You Deserve to Be Rich

When Tyler, the Creator won the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2020, his acceptance speech was a masterclass in strategic ownership. He didn't just thank his team; he thanked himself—for his ideas, for trusting his gut, for putting in the work when no one else saw the vision. It was a bold declaration, but it pointed to a deeper truth that often gets lost in celebrity culture. We see the final product—the sold-out tours, the global brands, the effortless cool—but we miss the architecture underneath. We miss the conversations about equity, the negotiations for master recordings, the relentless focus on building assets that outlive the applause. The real power is in owning the infrastructure that supports the art.

This shift from creative performer to strategic owner is exactly what Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings have been documenting for years. As the founders of the wildly popular 'Earn Your Leisure' podcast, they were decoding the financial playbooks of the biggest names in entertainment and business. They noticed a pattern: the most successful figures were building systems to multiply their money. Frustrated by the lack of accessible, culturally relevant financial education, they realized the conversations they were having with moguls and entrepreneurs needed to reach a wider audience. This book is the result of that mission—a distillation of those high-level discussions into a practical framework for anyone ready to build their own version of wealth.

Module 1: Redefining the Game

The first step toward financial freedom is about psychology. The authors argue that our financial lives are often controlled by invisible scripts and past traumas. To win, you must first understand the game you're playing and rewrite its rules.

The book's central philosophy is that you must heal from financial trauma before you can build wealth. Many of us carry deep-seated beliefs about money learned in childhood. Maybe you grew up with utility shut-off notices, creating a fear of spending. Or perhaps you witnessed a family member lose a home to a bad loan, creating a deep distrust of all financial institutions. These experiences, which the authors call "money demons," manifest as destructive behaviors. You might hoard cash instead of investing it. Or you might engage in emotional spending to cope with stress. For example, the author Troy Millings shares how his family lost their home to an adjustable-rate mortgage they didn't understand. This trauma made his parents fearful of refinancing for decades, even when it would have saved them money. Recognizing these patterns is the first step to breaking their hold.

From this foundation, the next move is to operate at your highest financial level. This is about making disciplined, logical choices that prioritize long-term health over short-term gratification. Imagine you get a raise from $45,000 to $60,000. The immediate temptation is to upgrade your car or apartment. But operating at your highest level means asking a different question: "What does this money need to do for me?" The answer might be building a six-month emergency fund or paying down high-interest debt. It requires sacrifice. The book shares the story of Simeon, who traded his beloved Audi for a Toyota to lower his car payment. This was a strategic move to free up cash for his primary goal: a down payment on a house.

So, how do you figure out what your money needs to do? The authors introduce a powerful concept: define your EYL Baseline. "EYL" stands for Earn Your Leisure, the authors' core philosophy. Your EYL Baseline is the specific annual income you need to achieve your most important goals. It transforms a vague desire like "I want to be rich" into a concrete, reverse-engineered target. For instance, a character named Tracy, a single mother, wants to save a $15,000 down payment for a house within a year. After calculating her living expenses, she determines she needs an EYL Baseline of about $70,000 per year. Her current income is much lower. Now, her goal is to find a way to bridge the gap to $70,000. This clarity turns a dream into a project with a deadline.