. He likes to spend, probably squanders a lot of his cash, and although he’s still classified as being rich, in all likelihood he doesn’t have the funds to own one – certainly not one like Jay-Z’s.

Missy Elliot Lives A Pretty Humble Lifestyle For A Female Rap Legend 

It seems as if Missy Elliot has been around for decades. People think of her as one of the original female rappers in the industry. That’s because she has been around for quite some time. The 46-year-old started off way back in the late 80s, and although today you wouldn’t exactly say that she’s still going strong, she’s still going and has built an almighty reputation for herself. She’s someone female rappers look up to, someone who’s respected by pretty much everyone. But Missy Elliot isn’t someone who you’d necessarily say flaunts the cash. You can bet your bottom dollar she’s got plenty of it, due to all of her achievements and longevity in the industry, but unlike other rappers she’s a tad more astute with her earnings. Missy has probably flown in a few private jets in her time. But even despite her riches, she probably couldn’t afford to buy one for herself, especially since her career’s eased up in recent years. But having said that, she probably wouldn’t even want to buy one anyway.

Lil’ Kim's Spending Problem Means She Definitely Can't Afford A Luxurious Lifestyle 

Lil’ Kim is another rapper who’s been around for quite some time. Her career’s basically run alongside that of Missy’s, and she too has earned numerous awards and honors during her time in the industry. She’s rated as being one of the greatest rap artists of all time, a true legend of hip-hop. Her influence has spread to some of the household names who have come up in the industry today. She’s also got other things going on, such as her interest in fashion – although a lot of people might have something to say about her fashion sense! The fact remains that she’s been raking in the cash, and pretty much all of her studio albums have taken off. But even during these high times, Lil’ Kim never bought a private jet. She certainly can’t afford to now. In recent years, bad financial decisions have meant the checks have ceased coming in, and Kim’s actually ended up pretty financially destitute. Her in her own private jet will remain a pipe dream.

Soulja Boy Pretended To Buy A $55 Million Dollar Jet 

Soulja Boy shot to fame many years ago now at a pretty young age. As a teenager, Soulja Boy had a taste of the good life, and he’s been riding that wave ever since. But you can imagine, being a teenager in that industry, that you’re going to be under pressure to make your mark and to get yourself out there even more. Soulja Boy bowed to that pressure. Either that or he was just young and naïve, and financial planning wasn’t a term in his vocabulary. Four years after that song was released that would result in him achieving superstar status, Soulja Boy went all out to impress, went big for his 21st birthday party. Apparently, Soulja Boy splashed out on a pretty extravagant gift for himself – a $55 million private jet. Well, perhaps that was just part of him creating an image for himself. A spokesman for Soulja Boy later said that the purchase was falsified. Perhaps it was. One thing’s for sure, and that’s that he won’t be able to afford one now.

Kendrick Lamar Flies Economy Class 

Kendrick Lamar is currently rated as being one of the best rappers in the industry. The 30-year-old gained recognition around 2010, after which he enjoyed a meteoric rise up the ranks, and is still climbing. With all of this success, this fame, comes the riches. A lot of rappers would have squandered this cash on frivolous things – many have done so in the past. But Kendrick Lamar isn’t really like that. He’s a tad older than a lot of these guys who found fame as young bucks, and consequently is probably a bit wiser. He’s earned the tag of being one of the humblest artists in the industry. That’s due to his general persona, but he’s humble when it comes to his spending too. For instance, instead of forking out millions on a mansion, he chose instead to buy a modest four-bedroom home. He bought his sister a Toyota, rather than a flashy Lamborghini. He’s not into all this lavish excess. Kendrick does sit on private jets, but that’s more out of necessity. He charters them, doesn’t own one, and probably never will. Could he afford a jet like Jay-Z’s? Perhaps. Will he ever buy one? Not a chance.

