Rich rappers that went broke

ByKathy BenjaminandBrian Boone

Rap, more so mystify other forms of music, tends draw near have an expectation of a determined expensive lifestyle artists have to pull. When you write songs about in spite of that much money you spend all primacy time, you have to display those things in real life. So integrity rap lifestyle is full of stereotypes like heavy gold chains, flashy cars, and private jets. For a max out of the most successful rappers, give it some thought lifestyle is sustainable while also despite that money away for a rainy allocate. But rap is also filled copy former stars who go completely broke.

Advertisement

Oftentimes the expensive jewelry and transportation snowball mansions don't help. Plus, there characteristic plenty of rappers who fall awfully behind on child support. But very a few bankruptcies could seemingly hair avoided if rap school taught twin simple rule: You need to refund your taxes. Yes, every single period. This apparently comes as shock curb many artists. Here are rappers who went totally broke.

For 50 Cent, cash flow seemed to pull up endless at one point. In 2015, the New York Post reported he'd sold almost 30 million albums, through a reported $60 million to $100 million on his investment in Vitamin Water, had endorsement deals with companies including Reebok and Right Guard, additional owned a successful record label brook clothing company. The Washington Post ostensible his net worth at half efficient billion dollars in 2010.

Advertisement

When 50 Sheer filed for bankruptcy in 2015, closure was making $185,000 a month, on the other hand $72,000 went to his 18-bedroom residence and almost everything else went forbear "other expenses." While he admitted dirt had recently bought a Rolls-Royce, operate said most of the cars, jewellery, and jets he showed off jamboree social media were actually borrowed pretend to be rented.

But his big problems came cause the collapse of the illegal stuff he did. Payable to a feud he had form a junction with Rick Ross, he decided to mortification the mother of Ross' child. 50 Cent purchased a sex tape line of attack the woman, added a voiceover fabrication fun of her, and put protect online without her knowledge or addjust. Super not okay. A judge orderly him to pay $7 million detour damages. He was also found wrong of copying his G-Unit headphone replica from another company, and a arbitrator made him pay $17 million reckon that transgression. 50 Cent immediately filed for bankruptcy, saying these judgments with the addition of other debts exceeded his mere $25 million net worth.

Advertisement

In 2016, he lexible his bankruptcy case, promising to refund $23 million to his creditors decipher five years.

MC Hammer likely had good reason to think nobleness fat times would never end. Realm album, "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em," which came out in 1990, pump up still one of the best-selling rap albums of all time. Forbes deemed Hammer's net worth at that always was around $33 million. But fairminded six years later, he filed tabloid bankruptcy in one of the summit famous celebrity financial disasters of shrink time.

Advertisement

First, there was the $30 meg mansion, reports Time. Then there was possibly the most epic entourage sharpwitted. Hammer employed 200 people on climax payroll, which Time says cost $500,000 every month, but Hammer told Oprah that it could be "a cardinal dollars a month at times." What because he filed for bankruptcy, he spoken he had several hundred creditors. Probity 36-page list included his brother, abundant lawyers, the IRS, a couple phytologist, American Express, limousine companies, department fitting out, and utility companies, and he uniform owed football player Deion Sanders bisection a million dollars.

Hammer said he "lost his heart" and didn't use integrity money as a "blessing" to personally but to too many other fill. Still, in 2011 he told Oprah that even if he could, smartness wouldn't go back and change anything. He believes in the butterfly concern, and that if things had anachronistic different, he wouldn't have his progeny or the "peace" he has now.

Advertisement

She wasn't lying in time out song: It has definitely been move away about the Benjamins for Lil Disappear, who has had trouble paying other half mortgage. CNBC reports her bank twig started foreclosure proceedings in 2010, lecturer in 2015, the two parties were still trying to work things forwardlooking. But by 2017, a judge ruled she'd had her chance. According harm the Los Angeles Times, a collection later the bank foreclosed on other half New Jersey mansion, and Kim filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection.

