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

by Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Tracing the careers of hip-hop's three most dynamic stars, this deeply reported history brilliantly examines the entrepreneurial genius of the first musician 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 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.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Business, Audiobook, History, Hip Hop

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2018

About the author

After a decade as a Forbes senior editor, Zack O’Malley Greenburg now writes exclusively at Substack, where he’s serializing his fifth book, We Are All Musicians Now (sign up here). His other books include A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley and the Jay-Z biography Empire State of Mind. He has also written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Vibe, McSweeney's and Sports Illustrated, tackling topics from public pension fund scandals to Kanye West's quest to overtake Air Jordan. Zack has lectured at Yale, Harvard and Princeton, and appeared as an expert source for 60 Minutes, BBC, MTV and others. Full bio here.

Reviews

[R.K. Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant survey of capitalism and art following the life and successes of the 3 kings of hip hop and how they built their billion dollar empires while maintaining the integrity of the culture they grew from.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me at the TMNT footnote!

Anyway, I finally finished it! I don't know why on earth it took me so long except that I haven't been reading much lately and am also reading like 7 things at a time and also keep getting distracted with more and more books. In normal book times, I would have finished this in about two days because just like Nina (who started it way after I did but finished it first), I found it super interesting!

I've read a number of other books about the history of hip-hop, but never from the financial side of things, and it's a pretty fascinating angle. While I did sometimes get annoyed with Greenburg's asides, for the most part I enjoyed the way this is written, and while I didn't read all the footnotes in context, I did skim through them after I finished the book and there are some pretty great ones (not just involving Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Plus, while I was reading this Jay Z passed Diddy on the Forbes list of the world's richest hip-hop stars, so this book is totally relevant and provides much background information.

I liked it. If you're at all interested in hip-hop and/or business, you will probably like this too.

Thanks to Goodreads and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and review this! Sorry I procrastinated. :/

[Antonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. I won it in a Goodreads contest and my highest aspiration was that it might be kind of interesting if I actually won it. And it turned out to be very interesting.

The author is able to track the development of hip hop along with the three subjects lives so the reader gets a basic understanding of the history and the individuals credited with its invention. He takes it from the parties in NY housing project rec rooms as Diddy and Jay-Z were children to the rise of Gangsta rap as the crack epidemic flaired to east/west coast beefs up to the impact of Me Too on Russell Simmons.

The author did a great job of making a subject that I have only a mild interest in very engaging and he showed how hip hop intersects with so many other industries and how it has become an important tastemaker over the last couple of decades. He also showed how the three shared the same workaholic tendencies, intellectual curiosity, and risk taking propensities that allowed them to keep moving forward. Music stars don’t just sit back and let the money roll in. They work their butts off at a punishing pace.

It was a great book if you’re interested in either hip-hop or business management and entrepreneurship.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be something that I would start and then end up skimming, but it was actually so interesting that I stayed fully in through the whole book. It gives you everything from the beginning of hip-hop to the present day moguls and how they got there, and the ones that didn't. They're smart and hard-working and clearly have an instinct for business. My one complaint is that there wasn't more about the misogyny and homophobia that's been so dominant in hip hop aside from a very brief chapter at the end explaining that... they're maybe making progress in that area? It was mostly just hinted at here and there. But that's mostly just my feminist side begging for everything to relate back to how women are treated even if it wasn't necessarily a relevant piece of the story. Overall, really good in-depth look at how these 3 kings made it to the top.

[Joyce Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book is a tad misleading, don't get me wrong the primary focus of this book does foray into the business acumens of the hiphop moguls Diddy, Jay-Z and Dr. Dre but there is so much more covered. Starting with the foreword by Fab 5 Freddy, it covers a good amount of the history of hip-hop culture. From art, to the originators, the political mindsets, the controversies through the decades of not just the moguls but everyone that touched their lives in any way be it influence or directly. Much of the information covered is what I already knew, but then again I engross myself in this subject matter. Even for the advanced historian in hip-hop though you can learn a few things and is worthwhile reading for motivation, historical reference, or just pure entertainment. The personal experiences between the author and the Kings are the things that piqued my interest if you are curious about the foundations and aspirations of some of the most influential people in the game this book may be for you.