French Montana Is A Big Spender But Still Can't Afford His Own Private Jet 

French Montana has earned a reputation for himself as a bit of a partier. Sure, that’s a bit of a generic statement considering the type of people we’re talking about – they’re all partiers. But French Montana takes things to the next level. The words "lavish" and "excessive" are associated with French’s spending habits. Whether it’s popping thousand-dollar bottles of champagne in a club, driving around in expensive motors, or flitting around on private jets, French does it all. He’s a guy who loves to live it up, lives that jet setting lifestyle, and combines the two, even when thousands of feet high in the air. French is regularly pictured on private jets. But as far as we’re aware, he can’t exactly claim one as his own. He charters them, hires them out for his parties, music videos, and of course their primary purpose – traveling here and there. French has probably been on private jets like Jay-Z’s. He could probably buy one too, should he want to. But would the purchase ruin him financially? Probably.

Ludacris Actually Does Have His Own Jet, But It Is Half The Price Of Jay-Z's

We must acknowledge that Ludacris does have a private jet. Yes, he’s a rapper, and you can add actor to his list of professions too, who actually owns his own private jet. He’s a real cash king and has been raking in the cash in two different industries for decades now. Having said that, he doesn’t exactly splurge on what he deems to be frivolous purchases. For example, he still drives around in a 21-year-old Acura. It does the job and it’s where his creative juices have flowed over the years and where a lot of his ideas have come to light. It doesn’t look glamorous or anything but has sentimental value, and Ludacris is always going to hang onto it. His private jet, though, has no sentimental value – he has it out of necessity. But he loves it, and in the past, has taken delight in showing fans around his private jet. His jet though, isn’t anywhere as near as luxurious as Jay-Z’s. His jet is thought to be worth in the region of $20 million. Jay-Z’s is more than double that. Still though, it’s an impressive feat being able to own your own private jet, and not let it deplete your finances and make you go broke. Ludacris has things in order.

Wiz Khalifa Brags About Having A Jet That Has Yet To Be Confirmed

Wiz Khalifa has been a bit quiet of late. But he’s done enough to cement himself as a rapping great. The 30-year-old has had his fair share of problems over the years, but when it comes to the rap game, Wiz Khalifa has it on lock. One of his most recent successes was the song “See You Again,” which he released for the Furious 7 movie. But even before that movie, Wiz had been raking in the cash. A guy who used to spend $10,000 a month on illegal substances must have more than a bit of spare change lying around! Wiz is another showman in the rap industry. He has led the world to believe that he does in fact have his own private jet. In 2012, he tweeted that he was getting annoyed with plane delays, so he thought he would just get a private jet. Whether he actually did or not or whether that statement was just for show is anybody’s guess.

Bow Wow Was Caught Pretending To Have A Private Jet

Rapper Bow Wow formerly known as Lil' Bow Wow, has just hit 30, and it’s certainly been an eventful 30 years for him to date. Not only is he a rapper, but he’s branched out and explored other ventures too, namely acting. You’d therefore have thought that Bow Wow would have no problems with the money side of things. But a lot of what goes on in the rap industry is for show. What Bow Wow has done is a prime example of that. Last year, something of a scandal arose when Bow Wow shared a pic with his fans of what he claimed to be his private jet. But he was caught out. He was spotted sitting next to other passengers on a commercial flight. Not only that, but people did some digging and discovered the picture he’d shared had been taken directly from a private jet hire company website. Embarrassing, to say the least.

Lil Wayne Was Once Wealthy But Had To Sell His Art Collection To Stay Afloat

This is an interesting one. Lil Wayne is a superstar rapper, there’s no disputing that. He’s one of the biggest names in the industry and has had a string of successes, basically ever since he started out. He’s made a name for himself and his tracks stand out – he’s not just another generic rapper. He’s one guy who if you thought would want a private jet, would go out and buy a private jet. He certainly has the means to do so. And that’s exactly what he’s done. Lil Wayne did once buy his own private jet. It certainly wasn’t as plush and luxurious as Jay-Z’s though, but he did have one. But could he afford to have one? Nope. The thing about private jets is that obviously it’s a huge expense, but then there are costs that need to be paid in order to keep it running. Lil Wayne managed to rack up some sky-high fees, and had a tough time of it when it came to paying the bills. Apparently, he had to take out a loan and sell his art collection to come up with the money.