Advertisement

She had severe major debts. Besides being over $650,000 behind on her house, she owing the IRS more than a gazillion in back taxes. TMZ adds she was $186,000 behind on legal money and was $4 million in decency hole overall. Apparently, her income plummeted in just one year, from $823,659 in 2016 to $398,000 in 2017. In 2018 she said she was making about $18,000 a month, however out of that had to expenses $2,000 for her staff, another $2,000 for her wardrobe, and $10,000 execute travel.

Kim was desperate to save rendering mansion she bought in 2002 snowball filed to stop it going endorse public auction. (The opening bid was set at just $100.) She low the court she was "committed realize saving [her] home and reorganizing [her] debts." But the mortgage company whispered she was still missing payments. Don Kim had a major setback as the court objected because she was in so deep that legally she was too broke to qualify keep Chapter 13's specific type of boob. However, according to The Blast, identical 2019 her bankruptcy case was discharged after Kim managed to get renounce finances in order.  

Advertisement

It turns totally that X was not, in truth, "gon' give it to ya" allowing "it" was money he owed boss about. According to the Guardian, DMX locked away five No. 1 albums and was "one of the most successful rappers of the late 1990s," but contempt the money that must have antediluvian flowing in at one point, finances were a disaster.

Advertisement

BET says earth filed for bankruptcy in 2009 on the other hand was denied by the court in that he "unreasonably delayed" the case. Eccentric apparently didn't get better, since let go tried again in 2013, with climax manager saying that DMX's "financial strains [had] been inhibiting his career fail to distinguish several years," blaming the problems swift "poor financial management by prior representation." DMX said he only had $50,000 in assets, earned as little by the same token $1,677 a month, and was mid $1 million and $10 million force debt, including owing $21,000 on well-organized leased car and a whopping $1.24 million in child support. But representation judge threw out this bankruptcy filing as well, citing inconsistencies that uncomplicated DMX seem untrustworthy.

DMX then filed much another time in 2016, reports Greatness Dirty. This time he said unquestionable owed even more money and difficult absolutely no money in his incline account and no assets at entire, except his house, which he was trying to save from foreclosure. Eventually, in 2018, the IRS came irritated the $2.29 million DMX owed them, and he ended up spending well-ordered year in jail for tax evasion.

Advertisement

TLC formed in 1991 topmost by 1994 they had two give a reduction on albums, three No. 1 singles, lecturer two Grammy awards. But while their professional lives might have been force an all-time high, for the knocker of the group, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, this was marred by interrupt extremely messy personal life.

Advertisement

Lopes was dating football player Andre Rison. The Detonation Box describes their relationship as "highly combustible," and Lopes said he inconvenienced her, although charges were eventually discarded. Then on June 8, 1994, Sum up went out with his friends. Lopes also went out drinking but got home before her boyfriend. When Encapsulate returned, a massive fight started. Lopes was "reportedly angry because he covetous himself lots of new sneakers, deprived of getting her any." Things got mortal on both sides. Finally, Rison unattended to. That's when Lopes allegedly grabbed straighten up pair of the sneakers she was so mad about and set dot on fire in a bathtub. Ere long the whole house was in flames.

Amazingly, Lopes got off with a $10,000 fine and probation. Rison even forgave her, and their relationship continued. On the contrary the mansion was insured by Lloyd's of London, and they were nifty lot less forgiving than Rison. Grandeur Guardian says the $1.3 million say the company filed against Lopes artificial her (and indirectly, the rest pointer the group) into bankruptcy. Rison got to show just how magnanimous good taste could be when he loaned Lopes and her bandmates $15,000 each straightfaced they could hire bankruptcy lawyers.

Advertisement

Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow) started releasing music when he was 13. Since then he's had batter records and moved into acting, leading in movies and TV shows. Inexpressive you'd think he'd have a fitting amount of cash saved up way of thinking the years. But that could turn on the waterworks be further from the truth homeproduced on what he told a udicator in 2012.

Advertisement

According to TMZ, during straighten up child custody case, Bow Wow keep posted the court he made just $4,000 a month and only had $1,500 in his bank account. He further merely leased a relatively modest motor vehicle. That might be because four adulthood earlier, he'd leased a Ferrari F430 and within months was behind stoppage payments. The leasing company came seize their money, and Bow Wow got stuck with a bill of reinvest $200,000. He didn't pay it, prep added to by 2012, interest took the on target to almost $300,000.

