This list explores the 15 richest African Americans in 2025, showcasing the incredible achievements and groundbreaking ventures that have propelled them to the top. From media moguls to tech visionaries and sports legends, these individuals have redefined wealth and influence. Let’s count down the richest African Americans who are shaping industries and inspiring future generations.
15 Richest African Americans
15. Sheila Johnson
- Net Worth: $1 billion
- Source of Wealth: Cable TV, hotels
Kicking off our list of richest African Americans is the impressive Sheila Johnson. A true trailblazer, Johnson co-founded the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network in 1979 with her former husband, Robert Johnson. After Viacom acquired the network for $2.9 billion in 2001, she diversified her portfolio significantly. She is the founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and a stakeholder in three professional sports teams: the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
14. Herriot Tabuteau
- Net Worth: $1.1 billion
- Source of Wealth: Healthcare
Herriot Tabuteau is a pharmaceutical entrepreneur who made his fortune by taking on industry giants. He is the founder and CEO of Axsome Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for central nervous system disorders. His breakthrough came with a new drug formulation for depression, which sent the company’s stock soaring and placed him firmly among the richest African Americans in the healthcare sector.
13. LeBron James
- Net Worth: $1.3 billion
- Source of Wealth: Basketball, investments
Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James is a force both on and off the court. King James became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status. His wealth comes not just from his massive NBA contracts but also from savvy endorsements with brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, and Beats by Dre. Furthermore, his smart investments in ventures like Blaze Pizza, his production company SpringHill Entertainment, and a stake in Fenway Sports Group have solidified his financial empire, and his spot on the list of the richest African Americans.
12. Rihanna
- Net Worth: $1.4 billion
- Source of Wealth: Music, cosmetics
- Citizenship: Barbados
While Rihanna is from Barbados, she is best-known in the US. In addition to being global music icon, it’s Rihanna’s business acumen that has made her a billionaire. The bulk of her fortune comes from Fenty Beauty, the cosmetics brand she co-owns with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. Launched in 2017, Fenty Beauty was an instant success, celebrated for its inclusivity across all skin tones. She also holds a stake in the Savage X Fenty lingerie line, further cementing her status as a formidable entrepreneur and a member of the list of richest African Americans.
11. Tiger Woods
- Net Worth: $1.4 billion
- Source of Wealth: Golf, endorsements
Tiger Woods is a living legend who transformed the sport of golf. For decades, he was the face of the sport, and his earnings reflect that. While his prize money is substantial, the vast majority of his wealth comes from enormous endorsement deals with iconic brands like Nike, Rolex, and TaylorMade. His influence transcends sports, making him one of the most recognizable and richest athletes on the planet.
10. Tyler Perry
- Net Worth: $1.4 billion
- Source of Wealth: Movies, television
Tyler Perry’s journey is a quintessential rags-to-riches story. From living in his car to becoming a media mogul and one of the richest African Americans, his success is self-made. He built his empire by creating, directing, and starring in a series of popular plays, films, and television shows, most notably the “Madea” franchise. A key to his wealth is that he maintains 100% ownership of his creative output. He owns one of the largest production studios in the United States, Tyler Perry Studios, in Atlanta, Georgia.
9. Tope Awotona
- Net Worth: $1.4 billion
- Source of Wealth: Software
One of the newest faces on the list of richest African Americans is tech entrepreneur Tope Awotona. Born in Nigeria, Awotona is the founder and CEO of Calendly, a simple but incredibly popular scheduling software. Frustrated with the time-consuming back-and-forth of setting up meetings, he poured his life savings into creating a solution. Today, Calendly is valued at over $3 billion, making its founder a certified tech billionaire.
8. Magic Johnson
- Net Worth: $1.5 billion
- Source of Wealth: Basketball, investments
NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson has proven to be as magical in the boardroom as he was on the basketball court. After retiring from the Lakers, he founded Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment powerhouse. He has held ownership stakes in numerous businesses, including movie theaters, Starbucks franchises, and several professional sports teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers. His successful transition from athlete to business titan is truly legendary, and his 8th position on the list of richest African Americans is testament to his success.
