Rapper Lupe Fiasco is more impressed by his idol Jay-Z's role as a talented businessman than his work as a celebrated musician.

The 25-year-old Grammy nominee believes the secret of the hip-hop mogul's success is his entrepreneurial flare, and insists most upcoming urban artists aspire to be like the star.

Fiasco - real name Wasalu Muhammad Jaco - says, "We (rappers) want to be Jay-Z, because we can be Jay-Z, and have some of the same lyrics as Jay-Z and even be compared to Jay-Z, but what he trumps everybody with is his business sense."

"Every couple of weeks there's a new announcement of Jay-Z buying something."