Renowned American rapper Kanye West has called on his fellow artists to take lessons from Nigerian Afrobeats musicians, Jewish investors, and Chinese and Indian tech entrepreneurs.
In a recent interview with DJ Akademiks, West criticized American rappers for their lack of business and legal knowledge, stating that many rely on outsiders to manage their financial and contractual affairs.
“Most of these rappers aren’t as smart as me. I’m not even talking about tech guys—that’s a whole different level. But when it comes to artists, they struggle with basic financial literacy. Jewish investors and lawyers run their businesses, from contracts to strategic setups,” he said.
West challenged American artists to build their own record labels and TV networks without external investors, questioning their ability to sustain such ventures independently.
“Try running a record label without a Jewish investor. Set up your own TV network without outside backing—then I’ll take back what I said. Until people in the industry learn to manage their businesses like Nigerians, Chinese, Jewish investors, or Indian tech experts, my point stands,” he added.
