Photo by Kmeron

With 11 Grammys to his name and his latest album "DAMN" being named this year's Pulitzer Prize for music–a first for a record that isn't classical or jazz–the MC who sometimes refers to himself as "Kung-Fu Kenny" has mastered the songwriter's craft.

An artist can't achieve legend status in the music industry without being business savvy. Lamar also appears to be a smart real estate investor with a long-term strategy. "I really like to buy property...rather than buying things for the moment. Something that can last me a lifetime," Lamar said in a radio interview for San Francisco's Wild 94.9.

He reportedly still lives in a modest L.A. condo–to stay humble while purchasing other apartments, buildings, and houses throughout California to build his real estate portfolio.

For his lastest money-move, Lamar has purchased a 5,400-square-foot home in Calabasas for $2.65 million.

Calabasas (and nearby Hidden Hills) has become a music maker's mecca over the last few years. Music producer Rick Rubin keeps a studio there. Dr. Dre just bought a custom estate in Calabasas for $4.9 million. A recent episode of FX's Atlanta was inspired by Drake's party-ready Hidden Hills mansion. And Kanye West just announced he was moving the headquarters of his Yeezy sneaker line to the Calabasas Hills.

However, Lamar won't be eating at local hangout Banzai Sushi on the regular, he has no plans to live in his six-bedroom, six-bath home. The investment property features an ample backyard with swimming pool, hot tub, built-in grill and covered patio.

The home's spacious interior exhibits a comfortable theater room, an in-home gym, huge walk-in closets, and a master suite with a cozy double-sided fireplace.

The home was originally listed for $2.89 million, but Lamar negotiated and obtained the mansion below asking price. It's an inspiring story for the Compton-born 30-year-old, who has rapped about being a homeless as a boy, living out of motels.

"I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA," Lamar raps on his breakout hit single off the last album.

Looks like this talented rapper-turned-real-estate-mogul has been putting his money where his mouth is.

Property photos courtesy of CRISNet.

The post Kendrick Lamar, Winning Awards And Buying Real Estate appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Mayfair is "posh" London. The affluent West End London area borough has been an upper-class playground since the 18th century. Its maze-like streets and storied arcades remain a favored shopping, eating, and socializing destination for the world's elite. It's the neighborhood recognized as the most expensive property square in the British version of a Monopoly game board.

For the steep prices it demands, Mayfair has a lot to offer in culture, cuisine, sophistication, and style.

Mayfair Hotels

While historic Mayfair hotels like Claridge's and The Dorchester have pampered royal guests, for a sense of prestige, stay at The Ritz. Opened in 1906 as the first steel-framed building in London, this world-famous hotel is an unparalleled example of British refinement.

Steep in the tradition of an English afternoon tea in The Ritz' glorious Palm Court, or dine under crystal chandeliers in the Michelin-starred Ritz restaurant led by Executive Chef, John Williams MBE.

Rooms at The Ritz feature antique period furniture and five-star service. The decadent Trafalgar Suite is decorated in colors representing Admiral Nelson's victory over the combined Franco-Spanish fleet.

The glamour of The Ritz' atmosphere is ironically entwined with England's war history. Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower, and Charles de Gaulle once talked World War II strategy in the elegant Marie Antoinette Suite.

Mayfair Shopping

Shepherd Market is considered to be the village center of Mayfair, but shoppers looking for the best high-end designer stores and exclusive boutiques head to Bond Street.

Armani, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, and Louis Vuitton all have storefronts on Bond. Just behind Bond Street, is the covered Burlington Arcade, running from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens, this handsome colonnade includes Chanel and Manolo Blahnik among its desirable upmarket retailers and high-fashion boutiques.

Collectors in the market for a rare Rolex or Patek Philippe should explore Armour-Winston, Bond street's most trusted vintage watch supplier.

Mayfair Art and Culture

Two famous musicians lived on Brook Street in Mayfair. George Frederic Handel had a flat there, while Jimi Hendrix called the same place home more than 200 years later.

The Royal Academy of Arts is located in Burlington House and The Fine Art Society is one of many galleries on New Bond Street displaying both established and contemporary artists' work for savvy collectors.

Mayfair Dining

There is an abundance of fine dining options in Mayfair. The whimsical Sketch offers contemporary French and vegetarian fusion in a setting reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film.

Hours after Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, she became the first royal to eat in public at Quagliano's (called "Quags" by locals) enjoying the upmarket Euro-style brasserie that always hosts a well-heeled clientele.

For more Eastern flavors, Hakkassan and Nobu offer upscale Cantonese and Japanese fine-dining experiences.

The upscale Nobu chain has locations in Dubai, Hong Kong, Cape Town, Melbourne, and Mexico, but this Mayfair London location is a favorite of Kendall Jenner, Megan McKenna, and Matt Damon. Drake ate here after performing with Rihanna at the BRITS.

Celebrities love the low-calorie healthy Japanese food that Chef Nobu Matsuhisa is famous for.