[Charles Weeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book 3 Kings: Diddy, Dr Dre, Jay-Z and Hip-Hop’s Multibillion-Dollar Rise is about the rise and careers of Diddy, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre. It talks about their childhood, their rap careers, and their business ventures. It also talks about Hip-Hop as a whole and its history as a music genre.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought it was very interesting how they talked about the careers of the respected rappers and their rise to fame. I also liked how they talked about Hip-Hop and the history of the genre, it was really interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but would I recommend it? Only If you are a fan of Hip-Hop and/or these rappers. If you are not them you probably shouldn’t read this book, you might get bored with it or you might be disinterested reading it. If you are a fan then I really recommend this book to you. I really liked it so you might too.

[Dave Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I marked it as 3 stars last year when I finished reading it. I find myself thinking about the book and retreading passages sometimes so I’m bumping it up to 4 stars.

[Isaac Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Today I am going to be presenting a review of 3 Kings : Diddy, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Hip-Hop's Multibillion-Dollar Rise by Zack O'Malley Greenburg. This book is a nonfiction work that covers the success of, as mentioned in the title, the so-called “3-Kings” reigning the empire of Hip-Hop. It was originally published on March 6, 2018, by Little Brown and Company. The book can be interesting, but at the same time can tend to drag out with an unnecessary abundance of information in some areas.
The book doesn’t follow any sort of specific chronological order, and instead bounces off of different topics and ideas and how each of the 3 kings were successful in these areas. There are many topics discussed throughout the book, with a surprisingly low amount of these topics being directly related to Hip-Hop. Instead, Greenburg chooses to focus on the money and sales of various products that each of the 3 Kings have made or endorsed. The chapters contain a lot of specific numbers on the sales and profit from the specified topic. It provides a good insight for people who want to do a research paper on Dr. Dre, Diddy, or Jay-Z. Throughout the book, Greenburg also uses interviews and quotes from people that are close to the three. This provides further insight into the stories and successes mentioned. It is overall very packed-full of information throughout the 320 pages.
I think 3 Kings can be intriguing through some areas. I am a huge music fan and it is always interesting to see information on how artists got further propelled into their success. For example, I already knew that Jay-Z was successful for much more than just his music, but this book provided me with a lot of information that really surprised me on just how much outside factors influenced his popularity. However, one of my main critiques with this book is the sheer amount of information that is included throughout the writing. Maybe this book wasn’t necessarily intended to be read on the side, and maybe it was meant for research purposes. The book tended to drag out with the numbers and statistics, providing the reader with more information than what is really necessary. I think that if the information was more concise and the book focused more on the 3 Kings themselves, it could have been more intriguing to read in my spare time. So, for this reason, I’m going to have to give it a ⅗ rating. I would recommend this book to anybody who would want to research the companies and products that Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, or Diddy may have endorsed and how it impacted their success. If you just want to learn more about any of these artists' music specifically, there are a lot more biographies out there that will focus on this aspect better. 3 Kings definitely isn’t terrible, and there are some interesting insights on the topic, but it didn’t really manage to capture and hold my attention.

[Heather Boaz ( mlleboaz.bibliophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Little Brown for the chance to read and review this book! (And meet the author at the launch!!)

This was such a fun surprise. I am a trained opera singer, living in New York, trying to make it all work...while hip-hop and rap are not always at the top of my playlists right now, I definitely still enjoy it and was certainly OBSESSED in the late nineties and early 2000's -right in the middle of its heydey.

