She Wasn't Allowed to Listen to Drake, Now She's Richer Than Most Rappers

Growing up in Lagos, Temilade Openiyi or Tems as everyone knows her couldn't listen to anything but gospel music. Her strict Christian mother controlled the radio dial. No R&B. No hip hop. No Afrobeats. Just church songs.

When she wanted to hear Lauryn Hill or Alicia Keys, she had to sneak around. Her mother would literally change the station if secular music came on. The irony? That same restriction that could have killed her musical dreams actually sharpened them.

That same kid who had to hide her musical tastes is now worth $25 million, owns part of a Major League Soccer team, and just changed the game for every African artist watching.

Tems created a whole new playbook.

The Numbers That Matter

Tems' net worth is circa $25 million, but here's what makes her different from other artists in her bracket. She owns her masters. Every time "Essence" plays anywhere in the world, she gets paid. Every time someone streams her features on Drake's "Certified Lover Boy", she gets paid. Those aren't just songs. They're money machines that run 24/7.

But the real power move? In 2025, she became the first African woman to own part of a Major League Soccer team by joining the San Diego FC ownership group. She acquired her stake through The Leading Vibe, her own investment company, partnering with Pave Investments.

This is strategic wealth building.

Why the Soccer Move is Genius

Most people see the soccer investment and think it's random. It's not. Tems studied the market. MLS team values have exploded over the past decade. Atlanta United sold for $300 million in 2014. Today they're worth over $800 million. Charlotte FC paid $325 million just for the expansion fee in 2019.

San Diego FC is launching in 2025. Tems got in at ground level prices on a team that'll probably be worth billions in 20 years. While other artists buy depreciating assets like cars and jewelry, she bought something that compounds.

But there's a deeper strategy. As she explained, "music and sports they are kind of similar in a way that they give opportunities to the young talents and the young generation coming up". She's not just investing in soccer. She's building influence in youth development globally.

Through her partnership with Right to Dream Academy, she's creating pipelines for young African talent to reach global stages. Today it's football. Tomorrow it could be music, business, or tech. She's building an ecosystem.

The Master Class in IP Ownership

Here's where most artists mess up. They get excited about the advance money and give away their publishing rights. Tems did the opposite. She kept ownership of her biggest hits.

"Essence" alone has generated over 500 million streams. At roughly $0.003 per stream for the songwriter, that's $1.5 million just from one song. But it keeps paying. Forever. Her kids will inherit those royalties.

Her collaboration strategy is even smarter. Instead of just featuring on tracks, she negotiates co-writing credits. When she worked with Drake, Rihanna, or Future, she wasn't just the hired voice. She was a creative partner who owns part of the song.

This is wealth building 101. Create assets that pay you while you sleep.

Building The Leading Vibe Empire

The Leading Vibe is Tems' investment vehicle and the key to everything she's building. Through this company, she's able to:

• Make strategic investments like the San Diego FC stake

• Negotiate better deals as a business entity, not just an individual

• Create tax advantages for her investments

• Build a team of advisors and partners

• Scale beyond just music income

Smart artists don't just make money. They create companies that make money from multiple sources.

The Global Bridge Strategy

Tems isn't just succeeding in America or Nigeria. She's building bridges between markets that barely talked to each other before. When "Essence" became a global hit, it opened doors for other Afrobeats artists in ways that didn't exist.

But she's not stopping at music. The soccer investment creates connections between African talent and American sports infrastructure. The Right to Dream partnership creates pathways for African youth to access global opportunities.

She's not just crossing bridges. She's building them and charging tolls.

5 Things You Can Learn From Tems

1. Turn Restrictions Into Rocket Fuel Tems' strict upbringing could have crushed her creativity. Instead, it made her more selective and intentional about her art. When you can't have everything, you learn to make better choices. Use limitations as filters, not barriers.

2. Own Everything You Create While artists give away publishing rights for quick cash, Tems kept ownership of her biggest hits. Twenty years from now, "Essence" will still be paying her family. Never trade ownership for short term money. If you create it, you should own it.

3. Study Markets Before You Enter Them Tems didn't randomly invest in soccer. She studied MLS valuations, growth trends, and future projections. Whether you're investing in stocks, real estate, or starting a business, do your homework first. Luck favors the prepared.

4. Build Systems, Not Just Skills Music made Tems famous. But The Leading Vibe company, sports ownership, and academy partnerships will make her wealthy. Your main talent is just the entry point. Build systems around it that create multiple income streams.

5. Create Pipelines for Others Tems isn't just succeeding alone. She's creating pathways for other African artists and athletes to follow. When you build infrastructure for others, you become the center of an ecosystem. That's where real power and lasting wealth come from.

The Compound Effect

Most artists think in album cycles. Tems thinks in decades. Every move she makes compounds into bigger opportunities. The music success led to the global platform. The global platform led to investment opportunities. The investments create wealth that funds bigger moves.

This is the flywheel effect. Each success makes the next one easier and bigger.

The Long Game

Tems is now shaping global culture, sports, and business. Tems proved that sometimes the strictest backgrounds create the most expansive minds.

She's not just representing Nigeria or Africa. She's representing a new way of thinking about artistry, business, and global influence. She's showing that you don't have to choose between staying true to your roots and building international empires.

From Restrictions to Empire

Tems turned her voice into a platform, her platform into businesses, and her businesses into generational wealth.

While others chase the next hit, she's building assets that'll pay forever. While others buy things that depreciate, she's investing in appreciating assets. While others think about today, she's building for tomorrow.

The empire is just getting started, and every move she makes creates blueprints for the next generation to follow.