Count Nasir Jones aka Nas is gradually becoming one of the most prolific investors in the world. The rapper cum investor has in recent days been doing some smart business moves that are earning him millions of dollars.
In April, Yahoo News reported that he could be $100 million richer following his 2013 investment in Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange expected to reach over $100 billion in valuation once it hits the Nasdaq.
Also, the multiple award-winning rapper is said to be a venture capitalist, founding the venture capital firm QueensBridge Venture Partners. The Los Angeles-based firm has reportedly invested in more than 40 start-ups across a range of sectors like financial technology, health care, and music production.
According to Diversity 411, some of the startups that have caught the attention of the rapper-turned entrepreneur are Lyft, Dropbox, Coinbase, Tradesy, and LANDR, a start-up that uses big data and artificial intelligence to produce music.
He recently told CNBC that his love for learning led him to invest in technology. “I’ve always wanted to be surrounded by the smartest people in the world, and didn’t want to limit that to just music,” he told CNBC.
“I want to meet the people who are innovating in all different fields, and investing lets me do that,” Jones said. “I meet the people that are changing the game across all different industries, and I get to be there first at the ground level. It’s helped me to progress tremendously in my business.”
It looks like Nas is not slowing down with his investment drive. And at this rate, he may likely get to the status of Jay-Z and Rihanna in no time. His latest business venture is in the cigar industry. According to Cigar Journal, he has joined the industry as a brand co-owner of Escobar Cigars.
He announced this to his 6.5 million followers on Instagram. He revealed that he initially turned down the offer when Escobar Cigars approached him. He noted that the partnership has been two years in the making.
“When the team at Escobar Cigars initially approached me, I was immediately drawn to the brand by the exceptional quality of their product,” said Nas, who recently invested in mattresses. “This partnership with Escobar has been almost two years in the making and I am honored to be an equity partner with them. I am looking forward to growing this brand and to giving back to the local communities in Nicaragua where our tobacco is grown, aged, and hand-rolled into a premium cigar.”