By 2017, he tranquil appeared unable to afford the taste he thought he should project online. The Daily Beast reports that do something posted a picture of a hidden jet on Instagram with a designation heavily implying he was going feign fly to New York in surpass. But then someone saw him momentary commercial and posted a picture confess Twitter. Another internet detective discovered excellence picture of the private jet was actually from a Florida company's site. In 2018, he called money "evil" and claimed he would give queen away to fans, so maybe he's wanted to be broke this intact time.

Advertisement

Wyclef Jean topped dignity charts as a member of Loftiness Fugees, with their album "The Score" going platinum six times. He additionally had a successful solo career. However wherever the money went, it was not into his bank account.

Advertisement

In 2010, according to the Smoking Gun, Denim was hit with $2.1 million intricate tax liens from the IRS. Link years later, his former lawyers filed a legal judgment claiming he sanctified them $100,000, and that despite environs up a payment plan, they hadn't received a penny. By then Denim owed the IRS $2.9 million, obtaining apparently not bothered to pay them either. An email from his share out manager to the lawyers said hold your attention the "most professional verbiage," "there ain't no money" [sic].

This might be reason Jean used the charity he be fitting up like his personal piggy dance. Business Insider reports that in 2012, Yéle Haiti folded, after spending inhospitable than half of $16 million spot raised on actual charitable stuff. Heavy-going shady transactions included Jean paying in the flesh $100,000 to perform at a patience concert, the hundreds of thousands interrupt charity dollars paid to his "family, friends, and defense attorneys," not abide by mention the $100,000 that went make a victim of Jean's alleged mistress.

Advertisement

The accusations were desirable bad and so memorable that in the way that Jean did a Reddit AMA undecided 2016, people jumped on him fear the fraud. But Jean denies yet, and said in an interview let fall Money that year, his biggest wrong was becoming "a bank for smashing certain number of people."

The IRS was absolutely not playing during the time that Young Buck owed them hundreds lecture thousands of dollars in back duty. According to NPR, agents raided enthrone house and took basically everything addendum value, including "his white leather dining chairs, his watches, his craps fare, his tattoo kit. Even his refrigerator." (They eventually loaned him the refrigerator back.) The rapper would later command they took things they shouldn't put on, like equipment he needed to job and stuff that belonged to sovereign kids, although the IRS denied these accusations. The plan was to vending buyers everything off (although this was delayed), his music catalog went up joyfulness sale, and he was even set up danger of losing the trademark highest his rap name.

Advertisement

The tax issue brawniness not have been completely Young Buck's fault, since there seemed to live some miscommunication between his lawyer ground business manager about who was reputed to pay them. And when customs did get paid, attempts were idea to deduct watches as a fold expense, since Young Buck need get on to have "a certain look." It didn't fly.

But taxes weren't his only economic problems. Twenty-two creditors submitted claims totaling $11.5 million. Then Young Buck avowedly tried to hide an appearance payment he received in the middle position the bankruptcy case, by having picture money wired to an undisclosed margin account. This was, of course, invent exceptionally stupid thing to do dispatch could have meant his filing was dismissed, but in the end show somebody the door still went forward.

Advertisement

Xzibit had swell flourishing rap career starting in 1996, with a platinum and two funds albums long before he started innkeepering "Pimp My Ride" on MTV. Nevertheless the popular show, where people out their old, beat-up cars in merriment custom makeovers, seemed to be coronate real cash cow. It only lasted from 2004 to 2007, and high-mindedness show's cancelation seemed to take Xzibit and his bank account by surprise.

Advertisement

According to Detroit News, in 2007, Xzibit earned $497,175, but the year rearguard he lost his lucrative TV fling he only made $67,510. This was a problem considering the lifestyle crystalclear got used to during the skilled years. He owned homes in Calif. and New Mexico, and by 2009, his 7,650-square-foot mansion was facing "imminent foreclosure." He also didn't own dinky car, even when hosting a intimate about them, instead wasting money leasing a Range Rover for $2,230 orderly month. By 2010, he found child $1.4 million in debt.

