{"id":597442,"date":"2023-11-10T21:15:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T18:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/dj-envys-scandal-shows-the-darker-side-of-rap-hustle\/"},"modified":"2023-11-10T21:15:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T18:15:08","slug":"dj-envys-scandal-shows-the-darker-side-of-rap-hustle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dj-envys-scandal-shows-the-darker-side-of-rap-hustle\/","title":{"rendered":"#DJ Envy\u2019s scandal shows the darker side of rap hustle"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a411508d8f97\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a411508d8f97\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dj-envys-scandal-shows-the-darker-side-of-rap-hustle\/#The_Breakfast_Club_co-hosts_investment_scandal_explained_and_what_it_says_about_the_rap_industrys_exploitative_tendencies\" >The Breakfast Club co-host\u2019s investment scandal explained, and what it says about the rap industry\u2019s exploitative tendencies.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"deck\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Breakfast_Club_co-hosts_investment_scandal_explained_and_what_it_says_about_the_rap_industrys_exploitative_tendencies\"><\/span>The Breakfast Club co-host\u2019s investment scandal explained, and what it says about the rap industry\u2019s exploitative tendencies.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"content_blocks\">\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256870\" class=\"content_block paragraph image triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_elmi2m\/dj-envy-photo-by-paras-griffin-getty-images-for-bet.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 640px\" alt=\"DJ Envy\u2019s scandal shows the darker side of rap hustle\"><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>    <span class=\"caption\"><br \/>\n      DJ Envy. Photo by Paras Griffin\/Getty Images for BET<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><br \/>\n      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256872\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            The rap <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> is built on hustle. Sometimes that hustle is just hard work and sweat equity, but the industry\u2019s emphasis on making money at any cost can sometimes make it a target for shadier operators. The latest main character caught up in questionable financial endeavors is <i>The Breakfast Club<\/i>\u2019s DJ Envy, who has been the subject of countless jokes on <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=b0AgHLfGB2A\">Joe Budden podcast episodes<\/a> since last month\u2019s arrest of one of his associates. On October 18th, the New Jersey district of the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-nj\/pr\/new-jersey-real-estate-investor-and-online-influencer-charged-multimillion-dollar\">announced<\/a> that it had charged <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnewyork.com\/news\/local\/radio-djs-business-associate-arrested-by-feds-in-nj-real-estate-scheme\/4781030\/\">real estate investor and influencer Cesar Pina<\/a> with \u201ccommitting a multimillion-dollar Ponzi-like investment fraud scheme.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>            In their breakdown of the case, the attorney\u2019s office explains that Pina \u201cpartnered with a celebrity disc jockey and radio personality to conduct real estate seminars around the country. Through these seminars, self-promotional efforts, and other marketing strategies, Pina developed a significant social media following.\u201d Pina courted money from investors, which he claimed would be used for \u201cthe alleged purchase, remodel, and sale of specific real estate projects in New Jersey,\u201d promising a generous and fast rate of return. But instead of paying investors their money back, the government claims, Pina essentially robbed Peter to pay Paul: at some point, he started using the investment money to his own ends and had to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.northjersey.com\/story\/news\/crime\/2023\/11\/06\/cesar-pina-lawsuit-plaintiffs-speak-bergen-influencer-dj-envy\/71393993007\/\">recruit new investors<\/a> in order to pay the old ones back, initiating a vicious cycle.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256885\" class=\"content_block paragraph tweet triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Joe Budden tried to warn DJ Envy bout the Real Estate scam n he was 100% right \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83e\udd23 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hoVTkFq0dI\">pic.twitter.com\/hoVTkFq0dI<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NASA MCMAHON (@NasaMcmahon) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NasaMcmahon\/status\/1715096778490482953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 19, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256873\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            DJ Envy isn\u2019t named directly in that statement, but people in the know deduced fairly quickly that the \u201ccelebrity disc jockey and radio personality\u201d mentioned in that press release was <i>The Breakfast Club<\/i> co-host. Pina has made many <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>earances on the Power 105 morning show over the years, and his associations with Envy were readily publicized. Pina has been fairly public about the case since his arrest and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2023\/10\/25\/dj-envy-defended-cesar-pina-call-out-rick-ross-funk-flex\/\">he\u2019s made it clear<\/a> that Envy wasn&#8217;t the one doing the actual defrauding. Envy hasn\u2019t been charged in the case, and alleges he lost money in Pina\u2019s scheme too, but it\u2019s evident that the two had some kind of partnership based on how often Envy used his platform to advertise Pina\u2019s ventures. And it&#8217;s this platforming of Pina that&#8217;s at the center