Deconstructing 24 Mansions Owned By Rappers

The fact that many rappers own swanky mansions isn't anything revelatory. Look at the recent purchases of Birdman and Rick Ross. The topic has been done to death by dozens of other publications in the past. However, it doesn't make it any less interesting to see the expansive properties of our favorite hip-hop icons, especially when you look at artists' individual architectural penchants.

While we don't profess to be architectural experts, XXL has decided to examine 24 properties owned by rappers in the context of a number of architectural schools of thought.

Rick Ross

Rick Ross buys a massive mansion that was formerly own by legendary heavyweight boxer, Evander Holyfield. The  45,000-square-foot mansion  has 109 rooms and $1 million per year to operate, with an electricity bills around $17,000.

Birdman

No overview yet because the house is still under construction and wont be done until mid February. But from the pictures, this house is pretty amazing with it's futuristic waterfalls, marble floors, flat screen TVs that descend from the ceiling, crystal chandeliers and of course red decor.

Jay Z

Although he may have an apartment in the Trump he's only slept in once, Hov's also got a sweet little Spanish Colonial house on the Miami waterfront. And by "little," we mean that it barely passes as a textbook mansion at 8,000 square feet—that's chump change for the King Of New York.

Eminem

Em keeps it simple with a shingle-style mansion out in the boonies of his native Michigan. Note the modern influence of the property with a killer bouncy castle at the back—so chic.

Dr. Dre

The upsides to Dre's crib? It's an elegant post-modern pad with a sweet infinity pool that overlooks the Los Angeles skyline. The downside? It overlooks the Los Angeles skyline, so good luck trying to enjoy that view through all the smog.

Kanye West

Yeah, Yeezy may have said in "New Slaves" that he moved his family out to France, but Kim Kardashian and he still own the title to this Mediterranean revival-style mansion out in Malibu. Yeezy does lose points for having a house that's the same color as one of Craig Sager's suits, though.

Diddy

Diddy's house is somewhat of an oddity, as it blends the symmetrical window openings of Georgian revival architecture with 20th century American neo-eclectic stylings. All we can really say is that it's pretty baller despite being located in New Jersey.

Diddy (The Hamptons, NY)

What, you thought Diddy only had one crib? Fat chance. Above is the Bad Boy's post-modern Hamptons pad, which is without a doubt the perfect location for a Ciroc-funded white clothing party.

Birdman 

Birdman balled out on this 19,000-square-foot Palm Beach villa, copping the crib from producer Scott Storch in 2011. Note the ridiculous amount of Roman-style pillars in the courtyard—that's elegance at its peak.

Lil Wayne

Unlike the plethora of pillars that make up Birdman's place, Weezy's house sticks to a simpler style. Notice the pool on the waterfront move—only stars like Wayne can get away with that.

Will Smith

The former Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air earns the distinction of owning the only house on this list that is pueblo style in its construction. Like a real adobe pueblo, it has the look of being made from sand and clay. Unlike a real adobe pueblo, it cost the Smith's $20 million.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop keeps it super-Cali with a Mar Del Plata-style crib that fuses Spanish Colonial roofing with West Coast-style ranch living. But living under powerlines? That's an amateur move for any homeowner.

Nelly

The Country Grammar superstar keeps it relatively less country with a massive French Colonial-inflected abode. However, somebody better tell Nelly that his lawnmower's blade is too close to the ground—that grass is looking barren.

50 Cent

Although we'll be forever thankful for Cam'ron for calling it "a hand-me-down Tyson," 50 Cent's Connecticut mansion is no shanty. The G-Unit rapper's 52-room villa is one of the few mansions that actually lives up to the traditional definition of a mansion by containing a ballroom within (it's actually a nightclub in Fif's case, but we'll chalk that up to a generational gap).

 Rev Run

The Run-DMC legend's Châteauesque pad should look familiar, as it was heavily featured in his reality show Run's House. Despite its familiarity to many fans, it's still one of the most impressively swanky residences on the list.

 Tyga

The YMCMB rapper apparently comes from the Birdman school of property owning—the more pillars there are, the better the pad. With a traditionally Spanish Colonial-style roof and yellow-tinted exterior, Tyga's house makes it loud and clear that the "Rack City" rapper is a native to the West Coast.

 Fat Joe

Despite being located in Plantation, Florida, Joey Crack's crib adheres closer to the Mediterranean revival school of architecture. However, we're not so sure that the Bronx rapper will be staying around those parts much longer, as his current tax problems may force him to trade his crib for an 8'x12' cell.

 Ludacris

We're not going to knock Luda's Georgian revival-style mansion—it looks like an incredible crib, no doubt. But what we will say is this: Luda, get your lawn care game up, or at least get some Scott's Miracle Gro.

Wyclef Jean

Clef's house stands apart from his hip-hop peers' standard mansions with its saltbox-style frame, but it definitely goes toe-to-toe with any other MC's crib with regard to size. You might also recognize the pad's driveway from this little gem of an image.

 Juicy J

Apparently, Juicy J fully adopted the West Coast lifestyle after snagging that Academy Award in 2006. The Three 6 Mafia alum and current Taylor Gang representative keeps it clean with a Tuscan-style spot out in Sherman Oaks.

2 Chainz

We've gone into detail in the past about 2 Chainz's side hustle as a landlord, so it comes as no surprise that the G.O.O.D. Music rapper is killing it with a Federal-style residence. The vines make the exterior look like it's straight out of a fairy tale.

 2 Chainz (Palmetto, GA)

One of 2 Chainz's other properties—located in Palmetto, Georgia—is a decidedly less ornate "McMansion" of the Georgian revival-style. Still, "less ornate" is very much an understatement, as it clocks in at over 5,000 square feet with a pool, patio and indoor fountain.

 Rick Ross

Rozay keeps it more or less low-key with Spanish Colonial-style villa in his native Florida. Regardless of the mansion's fine exterior, it's Ross' attention to detail on the inside—including the use of choice Italian marbles around the pool—that make it an exceptional abode.

 Drake

While it's difficult to tell exactly from what school or architecture Drake's house is derived—all we can really see is a traditionally shingled roof—one thing stands out from it: That pool is awesome. You don't put a full-blown waterfall in your backyard and not back it up with an equally excellent exterior.