Mayfair Member's Clubs

One feature that makes Mayfair so exclusive is its high-volume of private members' clubs. You have to be a member or get an invite to one of these opulent hangouts where celebrities and royalty sip cocktails on leather couches, enjoying the freedom found behind locked doors.

Morton's private members' club is a restaurant, lounge, and nightclub that offers a refined yet relaxed experience. The panoramic balcony provides beautiful views of Berkeley Square Gardens, while an art deco basement nightclub called 2&8 has a spacious dance floor, DJ booth and a bar, making it a perfect setting for fashion shows or deluxe parties.

Meghan Markle enjoyed a dinner recently at Little House, a private club opened by the Soho House group. This quiet house in Mayfair includes a restaurant, drawing room, and salon bar decorated with art by Taryn Simon and Jenny Holzer.

Visitors may bump into members Keira Knightley or James Corden enjoying the "subversively casual" atmosphere that is trademark here.

Mayfair Property

With the dust settling from the Brexit decision, London real estate is ramping up. Many historic Mayfair properties are enjoying a contemporary redressing these days as the resident profile trends younger.

Rap and style icon of the moment, A$AP Rocky bought a flat in Mayfair because unlike most of the places he goes, "they don't know who I am over there, they don't care about me that's why I love it."

Photo by Knight Frank

Twenty Grosvenor Square, a Four Seasons Private Residence, will be complete this summer. The building will offer 37 private residences including 3 luxury penthouses.

This world-class development will combine the comforts of home with the 24-hour concierge, valet services, and amazing amenities that characterize the Four Seasons.

With its established Victorian wealth mingling with the recent influx of the young elite, the grand squares of Mayfair stand to remain the symbol of posh London living.

The post Mayfair Is Peak London Luxury appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

I’m On One, Drake

In 2011, Drake shot I’m On One in his then unfinished condominium in downtown Miami. A year later, he sold it to former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers. The custom two-story unit reveals unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay and comes with a spacious game room, cutting-edge kitchen and a private foyer. Just last month, Chalmers sold the residence for $2.3 million, almost half the original asking price and some $100,000 less than what he bought it for from the Canadian rap sensation.

Best Song Ever, One Direction

The English-Irish pop boy band picked what is one of the most desirable venues in Miami Beach for the shoot of their “Best Song Ever” music video. The clip, though, does not do justice to the opulent mansion, known as The Temple House. Often hosting special occasions – from corporate get-togethers to weddings, the building is a prime Art Deco monument. Designed by L. Murray Dixon, the 16,400-square-foot house features 5 bedrooms, 23-foot vaulted ceilings and a private rooftop deck with mesmerizing views. In 2013, it received Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s most spectacular restoration of a residential property award. With a cavernous interior that can be easily reimagined to serve various purposes, the abode has appeared in a slew of feature movies, music clips as well as the Kardashians’ 2012 Christmas card.

Work B*ch, Britney Spears

Although barely recognizable in Spears’ dimly lit video, this Malibu mansion has appeared in over 20 movies, TV shows and music videos. Perhaps, its opulence comes through in a much stronger light in Gone in 60 Seconds and Beverly Hills 90210. Boasting limestone floors, a helipad and spectacular ocean views, the 7,000-square-foot residence made a $8.95-million foray onto the market four years ago. Only a year prior to the release of Spears’ tune, Kendrick Lamar rapped by the pool of the home for the shoot of The Recipe.

No Frauds, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne

Lat year's No Frauds was filmed in one of the ballrooms of the historic Hotel Alexandria in Los Angeles. The elegant building opened in the beginning of the 20^th century in the then heart of the city. Today, however, it serves as a low-income residence, mired in frequent reports of crime. Its reputation did not discourage film crews, who have turned its unoccupied public spaces and exterior into the lavish backdrop for countless Hollywood flicks and music clips, including Pharrell Williams' Happy and Nick Joans' Chains.

Blank Space, Taylor Swift

Swift filmed the dreamy video of her hit song on the premises of the historic Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York. Built in the early 1900s as a vacation escapade for the financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn, the mansion has been redesigned as a 32-room hotel with a befitting slogan, “Europe in America.” Part of the National Register of Historic Places and the backdground for such acclaimed movies like Citizen Kane and The Emperor's Club, the Oheka Hotel is among the world’s most prestigious wedding and event destinations – or, at least, so does its website boasts.

The post See Where Drake, Niki Minaj And Taylor Swift, And A Slew Of Others, Have Shot Music Videos appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The six-bedroom, 10-bath home was originally listed back in 2009 for $27 million. Drake was able to ink a deal for the 7,400-square-foot home and property at the relative steal of $7.7 million.

Inside, the home boasts vaulted wood beam ceilings and floral paneling, but it is the outside of the main house that sets it apart from other LA mansions.

Drake's new backyard features tennis and volleyball courts and an equestrian ring and stable. The highlight: a swimming pool that leads into a cave with a wet bar.

Also included in the price is an 80-foot water slide and a mechanical bull.

Larry Pollack, the owner of Saddle Ranch Chop Houses, was the previous owner. He bought the property in 2003 and spent the next four years updating it.

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Source: curbed.com

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