If you’re at all tapped into the modern hip hop sound, you’re no doubt familiar with Metro Boomin, the Grammy-nominated beat-maker extraordinaire responsible for producing such hits as “Father Stretch My Hands” by Kanye West, “Mask Off” by Future, “Bad And Boujee” by the Migos, and “Like That” by Future and Kendrick Lamar. Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few months, you’ve probably also heard Metro’s sampling and drum patterns on the viral instrumental track “BBL Drizzy,” which has been playing all over TikTok and other social media platforms. Through his multiple landmark contributions to modern music, Metro Boomin has amassed a sizable net worth of over $45 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
So, how did Metro Boomin establish himself in the highly competitive hip hop industry? How did the multi-talented multi-instrumentalist take his talents from the underground to the forefront of music, building long-standing relationships with some of raps heaviest hitters? Let’s take a brief look into Metro Boomin’s career history, additional income streams, and investment portfolio, and see what we can learn from the St. Louis native.
Early Life & Career Beginnings
Long before Metro Boomin was producing entire LPs for the likes of Future and 21 Savage, the prolific artist was born Leland Tyler Wayne. Metro is said to have always held a deep appreciation for music, and began learning instruments such as bass and guitar as early as middle school. By the time he was 13 years old, the aspiring musician was gifted a laptop by his mother, allowing him access to beat-making software such as FL Studio.
According to Metro himself, he originally started producing beats with the intention of rapping over them, though he soon found that his true calling was on the behind-the-scenes side of things. With his mother’s encouragement, Metro invested heavily into digital music production, delivering hot sample flips and break-beat sounds to his high school friends, and networking with other artists by uploading tracks to Twitter.
Before long, Metro Boomin had built up a rolodex of up-and-coming artists who shared his passion for gritty, murderous piano stabs and heavy, thumping 808s. While he was still attending high school, Metro’s mom would often drive him all the way to Atlanta to meet and collab with his online friends, some of whom would go on to launch incredibly successful rap careers under monikers such as OJ da Juiceman, Gucci Mane, and of course, Future. By the time Metro Boomin graduated high school, he knew that Atlanta was becoming the epicenter for his niche, and decided to attend Morehouse College so he could remain close to his newfound peers.
Rap Producing Career
In the years since Metro Boomin made his move to Atlanta, the producer has grown to become one of the most prolific artists to get behind the boards, joining the ranks of legends like J Dilla, DJ Premier, and The Alchemist. He has worked closely with the founders of the modern trap/rap sound such as Young Thug, 21 Savage, Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, and Playboi Carti. Metro has raked in millions of dollars through his wide array of collaborative efforts, including full-length collab LPs such as “Without Warning” and “Savage Mode 2” with 21 Savage, as well as his back-to-back 2024 releases “We Don’t Trust You” and “We Still Don’t Trust You” with Future. The acclaimed musician has also raked in sales through his critically-acclaimed solo ventures “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” and “Heroes & Villains.”
Beyond his music releases, Metro Boomin has also ameliorated his net worth with numerous stage performances, including sets at Coachella and other massive festival venues. Metro has also ingratiated himself into other aspects of culture by providing soundtracks for films such as “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.” As a minor Easter Egg, Metro Boomin event lent his voice to the animated film, which released alongside his critically-praised soundtrack album. In only a little over 10 years within the music industry, Metro has amassed dozens of awards and nominations, making him one of the most celebrated young producers of his generation.
Investments & Other Ventures
Beyond chopping samples, Metro Boomin has also made a substantial amount of money with deals and investments in the music industry. In June 2017, the producer launched a record label titled Boominati Worldwide, which serves as an imprint of Republic Records. The label serves as the home to most of Metro’s catalog, and allows him to utilize his time and money to invest in other up-and-coming acts in the music scene. While speaking with XXL Magazine, Metro explained, “Launching Boominati Worldwide is the next step in my career as a producer, an artist and a businessman. I created the label to represent a collective of highly gifted individuals who have the shared gift of being able to influence the world through culture and art.”
The young mogul has also engaged in brand partnerships with companies such as Gap, and has invested in real estate with his purchase of a nearly $5 million home in California. One of the largest contributing factors to Metro’s $45 million net worth came just last year, when the producer agreed to sell a portion of his catalog to Shamrock Capital. According to a report in Billboard, Metro made $70 million from the deal, which offloaded an unknown percentage of his back catalog to the investment firm. While many rappers have espoused the importance of owning your master recordings, it’s hard to argue with figures of this kind, which certainly brought in more wealth than Metro had ever seen up to that point. For now, Metro Boomin is still churning out hits, so there will surely be plenty more high-quality beats to add to his catalog.