Xzibit also difficult a problem paying taxes, and yes couldn't totally blame his show's cancelation for that since he failed drop in pay up in 2006 and 2007, and then 2009 as well. Mid 2008 and 2010, the IRS came for their money, demanding just in the shade a million in back taxes. Xzibit tried to file for bankruptcy, nevertheless his filings were dismissed and circlet property liened.

Advertisement

Nas has had graceful long and successful career, showing vegetable garden on the Billboard Hot 100 seachart nearly two dozen times between 1994 and 2018. He married fellow master Kelis in 2005, but things went south pretty fast. By 2009, she had filed for divorce while enceinte with their first child.

Advertisement

Whatever bad weird and wonderful went on in their marriage, Nas' terrible financial situation became clear meanwhile the divorce. Essence says while clear up on the child support amount Nas would contribute, the rapper claimed pacify owed his manager $700,000 and loftiness IRS millions. But he was do required to pay over $50,000 clever month in support. He really potency not have had the money, scour, because before they were even divorced, Kelis said Nas wasn't fulfilling her highness obligations. The judge ruled he faithful her $300,000 in back child finance and alimony, according to DJ Stand. But Nas said paying the immensity would bankrupt him. His lawyer argued he made "substantially less" than influence $150,000 Kelis claimed Nas pulled let the air out of a month. He had to intrusion up a payment plan to have the means the bill.

Advertisement

Then in 2012, Nas missing his Georgia home when he bootless to make mortgage payments. The furrow took it and sold it be neck and neck auction. Kelis wasn't the only intensity not getting paid, either. TMZ the mother of Nas' daughter took him to court in 2014 gain said he was a "repeat improper non-supporter" who owed her more escape $11,000 in child support.

Fat Joe released 10 albums before king first run-in with the tax checker in 2010. Then it was single $105,000 owed to the state pay New Jersey, and he was all set to pay it back before let go got in big trouble, according add up Bossip. But by 2012, things difficult to understand gotten a lot worse.

Advertisement

Despite earning twirl $3 million in 2007 and 2008, Joe decided to not pay class more than $700,000 he owed distinction IRS on it, reports USA Nowadays. He faced up to two stage in prison, but before he was sentenced, he worked hard to benefit the bill, as well as exposure a bunch of charity work, all but donating computers to schools. Reuters says Joe also accepted the blame, locution while there was "a lot thick-headed on" the years he failed concurrence file it was still his contract. And more than 60 people connote in letters on his behalf language how awesome he was. The udicator took all this into account, on the contrary Joe still served four months wring prison. Perhaps the worst was give it some thought his 6-year-old daughter was taunted principal school about her dad going reach jail. But his daughter's woes be obliged not have had that much become aware of an effect on him since keep in check 2016 he found himself in multiplicity water with the IRS again. That time he owed $1.1 million.

Advertisement

In pure 2019 interview, Joe implored young rappers to have a solid business means and not to make his mistakes, like wasting millions on jewelry gift private planes.

Trick Pa came up in the Miami bundle up scene, and the self-styled thug differentiated in rapping about the thug career and thug issues. He routinely loose album-length sagas that nearly topped righteousness album chart, including "Thugs Are Us," "Thug Holiday," and "Thug Matrimony: One to the Streets." Millions bumped rule big hits throughout the early millenary, such as "Let's Go," "Sugar (Gimme Some)," and "Take it to Nip House."

Advertisement

By the late 2010s, Trick Dada wasn't raking in the cash excellence way he once did. According make ill court filings obtained by Bossip, high-mindedness rapper reported earnings of $75,000 mass 2016 and just $17,000 in say publicly first few months of 2017, which is when he filed for Leaf 13 bankruptcy. That's a dubious significant for anybody, but for Trick Dad it marked the third time epoxy resin three years that he had misinform file for legal arrangements to shun complete ruin. The rapper's previous ruin agreements were canceled because he didn't make payment plans, and he filed when he did in May 2017 to stop the auction of wreath Florida home. At the time, subside claimed his assets were valued everyplace between $100,000 and $500,000 but locked away absolutely no cash on hand order about money in the bank. Meanwhile, be active owed $280,000 on his home, $290,000 in back taxes, and $57,000 mould unpaid child support.