of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/10\/28\/1208863327\/breakfast-club-host-dj-envy-is-being-sued-for-alleged-investment-fraud\">a lawsuit launched against DJ Envy by at least nine individuals<\/a> who claim that Pina&#8217;s <i>Breakfast Club<\/i> appearances gave him credibility. <\/p>\n<p>            Even though the true nature of Envy and Pina\u2019s professional relationship is unclear, it\u2019s safe to say it\u2019s an embarrassment for the DJ and his employers. Most of Pina\u2019s <i>Breakfast Club<\/i> appearances have been scrubbed since the story blew up, but you can still stream <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/3l6Dl4GvmX3R4DEgklC3gX\">a June 2022 episode<\/a>. It features an interview with Pina alongside his wife and business partner \u201cJenni Tips;\u201d the couple was on the show to promote a seminar with DJ Envy at the Javits Center in New York, which <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cesarpina.com\/event\/https-www-eventbrite-com-e-real-estate-seminar-tickets-328321296837\/\">Pina\u2019s website<\/a> touted as a \u201clife-changing experience where they share their knowledge and industry secrets,\u201d including \u201ccrypto, NFT, and real estate in the metaverse.\u201d (Like Envy, Jenni Tipps has not been charged with a crime).<\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>            Around 24 minutes in, the preponderance of shady real estate schemes comes up, and the couple is fairly insistent that everything in their operation is above board \u2014 Jenni Tips at one point says bluntly \u201cWe\u2019re doing everything on the up and up.\u201d But as they describe their so-called real estate investment \u201ccommunity,\u201d it sounds like your classic Ponzi scheme, billed as a subscription service that offers an education in real estate in addition to the possibility of profit: \u201cYou have to pay to play.\u201d <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256874\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            Towards the end of the interview, Envy asks listeners to sign up for Pina\u2019s service <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Flip2DAO\">Flip2DAO<\/a> \u2014 touted as \u201cthe world\u2019s first ever real estate platform powered by Web3 <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>\u201d \u2014 with the possibility of a giveaway for a \u201c3-family home\u201d valued at half-a-million dollars, with the implication that the winner would rent out the property and become part of the cycle of property themselves. DJ Envy can try to claim that he was exploited too, but the platform of <i>The Breakfast Club<\/i> clearly helped lure people into Pina\u2019s scheme. In his appearances with Pina, Envy heavily promotes their seminars together not just as financial education, but as a way to \u201cuplift the community,\u201d implying altruistic intentions that could easily create a false sense of security for potential investors. That framing is in many ways what makes a scheme like this so insidious: it\u2019s not just about the money that\u2019s stolen, but how it exploits a genuine desire to help communities of color that face real barriers to the finance industry.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>            Real estate has long been a source of material security for celebrities of all s<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>es: the moment you get money and someone to manage it, they will usually take that money and invest it into more stable assets, just in case your records stop selling or Hollywood stops calling. \u201cI really like to buy property,\u201d Kendrick Lamar <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ca.news.yahoo.com\/kendrick-lamar-reportedly-purchased-2-210043532.html\">once said in an interview<\/a> \u2014 he rents out multiple properties, including a Bel Air mansion and a multi-story <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/08\/22\/kendrick-lamar-in-contract-to-buy-a-penthouse-in-brooklyn\/\">Brooklyn apartment<\/a>. More than almost any other sector of the music industry, hip-hop is unrepentantly a commercial business, and rappers are often touted as much for their investment portfolios as their actual recording work. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256886\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left pull_quote\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"pull_quote\"><p>The deeply ingrained capitalist mentality of the rap industry encourages a get-rich-quick mindset that can lead to DJ Envy-type situations<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256875\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            Prior to his death, Nipsey Hussle was <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/zackomalleygreenburg\/2019\/02\/20\/nipsey-hussle-opportunity-zone-real-estate-mogul-blueprint\/?sh=67fe78986364\">pouring millions of dollars into redevelopments<\/a> in the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles. Young Dolph <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theblast.com\/126946\/https-theblast-com-126946-young-dolphs-impressive-real-estate-portfolio-and-how-he-passed-on-wealth-to-his-children-revealed\/\">reportedly owned over 100 properties in his hometown of Memphis<\/a>, and purchased a foreclosed house every year for his children on their birthdays. Rappers like T.I. have side hustles upon side hustles, as he uses his real estate portfolio to sell himself as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revolt.tv\/article\/2021-12-24\/145681\/ti-real-estate-business-lessons\/\">an Oprah-esque financial expert<\/a>. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/juicy-j-talks-his-expansive-investment-portfolio-new-music-2020-9\">Juicy J<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architecturaldigest.com\/story\/inside-dr-dre-real-estate-portfolio\">Dr. Dre<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/therealdeal.com\/miami\/2023\/02\/10\/rapper-kodak-black-turns-commercial-real-estate-investor-with-pompano-beach-deal\/\">Kodak Black<\/a>, and of course Jay-Z: the list of rappers-turned-investors is endless, and that\u2019s without even getting into the many artists who have gotten swept up by the hustle of Silicon Valley. Last year, Nas, Lil Baby, Gunna, and Baby Keem were part of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/afrotech.com\/nas-lil-baby-gunna-everyrealm-metaverse\">a $60 million financing round for Everyrealm<\/a>, a \u201cmetaverse real estate company.