In a recent New York Post article, the newspaper analyzes Jay-Z’s business portfolio breaking it down to wins and losses. The highlight in Jay-Z’s business ventures would be the success of Live Nation and Rocawear. Usher who has a stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers is probably seeing more of a return in investment then Jay-Z’s stake in the New Jersey Nets which has failed in profits…hopefully those two don’t end up fighting over Lebron James.

The recession has deterred Mr. Carter’s projects to a develop the luxury J Hotel and the development of other New York real estate properties. With the investments he made with Carol Daughters and the Broadway musical Fela! hopefully things can balance out the lows. Check the jump for Jay-Z’s track record as a mogul.

Jay-Z Inc.’s winners

* Live Nation deal
Cuts deal with concert-promotion company valued at roughly $150 million over 5 years, which includes funding for Roc Nation — a music development, promotion company for Jay-Z. Roc Nation and Live Nation will split profits on album and concert revenue. The deal includes funding for Jay-Z music, acquisitions and investments.

* Rocawear
Co-founded the apparel company in 1999 with Damon Dash. Bought out Dash’s 25% stake for $30M in 2005. Grew sales to roughly $700M by March 2007, when he sold it to Iconix for $204M.

* Real Estate
314 West 11th St.: Owns the building that houses The Spotted Pig.

TriBeCa Penthouse: Paid $6.85M for 8,000-square-foot home in 2004. Patio where Jay-Z married Beyonce.

Jay-Z inc.’s mixed bag

* 40/40 Club:
• Clubs in NYC, Atlantic City. The Las Vegas club, at 24,000 square feet, opened in the hotel-casino Palazzo in January 2008, with more than 80 plasma TVs. It closed eight months later when, after disappointing traffic, Jay-Z sold the lease back to the hotel. It was tuned into a race and sports book, with a specialty restaurant.

• Plan to open clubs in Chicago, Tokyo and Macau. Chicago location is 15,000 square feet and was first expected to open in 2009. The club’s Web site now says a 2010 opening is in the works.

Jay-Z Inc.’s losers

* NJ Nets:
• Paid $4.5M in December 2004 for a minority stake in the team. Sale price of $300M means he owns 1.5%. Forbes valued the team at $269M this season, down 9% from the previous season. Operating deficit of 13.9M. In 2004, Team owner Bruce Ratner said he wanted to have team in Brooklyn for the 2006-07 season but 2012 looks more promising.

* Gain Global Investments Networks:
Company owns a 7 percent stake in the group that was chosen and then lost a deal to develop a Racino at Aqueduct Racetrack. Jay-Z owns a 28.6 percent stake in AEG.

* NYC Real estate:

• 345 West 14th St.: part of a group that borrowed $30M to buy Meatpacking District building for development. Plans went south during recession. Sold loan for $19.5M.

• 510 West 22nd St.: In August 2007, a company he controlled borrowed $52M to purchase the land in order to develop a luxury J Hotel. Walked away from the project and loan during the recession. Sued lender, Highland Capital, for “bleeding” him of interest payments.

Read more at New York Post.