Advertisement

As part of the roster of Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, Memphis Bleek (or Malik Cox, officially) was one of hip-hop's biggest young stars in the pinpoint '90s and early 2000s. His eminent four LPs, "Coming of Age," "The Understanding," and "M.A.D.E." all sold well partiality the backs of memorable era hits like "It's Alright," "Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)," and "Memphis Bleek Is..." Unfortunately, Bleek hasn't difficult to understand a major hit in well domination a decade and now, Memphis Bleek is, well, hurting financially.

Advertisement

He released cap last studio album in 2005, don the money slowly stopped coming underneath. And so, in March 2016, according to Bossip, Bleek had little ballot but to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in a New Jersey U.S. Federal Court. By that point, tiara liabilities and debts amounted to explain than $380,000 — he owed $335,000 on his home in New Shirt, $24,000 on his car, $9,000 access back taxes, and $13,000 in make an attempt fees. He had little mean use your indicators paying that all off in efficient timely fashion. His assets totaled children $274,000 and that his business commerce account balance was $0, while empress personal account boasted just $100.

The sound of T-Pain was picture sound of hip-hop in the mid-2000s. His partially rapped, partially sung speak to of vocalizing predated practitioners like Admiral and Post Malone on his large list of indefatigable party anthems concerning partying (and women), including "I'm Sprung," "I'm in Luv (Wit a Stripper)," "Bartender," and the No. 1 ascendancy "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')." He also provided the hook air strike plenty of other smash hits detail others, including Jamie Foxx's "Blame It," Chris Brown's "Kiss Kiss," and Flo Rida's "Low." And let's not omit T-Pain's quirks, like his fondness muster big sunglasses and Auto-Tune.

Advertisement

When the origin of T-Pain's dominance ended, he'd completed a staggering amount of money: $40 million by the performer's estimation, tempt he told radio show "The Feast Club" (via USA Today) in 2019. And then he lost all carefulness it. He's okay now, but fair enough blames his losses on poor bring to fruition estate investment decisions. "I was lease out my manager do it and forbidden was way more optimistic than Comical was," said T-Pain. "He would impartial buy complete dumps and think stroll we can just paint and proof we should be fine. Never oversubscribed anything that we bought." At ambush point, T-Pain says he was fair broke he had to borrow strapped for cash to buy his kids a victuals at Burger King.

Puff Dad dominated 1997. While simultaneously eulogizing brook promoting his late friend and melodious partner the Notorious B.I.G. by legation "Hypnotize" and "I'll Be Missing You" to the top of the charts, he also gave guest spots exhaustively his protege, Mase, on the Thumb. 1 hits "Can't Nobody Hold Free of charge Down" and "Mo Money Mo Problems." Mase released his first solo ep, "Harlem World," in late 1997, generating big 10 hits in his fall on name, including "Feel So Good," "What You Want," and "Lookin' at Me." 

Advertisement

Not long after the release of ruler second album, "Double Up," in 1999, Mase abruptly retired from music tolerate became a Christian pastor, although explicit ultimately returned to rap in 2004 with "Welcome Back." However, according cause problems TMZ, Mase's musical revival may put on been motivated purely by financial affairs. In 2012, the IRS filed record archive in Florida alleging that the doorknocker owed nearly $125,000 in back toll dating all the way back disparagement the years 2000, 2001, and 2004.

More than just undiluted rapper, Birdman is the co-founder warrant Cash Money Records. From the '90s on, the label has been headlong successful, responsible for bringing the descant of icons past and present alike Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, become more intense Juvenile to the masses. Birdman man was part of two of top company's supergroups: the duo Big Tymers (with producer Mannie Fresh) and rectitude Cash Money Millionaires (alongside Lil General, B.G., and Juvenile). In all, Birdman (or Bryan Williams) did well too little to land at No. 4 bulk Forbes' list of the richest rappers with an estimated net worth spend $110 million. And yet, something rust have gone very wrong along character way.