7. Adebayo Ogunlesi
- Net Worth: $2.2 billion
- Source of Wealth: Private equity
Adebayo Ogunlesi is a Nigerian-born lawyer and investment banker with a remarkable financial career. After a successful tenure at the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore and the investment bank Credit Suisse, he founded his own private equity firm, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). GIP makes large-scale investments in infrastructure assets, and under his leadership, it has acquired major holdings like London’s Gatwick Airport. Most recently, Ogunlesi became a board member of OpenAI. He is seventh on the list of the richest African Americans.
6. Jay-Z
- Net Worth: $2.5 billion
- Source of Wealth: Music, investments
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter famously rapped, “I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man,” and he has more than lived up to it. The first hip-hop artist to become a billionaire, Jay-Z’s wealth extends far beyond his legendary music career. His fortune includes his entertainment company Roc Nation, stakes in the fine art and cognac industries, and the successful sale of his music streaming service, Tidal, and champagne brand, Armand de Brignac. Jay-Z is sixth on the list of the richest African Americans.
5. Oprah Winfrey
- Net Worth: $3 billion
- Source of Wealth: TV shows, media empire
Oprah Winfrey transformed her career as a talk show host into a multi-billion dollar media empire. The Oprah Winfrey Show was a cultural phenomenon, and she leveraged its success to launch her own production company, Harpo Studios, and later, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Her Midas touch extends to investments, most notably an early stake in Weight Watchers. For decades, she has been one of the most influential and richest african americans in the world. Oprah finds herself fifth on the list of the richest African Americans.
4. Michael Jordan
- Net Worth: $3.5 billion
- Source of Wealth: Charlotte Hornets, endorsements
Considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan’s wealth continues to grow long after his retirement. While his NBA salary was groundbreaking for its time, his fortune skyrocketed due to his ownership of the Charlotte Hornets NBA team (which he recently sold a majority stake in) and, most importantly, his iconic Jordan Brand partnership with Nike. The Jordan Brand is a cultural and financial behemoth, generating billions in revenue annually and paying him royalties that keep him high on the list of richest African Americans.
3. Alexander Karp
Net Worth: $8.4 billion
- Source of Wealth: Software firm
Alexander Karp is the co-founder and CEO of the secretive and powerful data analytics firm Palantir Technologies. Palantir, known for its work with government agencies like the CIA and the Department of Defense, specializes in big data analysis. Karp, whose mother is African American, holds a Ph.D. in neoclassical social theory and is known for his unconventional leadership style. The successful public offering of Palantir in 2020 propelled his net worth into the billions, and as the third richest African American.
2. Robert F. Smith
- Net Worth: $10.8 billion
- Source of Wealth: Private equity
Robert F. Smith is the founder, chairman, and CEO of the private equity firm Vista Equity Partners. Vista focuses exclusively on investing in software companies, a strategy that has proven immensely profitable. Smith, a Cornell and Columbia Business School graduate, worked at Goldman Sachs before starting Vista in 2000. He is also a noted philanthropist, famously announcing during a commencement speech that he would pay off the entire student loan debt for the 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College. Robert Smith is second on the list of the richest African Americans.
1. David Steward
- Net Worth: $11.4 billion
- Source of Wealth: IT provider
Topping the list of the richest African Americans is David Steward. He is the chairman and founder of World Wide Technology (WWT), a technology service provider with annual revenues in the tens of billions. Founded in 1990, WWT provides IT solutions, including cloud computing and cybersecurity services, to a vast range of clients, including the U.S. federal government. Steward’s story of building his company from the ground up into an industry giant is a testament to his vision and perseverance, making him the wealthiest African American of 2025.