But that's not the point here. My larger point is, that if you have any interest in music or business at all, you will enjoy this book. Greenburg explores how these three men became household names through entrepreneurial endeavors that eventually allowed them to have the freedom to do what they wanted with their art. Not only did they revolutionize hip-hop and the music world, but also have affected a wide-reaching impact on international culture, including everything from fashion to alcohol trends to streaming services and the way that music is consumed today.

*3 words to describe: surprising, engaging, inspiring

*what I loved: considering the business side of music in a way that is applicable to all artists.

*what I questioned: at times, so many of the great hip-hop artists are mentioned that there isn't always the room to give background on the older greats who I was less familiar with

*Overall rating: 4 stars

Find my bookish posts and reviews on IG @mlleboaz.bibliophile !

[Tommy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What most impressed me about this book is that it gave a nice overview of the history of hip-hop in general, touching on everyone from Fab Five Freddie and Run DMC to NWA. The main focus is on the careers of Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z, deigning them the title of the Three Kings of hip-hop for their business acumen. Truly, we learn about all of their varied ventures, successes and failures, from Ciroc Vodka to clothing, Beats to Tidal, Live Nation, Apple, and more.

It's an interesting look at how hip-hop has shaped our culture and how artists create a brand for themselves. Personally, I'm much more intrigued by Jay and Dre than Diddy. Nothing personal, just find them more compelling and more invested in the music. Just about everyone in hip=hop makes a cameo on the book, even if only in passing. It's a good analysis, and - what I loved most about the book - is that Greenburg points out that, thanks to these artists, young African-American kids now could aspire to be not only musicians, rappers, and artists, as these men did, but thanks to them, they could now aspire to be entrepreneurs. They could become millionaires. While money isn't everything (by any means), I love the sense of empowerment these artists give kids in environments where hope is hard to come by.

Definitely worth a read by anyone who appreciates hip-hop or wants to learn how artists turn their talents into massive movements.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book on the three hip hop artists that took their smarts and rap game and propelled it to major heights. We read about Jay-Z, who hustled drugs, became a hip hop icon and started Rocawear, restaurants, sneakers,etc. We read about P Diddy, who began his rise at Uptown Records, and used his business sense to start his own record label ,Bad Boy. Let us not forget his clothing line, perfurme, cologne, housewares and of course becoming the pitchman for Ciroc Vodka. Last but not least, we have Dr. Dre. This man started out with West Coast Hardcore rap, NWA, and left there to become aligned with Death Row Records. After leaving Death Row,he became a multi-millionaire with his headphones, Beats by Dre. This book also has references to past rappers who to me, helped shape and form hip hop. This is an outstanding read on 3 men who rose above their humble beginnings to become kings. This book is titled correctly. Outstanding!!!! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

[DeAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

"3 Kings" by Zack O'Malley Greenburg is a book regarding the lives and careers of three iconic figures in the world of hip-hop: Jay-Z, Diddy, and Dr. Dre. The book showcases their rise to fame, examining how each artist navigated the music industry, built their brands, and created successful businesses. Greenburg highlights the unique strategies and cultural influences that shaped their paths, as well as their contributions to music and business. Ultimately, "3 Kings" not only celebrates their achievements but also reflects on the broader impact they have had on pop-culture.

I recommend this book to readers who are fans of hip-hop or interested in the music industry. If you enjoy stories about successful entrepreneurs and how they built their brands, this book is for you. The writing is engaging, and the stories of their achievements are inspiring. However, at times, the book feels a bit repetitive. I would have liked a deeper analysis of their individual impacts on the culture. Overall, I would rate this book a 3/5.

[Victoria Iwinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this quote really summarizes the book:

“We were forced to start these record labels out of trunks of cars and distribute music like that” says [Troy] Carter. “It’s been this thing of forced entrepreneurship that turned into a significant amount of equity in these businesses.”

Mixed with some really essential history of hip-hop and the key players across many generations, three men remain on top throughout it all. All did things differently, chose very different paths, and one was on the other side of the country, but they all ended up grinding and making themselves, but more importantly, hip-hop, something to be in awe of.

