Jay Z learnt business acumen from drug dealing

Rapper Jay Z found it easy setting up his record label Roc Nation after learning business tactics from illegally dealing drugs on the street.

The hip-hop mogul found it easy to set up his Roc Nation record label and build a musical empire because he already had years of experience illegally selling crack on the streets of Brooklyn in New York City, reported Vanity Fair magazine.

"I know about budgets. I was a drug dealer. To be in a drug deal, you need to know what you can spend, what you need to re-up," he said.

The 43-year-old now a reformed family man, wishes he had got out of the drug scene earlier and thought about the big picture instead of focusing on the instant cash.
 

"Not until later did I have regrets, when I realised the effects on the community. I started looking at the community on the whole, but in the beginning, no.

"I was thinking about surviving. I was thinking about improving my situation. I was thinking about buying clothes."

Jay Z is married to Beyonce and raise daughter Blue Ivy with her.