3 Kings

Diddy, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Hip-Hop's Multibillion-Dollar Rise

De: Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Narrado por: Matt Amendt

Tracing the careers of hip-hop's three most dynamic stars, this deeply reported history brilliantly examines the entrepreneurial genius of the first musician tycoons: Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z.

Being successful musicians was simply never enough for the three kings of hip-hop. Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z lifted themselves from childhood adversity into tycoon territory, amassing levels of fame and wealth that not only outshone all other contemporary hip-hop artists, but with a combined net worth of well over $2 billion made them the three richest American musicians, period.

Yet their fortunes have little to do with selling their own albums: between Diddy's Ciroc vodka, Dre's $3 billion sale of his Beats headphones to Apple, and Jay-Z's Tidal streaming service and other assets, these artists have transcended pop music fame to become lifestyle icons and moguls.

Hip-hop is no longer just a musical genre; it's become a way of life that encompasses fashion, film, food, drink, sports, electronics and more -- one that has opened new paths to profit and to critical and commercial acclaim. Thanks in large part to the Three Kings -- who all started their own record labels and released classic albums before moving on to become multifaceted businessmen -- hip-hop has been transformed from a genre spawned in poverty into a truly global multibillion-dollar industry.

These men are the modern embodiment of the American Dream, but their stories as great thinkers and entrepreneurs have yet to be told in full. Based on a decade of reporting, and interviews with more than 100 sources including hip-hop pioneers Russell Simmons and Fab 5 Freddy; new-breed executives like former Def Jam chief Kevin Liles and venture capitalist Troy Carter; and stars from Swizz Beatz to Shaquille O'Neal, 3 Kings tells the fascinating story of the rise and rise of the three most influential musicians in America.

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Praise for 3 Kings

"There is no keener, more knowledgeable and scintillating observer of the modern cultural scene than Zack Greenburg. He proves it with this definitive, absorbing history of hip-hop and its three mega-giants. It reads better than an adventure novel and provides highly useful entrepreneurial lessons for anyone who wants to achieve success."—Steve Forbes, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes

"Hip-hop is one of the most significant cultural forces of the past half-century, not just in music but in art, fashion, film, technology, politics and business. Greenburg provides a comprehensive review of hip-hop history on all fronts. It will inspire newcomers and deepen the appreciation of aficionados, while explaining just how hip-hop took its current place on the world stage."—Arianna Huffington, founder of Thrive Global and Huffington Post

"I've been blessed to work with Diddy, Jay-Z and Dr. Dre, and let me be honest: 3 Kings gives you the major keys to how the biggest bosses on the planet keep winning."—DJ Khaled, recording artist and entrepreneur

"Greenburg's narrative traces how the titular kings' trajectories transformed a music genre into a global juggernaut that's equal parts industry, culture and movement. There are copious lessons here in bringing ferocious energy to a concept--and honing that concept for the masses--that will serve would-be moguls in any arena."—Kathryn Dill, Careers Editor, CNBC

"Finance is a central focus in hip-hop, but few writers have the facts and figures to discuss it credibly. Greenburg demystifies three iconic rap artists who these days make most of their money apart from rap. It's a well-constructed analysis that you don't need to be an expert to appreciate."—Ben Westhoff, author of Original Gangstas

"Plain and simple: I'm just a diehard fan."—Kevin Olusola, Grammy-winning member of Pentatonix

"A vividly clear depiction of the commercial empires built by Diddy, Jay-Z, and Dr. Dre. The book documents their humble beginnings, their rise to fame and illustrates the important connection to the pioneers who paved the way for their success... an exceptional read."—Rocky Bucano, President of the Universal Hip-Hop Museum

"If Jay-Z, Diddy, and Dr. Dre are shrouded in mystery and inclined towards self-mythologizing, Greenburg does one of the most difficult things a reporter can do: he artfully chronicles their ascent, carefully accounts for their fortunes, and renders moguls as actual flesh and blood mortals. It reaffirms his bona fides as the preeminent journalist covering the business of hip-hop."—Jeff Weiss, author of Biggie vs 2pac

Surprised how much I enjoyed it and learned.

I spend most of my reading on business books. I heard about this book and thought I’d take a little break from my norm for some simple entertaining material. I didn’t get what I expected. I was hooked on 3 Kings from the beginning and burned through it quickly! My biggest surprise was that not only was it entertaining, it was also packed with 3rd person business and personal lessons. Highly recommend.

riveting story

I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of these three kings. it was wonderfully read and easily understood.

Current

I liked the narrator. Most business books have the most boring narrators alive. The book is super current as of March 2018. Worth the expense.

Super Informative and Entertaining

I didnt like when he said the N word. Other than that, it was an excellent discussion on hip hop moguls and their expansion of the culture.

Mind-blowing

Great read , very interesting and informative. I highly recommend this book . it's about drive