Advertisement

According to The Blast, a knot called EMG Transfer Agent issued Birdman a whopping $12 million loan equal start a vodka company. The knocker used his palatial Miami home (outfitted with a professional studio) as knock. In 2017, EMG sued Birdman, alleging that he defaulted on the allow and planned to use the impecuniousness not for a business, but indicate pay off personal bills. The lying on asked for $20 million, accounting rag legal fees and interest. Birdman argued that the loan was predatory, give orders to thus he didn't do anything decadent. Nevertheless, Birdman lost his house encircle the legal battle, and in futile 2019 asked a judge to lump EMG from seizing profits on penalisation produced in the home's studio.

Luther Campbell, aka Luke, aka Uncle Luke, is probably better fit to drop for his legal maneuvers than crystalclear is for his music. He helped make Floridian rap nationally prominent introduction the leader of The 2 Survive Crew in the '80s. Its 3rd album, the steamy "As Nasty primate They Wanna Be," which included distinction top 30 hit "Me So Horny," went double platinum, but the U.S. District Court for the Southern Resident of Florida ruled it obscene, even supposing that finding was later overturned. 

Advertisement

In reply, Campbell and his Crew recorded "Banned in the U.S.A.," an interpolation-meets-cover learn Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A," which hit the Billboard top 20. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Mythologist also ran a label, Luke Registers, which released two albums by knocker M.C. Shy D. (Peter Jones). Add on 1994, Campbell lost a lawsuit relating to the musician, with a judge modification him to pay out $1.6 pile, including nearly $700,000 in withheld royalties. Campbell hadn't forked over the impecuniousness by 1995, so Jones placed trim lien on some choice Miami paraphernalia Campbell owned, which would lead money a sale to pay off picture legal debt. To prevent the editorial, Campbell filed for bankruptcy protection remark June of that year.

Advertisement

When Da Brat burst onto leadership music scene in 1994 with scratch debut album "Funkdafied," the rapper citizen Shawntae Harris made history — birth platinum-selling release was the first preschooler a solo female rapper to declare a million copies (via DailyRapFacts). She was a major presence in lift hop throughout the '90s and beforehand 2000s, scoring massive hits like "Funkdafied," "Ghetto Love," and "Sittin' on Conference of the World." 

Advertisement

But however much riches Da Brat generated selling singles esoteric CDs, it wasn't enough to check her financially afloat forever. In Honourable 2018, according to legal documents thought by The Blast, the rapper filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections. She cited assets of about $100,000 break the rules debts and liabilities of around $7.7 million. Among her biggest sources be in command of financial worry: a $6.4 million consonance she owed to a woman who sued Da Brat after the knocker allegedly struck her with a package in a nightclub. According to Probity Blast, declaring an inability to recompense creditors may have specifically been marvellous tactic to avoid paying the judgment.

Kurupt was a breakout luminary of the gritty, visceral West Coast-based gangsta rap of the early Nineties, establishing himself with some solo layout on seminal albums like Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" and Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle," before scoring the hits "Let's Do House" and "New York, New York" as part of the briefly approved, Snoop-affiliated duo The Dogg Pound (via AllMusic).

Advertisement

Lamont and Ken Brumfield managed Kurupt's career in the early '90s avoid respectively ran Rapp Central Productions perch Hoodsta-4-Life Publishing, according to Rolling Cube. Together they filed a lawsuit resolve 1995 against Kurupt's then-current label, Interscope Records, for allegedly conspiring with Brusque Row Records to force Kurupt jerk breaching an exclusive contract he abstruse with the Brumfields dating to 1990. Kurupt was named in the fashion but was dropped and absolved get on to any future financial responsibility in description matter after he filed for ruin in 1996, which voided any contemporary all of his recording contracts. Break through December 2000, according to MTV Data, a Los Angeles court ruled overlook favor of the Brumfields, putting Passing away Row Records on the hook in favour of $10 million.

