Welcome to Hip-Hop, Inc.

The story of the rap moguls and the selling of the urban lifestyle.

How did the urban lifestyle leaders build their empires? How did they turn success in rap music into companies that cross into fashion, movies, beverages, and technology? It is a tale of entrepreneurship and creative brand building in the true American tradition. Pump up the bass and come along for the ride.

Rap music has gone from the underground to becoming a worldwide industry, but if you're not following the right blueprint, you won't understand the game. Hip-hop is a lifestyle, a look, an attitude, and a way of doing business.

The rap moguls that really make it - and let's be clear that they are few and far between - are the ones who see beyond the music and what money comes from the music. The hip-hop millionaires have built empires that tap into the lifestyle from every direction.

Follow the leaders and the industry and you will see that success comes from creativity, relentless drive, education, and an ability to hire people who bring more to the table than they take.

Diddy a fashion mogul? Russell Simmons a spiritual author and yoga video maven? Andre 3000 a cartoon developer and movie producer? Jay-Z a boardroom exec? Damon Dash a sneaker king? Dr. Dre the man behind a business conglomerate powerhouse?

Get the book: Hip-Hop, Inc.