This was such a well thought out book about these three kings and although it wasn’t the main focus of the book, Greenburg doesn’t shy away from some of the “darker” parts of their pasts. He really spun a story of the American dream and how three men took every opportunity to make a lasting legacy for themselves and future artists and entrepreneurs.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

From a content point of view, I thought this book was very entertaining. I virtually grew up with Hip-Hop, and to see it maturate from an urban sub-culture to a major media conglomerate, influencing major industries like the fashion, technology and advertisement just shows what Hip-Hop has become over the 40 years of its commercial availability. The book talks about the three dominant figures who has stretched Hip-Hop to the major multi-faceted media giant it has become. Whatever one thinks about Diddy, Dr. Dre and Jay Z, their business acumen, like any other American business tycoons, past or present, has to be lauded, and this is exactly what this book does. The three men are typical American success stories who are on the verge of becoming billionaires in a few years. This is a refreshing view that capitalism does work for everyone.

[Marcus Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very great read read!

Great for anyone who is an entrepreneur, artist (music, drawing/painting) or has any desire to reach some esoteric goal.

Through the read I was intrigued with what the various subjects went through and had to deal with on their road to success.

I enjoyed the various takes from not only the subjects themselves but the varying people who worked with them or alongside them on the way to their achievements.

This gave me a lot of motivation to fight for what I want in my life and keep putting in the work to achieve those dreams.

I learned a great deal about Dre, Diddy & Jay-Z that I hadn’t known prior. I also learned a lot about the markets and how they navigated those as well.

Highly recommend this book.

[Metal Nyankos · Rating 3 out of 5]

That hip-hop is an industry - a massively lucrative one at that - is beyond question, which means it's fantastic to finally see a book on the business side of the rap biz. Greenburg explains rap and its origins before diving into the meat of the book: the eponymous three kings. Overall, 3 Kings: Diddy, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Hip-Hop's Multibillion-Dollar Rise is an engaging read that moves along at a brisk pace, seamlessly jumping back-and-forth between Diddy, Dre, and Jay-Z. The interviews are numerous and candid, while the occasional author-inserts keep the book fun, giving it a very 'fly on the wall' feel. It is obvious Greenburg has been covering the hip-hop business for years and his overwhelming knowledge and insight into the industry is evident on every page.

While his book has no new interviews with the kings (something Greenburg states), it is crammed full of his unique interviews with an incredibly colorful cast of characters, including Fab 5 Freddy, Lovebug Starski, and Russell Simmons. Two interviewees worth noting are Lyle Fass, a wine expert, and Voletta Wallace, the mother of Notorious B.I.G. Those two interviews together are worth the price of admission and feature heavily in Chapter 9 and Chapter 4, respectively.

All-in-all, this is a recommended read for anyone with a passion for hip-hop, rap, and the financial-side of America's biggest (and arguably most important) music genre.

[Book Grocer]

Purchase 3 Kings here for just $12!


Greenburg's knowledge of both hip-hop and business comes together in this entertaining book. Not only is this an outstanding read on 3 men who rose above their humble beginnings to build empires, but also a great adventure through the hip hop music scene. A very inspiring and motivating book that goes far beyond music.

Alicia, The Book Grocer

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway***

"Unlike rock music, which is in many ways a reaction against wealth, a core element of hip-hop is rejoicing in success."

This book was an interesting look at the business side of the hip-hop industry throughout the years. I learned a lot about the forefathers of rap, the ways that certain moguls managed to rise above, and the battles they're still waging to put hip-hop on an even level with other art forms in terms of respect. It was a bit dry at times, but still interesting. I'm full of rap trivia now! Time to go listen to all the albums...

