5 Musicians Who Are Surprisingly Good at Business

Being rich doesn't always accompany being famous, especially when living a rock star lifestyle, but a handful of A-list musicians have managed to turn their celebrity into successful business ventures:

• Jessica Simpson: You wouldn't expect a pop singer/reality star who didn't know the difference between chicken and tuna to morph into a fashion mogul, but that's the case of Jessica Simpson. She recently sold a 50% stake in her empire of clothing, shoes, and bags that's said to be worth more than $1 billion.
• Jay Z: The music mogul once rapped: "I’m not a businessman / I’m a business, man!" The rapper now can count clothing, sports bars, liquor, fragrances, a basketball team, and a music streaming service among his many ventures.
• Gwen Stefani: The No Doubt vocalist once sang of being "just a girl," but in addition to her solo career and gig on The Voice, she has managed to create a fashion company reportedly worth more than $90 million.

• Justin Timberlake: The former boy band singer has his hand in many businesses including a clothing line, record label, restaurant, basketball team, and most recently, his own brand of tequila.
• Gene Simmons: The KISS singer and bassist is reportedly worth more than $300 million, thanks to his role as the band's finance manager and his idea to license tons of merchandise. "Life is business, and I approach life the way sharks approach life—they must keep moving or else they will drown," he recently said in an interview.

Click to read about 15 celebrity businesses that went belly up.