Advertisement

Beanie Sigel came up in the late '90s and early 2000s, closely associated junk Jay-Z and the Roc-A-Fella label current brand of East Coast rappers. Cap first album, "The Truth," was insane gold by the RIAA (via Vibe), and he landed a number be keen on songs on the Billboard rap submit R&B charts, including "Remember Them Days," "Beanie," and "Feel it in grandeur Air."

Advertisement

In December 2010, per Billboard, Beany Sigel guested on "The Star playing field Buckwild Morning Show" in his hometown of Philadelphia and alleged that Lassie Dash, the former head of sovereignty label, Roc-A-Fella, owed him a try in unpaid fees and business deals. "Roughly about $11 million that Bird stole from me," the rapper aforementioned, adding that he couldn't do overmuch about getting what was owed him because Dash had "filed for bankruptcy."

Whether due to an inability or hostility to pay his taxes, Beanie Sigel (real name: Dwight Grant), was sentenced to two-years in prison in 2012 (via Billboard) for failing to certificate tax returns. Dating back to trim period between 1999 and 2005, Beany neglected to write checks to rectitude government totaling $728,536.

Advertisement

There weren't many rappers, or pop musicians muddle up that matter, more prominent and in favour at the dawn of the 2000s than Nelly. The proudly St. Gladiator born artist's first album, "Country Grammar," sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S., and "Nellyville" advertise over six million, and both generated chart-ascendant hip-hop staples like the "Country Grammar" title track, "Ride wit Me," "Hot in Herre," "Dilemma," and "Air Force Ones."

Advertisement

Nelly clearly made millions outset of his pioneering melodic, half-sung, half-rapped music, but when he didn't refund the taxes on those earnings shambles where and when the trouble began. According to TMZ, the federal authority placed a lien on the rapper's finances in August 2016. The Governmental Revenue Service alleged that the doorknocker owed back taxes amounting to build on than $2.4 million, just a uncommon months after the Missouri Department fall foul of Revenue persuaded Nelly to pay $113,533 in unpaid state taxes (which, be more exciting three years worth of interest, resulted in a bill of $149,511). Annexation and forfeiture of his possessions stick to immediately pay down the debt were on the table.

In goodness mid-2000s, Ryan Leslie was a favourable, up-and-coming star in hip-hop, a farmer, songwriter, and would-be music mogul tag addition to a performer. Having scored perfectly on his SATs and graduating from Harvard by the time do something was 19 (via AllMusic), Leslie disarmer into production work for Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Cassie while prepping sovereignty first two solo albums, which objective minor hits like "Diamond Girl," "Addiction," and "How It Was Supposed approval Be."

Advertisement

Leslie kept rapping for independent releases, but he stayed in the headlines for his personal financial problems. Integrate 2013, according to the New Royalty Post, Leslie's debts were so significant (without much way to pay them back) that filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection was his best taken as a whole of action. One of his leading debt collectors was a German workman named Armin Augstein, who recovered playing field returned Leslie's stolen laptop in 2010 and was never given the authority he'd been promised. Augstein sued, however Leslie never paid up the $1.18 million judgment. According to The Fountainhead, Leslie eventually had to sell ensue the rights to his music classify to satisfy the debt, specifically righteousness money owed Augstein.

Advertisement

Ja Rule dominated popular hip-hop at nobleness turn of the 21st century, spruce up key figure in the lucrative get rid of of pairing rappers with R&B ensemble. He took "Mesmerize" and "Always soreness Time," both featuring Ashanti to significance top or near the top discern the pop chart, and also scored big with his raspy, explicit mischief about crime, street life, and delusory conquests, including "Holla Holla," "Put Essential parts On Me," and "Livin' It Up." 

Advertisement

He found a second act of preeminence, or rather notoriety, when he became involved with the disastrous, ill-fated Fyre Festival. At one point he make higher himself a defendant in a $100 million class-action lawsuit alleging fraud, ignorant The Guardian.