Snoop Dogg Has Been Spotted Flying On Commercial Planes To Save Cash 

What can we possibly say about Snoop Dogg?The guy’s a rap legend, has been around doing his thing before a lot of these new guys on the block were born. Not only has he gained popularity worldwide as a rap star, he’s found love and respect amongst new audiences too, due to his various other ventures. Snoop is a businessman, just loves raking in the cash and keeping it. That is actually Snoop’s motto. Sure, in his music videos, he lives that life of excess as every other rapper does. But in reality, Snoop doesn’t really splash the cash. That’s one way the rich stay rich – by keeping a lid on over-the-top spending. Throughout his career, Snoop’s regularly been spotted flying on commercial planes, and in economy class too. He’s not about to blow his cash on private jets when he can fly commercial. Both do the job, get him from A to B.

Kanye West Is In Debt But Can't Give Up The High Life 

If there’s one guy who you’d think would be able to afford to buy a private jet like Jay-Z’s, it would be Kanye. Actually, even if he couldn’t afford to do so, you’d still think he would, just to get on par or one up on Jay-Z – we all know about their rather difficult relationship, and if you don’t, do your research! Kanye is one of the biggest names out there, and his wealth combined with his wife’s would be plenty enough to fund a private jet. They’d get plenty of use out of it too seeing as how they’re always flitting about the place. But that’s just the thing, Kanye actually doesn’t have any wealth to speak of. He spends and spends, wants his shows to look good, and doesn’t take the money side of things into account. He’s actually been reported as being in serious debt. Despite this, he’s still spotted taking private jets – not his – thought to cost in the region of $50,000 a trip. He’s broke and $53 million in debt. But he can’t step away from the high life.

50 Cent Was Once Bankrupt But Has Been Able To Bounce Back 

50 Cent has a real rags-to-riches story. It’s actually pretty incredible when you consider what he’s gone through. From dealing on the streets, being involved in all sorts of shady stuff, to being shot multiple times at close range, it’s a miracle that 50 Cent is still alive and kicking. But that he certainly is, and he’s doing so on his private jet. Yes, 50 Cent does have his own private jet, but you’ve got to say that it’s not like Jay-Z’s. However, a private jet is a private jet and it’s still impressive. You’d expect 50 Cent to own one, looking back at everything he’s done, all the successes he’s had. This might sound like an odd one, because he’s got a private jet, but can he afford one? When he purchased it, he must have taken out a serious loan, because at the time, he couldn’t. He was in the middle of a downwards spiral, and was seriously broke. He actually filed for bankruptcy. As of last year, he’s in the clear having paid off his debts, but you can’t help but think that having a private jet was a hassle he could’ve done without.

Eminem's Financial Issues Ensured That He Will Probably Never Have His Own Jet 

You’d think that Eminem would be able to afford to buy his own private jet. And at one point in his life, he probably would’ve been. But how times have changed. Eminem has faced a ton of problems over the years and has spent long durations of time in the wilderness just trying to stay afloat and get back on track. He’s created a legacy but has had to contend with legal issues and health issues along the way. Again, Eminem is another rapper who is pretty fortunate to still be working today. He’s enjoyed a resurgence and is looking to get back to doing what he does best.

There have been reports over the years that Eminem had a private jet. He’s boarded plenty in his time, but as far as we’re all concerned, he’s never actually owned one. He probably couldn’t afford to for a long time either, because while he was battling through his issues, his finances were in a mess and he was broke. He was doing pretty much nothing during this time, so a private jet wouldn’t have been on his wish list.

Nicki Minaj's Private Jet Cost About A Quarter Of What Jay-Z's Jet Is Worth

Nicki Minaj is the new hot woman on the block. Well, we say new, but she’s actually been around for quite some time. After signing with Young Money Entertainment in 2009, her career’s just taken off and has been on an upwards trajectory. She appeals to the masses, not just because of her music, but because she also happens to be stunning. That’s what she’s going for – she knows she’s got it and certainly loves flaunting it. Another thing she loves flaunting is the cash. She’s rolling in dough at the moment, and spends it on things such as private jets. Yes, Nicki Minaj has her own private jet, something she absolutely adores and never tires of showing off. But is her private jet as plush as Jay-Z’s? Not even close. You can get a private jet for a few millions, or tens of millions of dollars. Nicki’s is at the lower end of the scale, thought to be in the region of $4 million. But hey, it does the job, right?