[Luigib · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for this book. I read it to familiarize myself with the rap stars. It is difficult for me to respect the method the way Jay-Z started in business. That poisoned my opinion of him or how a president could even accompany him. I think its sad how someone like Diddy, who grew up in a middle class environment, started to market the gangster image. Additionally, it didn't seem like the 3 kings were necessarily great business men, as they tended to incorporate their products into shows and proteges. Maybe Stephen Curry should insist on wearing Coca-cola and Apple logos on his Warriors uniform. Does that make Curry a good business man?

[AntoffChekhon · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️⚠️🚨🚨🚨IMPORTANT BOOK ALERT🚨🚨🚨⚠️⚠️

In his 2004 stand-up special "Never Scared", Chris Rock delivered a blistering Jeremiad on the distinction between riches and wealth; riches are temporary, kept to oneself and soon depleted, while wealth is regenerative, begetting more wealth across communities and generations through shrewd management and investment. This book is an incisive and thrilling investigation into how three phenomenal black artist-entrepreneurs overcame the odds and then some with their talent and insight to create an empire of true wealth.

[Byron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially, this does for Dr. Dre and Diddy what the author's first book, Empire State of Mind, did for Jay Z—who's also discussed here, even though there's a whole separate book on him. It features interviews with a lot of the same people, some of whom seem like they might have some sort of beef with Jay Z, e.g. Fab Five Freddy and weed man ternt sommelier Branson. It provides a decent enough overview of the three cash kings' various business dealings but without much in the way of real insider info. But it's pretty well put together for what it is.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like the book “3 kings” is really inspiring it tells the story of many different rappers and how they came to their success. It gives really good detail and it talks about many different rappers and tells u many different parts of how they got to succeed and what they gotta do. I would really recommend this book to Erik because he really likes rap history, I feel like this book will be good for him.

[Jojo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up in the 90s I remember listening to their music, and grew-up with their influence, it was only a matter of time until I read about this three giants. Reminisce back to my younger years the author was very detailed and interesting, there were facts I didn’t know I wanted but yet I craved. I will find out more about these three and go back to my old school track while spinning on my head and the DJ is spinning the turn tables.

[Geneva · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there were a couple of chapters in the middle that got bogged down with financial data instead of telling the story of the financial rise in a more engaging manner, the book overall was engaging and difficult for me to put down. Part hip-hop history, part business study concentrating on the 3 "kings" but with many nods and explorations of other key figures including: Fab 5 Freddy, Caz, Tupac, Biggie, and more.

[Ilya Inozemtsev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Поначалу кажется, что Гринберг совершенно неподходящий автор для описания биографии главных людей в хип-хопе, но где-то на половине книги история становления жанра превращается в эдакую бизнес-сагу с убийствами, большими деньгами, обманами и разорениями. Хотя автору и хочется сделать 50 Cent четвёртым королём, это совсем не нужно – триумвират выбранных самодостаточен

[Azmir Ismail · Rating 4 out of 5]

An compelling about how Diddy, JayZ and Dre became kings of hip-hop and business, by using their music as the vehicle. The history of hip hop is also illustrated as it is the foundation to their riches. In a way, the hustling skills of hip hop helped them to get to where they are. Other similar artists that follow the 3 kings are also profiled. A must read for hip-hop mixed with business fans.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greenburg is an authority on the business of entertainment, and practically established the practice of hip hop business journalism a decade ago at Forbes. This is an essential book for anyone interested in how empires can be built on musical talent and shrewd business sense.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greenberg provides a thoughtful treatise on the lives outside of music of three rap moguls and the ways in which fashion, headphones, and beverages tie in to music. A reasonable read with some nuggets on hip hop as a genre and three men's ambitions in particular, the book deserves a quick read.

[Tumhara Sar · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it because of Diddy, I actually remember a while ago where I found myself invited to the Diddy party. there to my surprise he said 'oil up im gonna touch you lil bro' which was slightly concerning. needless to say it was an eventful night

[Felecia Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, easy read...a lot of behind the boardroom insight...