\u201d Of course, we also can\u2019t forget the would-be banana republic of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-africa-63988368\">Akon City in Senegal<\/a>, which one of Akon\u2019s former business partners <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/news\/national\/akon-city-ponzi-scheme-1234651423\/\">alleges is a Ponzi scheme<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>            These deals are usually above the board, but the deeply ingrained capitalist mentality of the rap industry encourages a get-rich-quick mindset that can lead to DJ Envy-type situations. So often, the price of playing the game is being played by other people yourself, which is basically what happened with DJ Envy and Cesar Pina: whether or not Envy was actually financially involved in the scheme, he was used by Pina for his clout and the platform provided by <i>The Breakfast Club<\/i>. He\u2019s not the only celebrity Pina used either \u2014 the disgraced investor <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=p5BktrBz9wA\">regularly touted<\/a> his relationship with 50 Cent, who at one point was in talks to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/collider.com\/50-cent-property-dj-envy-cesar-pina-reality-show-scandal\/\">produce a reality show<\/a> about Pina and Envy\u2019s property-flipping business, a la Vanilla Ice or Rev Run. Look at <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jennitips\/?hl=en\">Jenni Tips\u2019 Instagram<\/a> and you\u2019ll see countless photos of her with stars like Drake and Snoop Dogg, using their image to legitimize her own. In addition to the rap game, Jenni Tips has also <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/teresa-giudice-stylist-jennifer-pi-142749060.html\">used her connections with reality television<\/a> to reach potential targets; she\u2019s a close associate of <i>Real Housewife<\/i> Teresa Giudice, who served <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-nj\/pr\/real-housewives-new-jersey-stars-sentenced-prison-conspiracy-bankruptcy-fraud-and-tax#:~:text=From%20September%202001%20through%20September,obtain%20mortgages%20and%20other%20loans.\">several years in prison for wire fraud<\/a>. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256876\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            When rap is perceived as a business more than an artform, it can inevitably attract scammers who see it as their own potential payday, from fake concert promoters to investors looking to prey upon the newly rich. These kinds of schemes don\u2019t only rob people of their money, but they reinforce structural racism in the financial sector; there are very real material barriers for racial minorities in business, which people like Pina allege to exploit, presenting themselves as a friendlier alternative to a white banker with fond memories of the redlining days. At the end of the day, there\u2019s only a few degrees of difference between these kinds of grifters and label executives who have seen rap music as an easy payday, or even establishment figures like Birdman or <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/diddy-and-pharrell-accused-of-exploiting-young-black-talent-to-line-their-own-pockets\">Diddy<\/a> with long histories of chaining artists to exploitative deals. While artist-executives like Jay-Z might see wealth creation as a means to personal independence, the path to achieve it can either make you into a monster or lead you into the den of one. The rap industry might sell itself as a way out, with personalities like DJ Envy slinging investment advice like mixtapes, but it too often reifies the rat race of capitalism that treats people like products.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256877\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            <i>Rap Column is a column about rap music by Vivian Medithi and Nadine Smith for The FADER.<\/i><\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-256871\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>            <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?p=TFI7834680816&amp;light=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"482\"><\/iframe><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"author\">\n    <span><br \/>\n      By <span class=\"credit_name\">Nadine Smith<\/span><br \/>\n  <\/span><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thefader.com\/2023\/11\/10\/dj-envy-cesar-pina-explainer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Breakfast Club co-host\u2019s investment scandal explained, and what it says about the rap industry\u2019s exploitative tendencies. DJ Envy. Photo by Paras Griffin\/Getty Images for BET \u00a0 The rap game is built on hustle. Sometimes that hustle is just hard work and sweat equity, but the industry\u2019s emphasis on making money at any cost can&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":597443,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/c_limit,w_1024\/c_crop,h_533,w_1024,x_0,y_39,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_pytmmn\/GettyImages-1344328244_1_pytmmn.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[70532,145238],"class_list":["post-597442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa","tag-hip-hop","tag-rap-column"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/597442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=597442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/597442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/597443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=597442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=597442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=597442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}