Wealth Without Waves: Why 50 Cent Says He Doesn’t Want to Buy a Yacht

Luxury yachts represent the pinnacle of celebrity excess, floating mansions that can cost upwards of $500 million and require endless maintenance. Yet amid the competition for nautical bragging rights, Grammy Award-winning artist 50 Cent has charted a different course. The rapper’s deliberate decision to avoid yacht ownership reveals a calculated approach to wealth management that distinguishes him from many of his entertainment industry peers.

No Luxury Vessel For 50

During a 2023 interview with journalist Brian J. Roberts, the rapper explained why a yacht simply didn’t align with his current lifestyle priorities. The interview recently resurfaced on social media.

With a demanding concert schedule of 93 shows, he recognized the impracticality of yacht ownership.

“I’m going to be off moving around so much that the yacht turns into a hole, it turns into a hole in the water that you could just keep throwing money in because you don’t really have time to get on it,” he reasoned. “It’s just sitting there and it’s probably going to look like it’s damaged or weathered after it’s been in the water.”

His decision appears financially astute considering the Boats Group Market Index reports that in 2024, the average price for a 56-79 foot yacht reached $1.5 million — not including the substantial ongoing maintenance costs.

While 50 Cent avoids yacht ownership, he isn’t opposed to all luxury expenditures. He specifically views private air travel as a worthwhile investment rather than a liability.

“With all of that touring and stuff like that, if I decide I’m not going to be on a bus, I’m gonna fly private everywhere I go,” he told Roberts. “If it makes less wear and tear on me because I’m going to 93 different territories, yeah, I don’t care about the expense.”

Instead of depreciating assets like yachts, the Grammy winner has channeled millions into expanding his business interests, particularly in real estate. In June 2023, he invested $2.4 million in multiple properties in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana, according to the Shreveport Times.

As reportedly the second-largest landlord in the city and owner of G-Unit Studios downtown, these investments appear designed to both revitalize the area and build long-term equity—a far cry from the “money pit” he associates with yacht ownership.

While 50 Cent has opted out of yacht ownership, many celebrities have embraced this ultimate status symbol.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the “Koru,” a 127-meter (417-foot) three-masted yacht built by Oceanco and completed in April 2023. Named after his mother and inspired by Māori art symbolizing growth, the vessel reportedly cost over $500 million. Registered in the Cayman Islands, it hosts 18 guests with a crew of 36. Its lavish features include a spacious aft deck swimming pool.

NFL superstar Tom Brady took delivery of a 16-meter custom Wajer 55S cruiser in 2020, christened “Viva a Vida,” featuring a baby blue hull capable of speeds exceeding 40 knots. The quarterback later commissioned a larger model, the Wajer 77, Boat International reports.

Rap artist Rick Ross, 50 Cent’s nemesis, may own a $6 million, 63-foot Lamborghini yacht. While he, too, zips around the world in his private jets, he shared with the world a beautiful vessel on social media in 2023 that he was considering buying. On the clip, he talked about crashing through waves as he networked and partied with friends on the boat that featured Lamborghini seats and steering wheel.

At least when it comes to yacht spending, the “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” rapper shows true wealth isn’t about flashy possessions but strategic investments that fit one’s lifestyle and long-term goals.

While yachts symbolize success in entertainment, his wealth-building approach offers lessons for growing a financial portfolio.

Sometimes, the smartest luxury purchase is the one you don’t make.