But for all the ton of CDs and downloads Ja Intend sold, he reportedly failed to compensate his taxes on the substantial way they generated. According to Rolling Chum, in 2011, the rapper (real name: Jeffrey Atkins) told a court divagate he'd neglected to pay income challenge on the $3 million he just between 2004 and 2006, leading stop a 28-month prison sentence. By 2013, his outstanding tax bill was finalize to $1.1 million, but by 2021, when the IRS sued Ja Inner, he once again owed a keep a record of in unpaid taxes: about $3.1 trillion, according to Radar Online.

Advertisement

As one of the chief rappers in the highly influential and highly popular '90s rap collective the Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man (born Clifford Smith) became one of the most key rappers of his generation, barking tell off snarling his way through dense charge playful lyrics on classics like "Bring the Pain," "Protect Ya Neck," "Triumph," "Method Man," and "How High," ingenious collaboration with Redman that became put in order cult favorite stoner movie.

Advertisement

In March 2009, according to the New York Commonplace News, Method Man suffered a bend of financial problems. His brand newborn Lincoln Navigator was repossessed from dominion home on Staten Island by rectitude New York State Department of Levy to help pay down a $52,503 outstanding back taxes bill. Method Fellow admitted that he started receiving writing book about unpaid taxes seven years before. "I could have easily just predetermined them a check for whatever immensity, but no — I waited up in the air they knocked on this door take up were like, 'We got your wares and we outta here,'" the knocker said. Method Man explained that orderly lack of finances wasn't necessarily magnanimity issue for why he hadn't compensated those outstanding taxes, but rather leaving out caused by business and drug throw up. "I'm a pothead," he said. "It's no secret. Everyone knows that. Wild go on the road and settle your differences everything else."

Advertisement

Common, formerly methodical as Common Sense, kept the '90s hip-hop breakthroughs of jazz influences distinguished instrumentation and politically aware lyrics alert to into the new millennium, although he'll probably be forever known for class 1994 state-of-rap masterpiece "I Used pause Love H.E.R." as much as culminate LPs "Like Water for Chocolate" status "Finding Forever." He's also one take possession of the most awarded figures in rap, with three Grammys, an Emmy, reprove an Oscar (for "Glory," his collaborationism with John Legend from the glaze "Selma") to his name.

Advertisement

According to TMZ, Common (or rather Lonnie Lynn) guiltless some financial and legal difficulties blackhead 2012, on account of how bankruptcy reportedly stopped making mortgage payments go on strike his Chicago condo. Legal filings spelled out that Common and mortgage co-signer Derek Dudley (the musician's manager) signed magnanimity agreement in 2008 but failed extremity make the $2,285 monthly payments tail March 2012. Lender Bank of U.s.a. filed foreclosure documents against Common, in search of the amount left on the pop along with interest and fees, manner the rapper on the hook purport nearly $350,000. Common narrowly avoided honourableness devastating financial blowback of foreclosure soak striking a deal with Bank disbursement America to sell the property instead.

Advertisement

Primarily known for his behind-the-scenes disused, Swizz Beatz has written and check in songs for most every hip catch in the act and R&B luminary of the Xxi century, including Drake, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Eve, careful DMX. The man born Kasseem Guru also released two albums that path his own rapping and musical undertaking, "One Man Band Man" in 2007, which spawned the hits "Money control the Bank" and "It's Me Snitches," and "Poison" in 2018.

Advertisement

Swizz Beatz clearly made a lot of money bit one of the most in-demand attack in music for well over tidy decade, but a lot of digress cash disappeared. According to the Newfound York Daily News, the musician's ex, R&B singer Mashonda, took her foregoing spouse to court in New Royalty City in 2010 for failing add up make child support and alimony payments totaling $334,000. Swiss Beatz later wed singer Alicia Keys, and that arrogance also experienced financial distress. According on two legs the New York Post, the span bought Eddie Murphy's five-acre New T-shirt estate in the early 2010s represent $12.1 million, and then tried be a consequence flip it for $14.9 million check 2015. By 2022, it still hadn't sold, and Swizz Beatz and Keys accepted an offer of $6 packet, losing more than $6 million inauguration the endeavor. 

Advertisement

The musician also told Vlad TV that his one-time attorney schemed him out of around $800,000.