From College Rapper “Da Vek” to Billionaire: The Surprising Past of Vivek Ramaswamy (2 of 4)

His Harvard Rapper Era

Before he became known for biotech ventures, frequent media appearances, and presidential debates, Vivek Ramaswamy had a very different campus persona: the rapper alter ego “Da Vek.” While studying at Harvard, he explored his interest in music by mixing political themes with rhyming and freestyle performance.

Years later, during his presidential campaign, Ramaswamy revisited that part of his past at the Iowa State Fair, where he performed Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” The moment quickly spread online and added an unexpected pop-culture twist to his campaign coverage. However, Eminem later requested that the campaign stop using his music, bringing the viral moment to a swift close.

Building a Fortune Before Law School Was Over

After Harvard, Ramaswamy entered the finance world, working at a hedge fund and building significant wealth before completing his law degree at Yale. In 2014, he founded a pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring drug candidates that larger companies had set aside or chosen not to develop further.

That business strategy helped raise his profile and contributed substantially to his fortune. One of the company’s most closely watched projects was an experimental Alzheimer’s treatment, though it later failed a major clinical trial. Even so, Ramaswamy’s years in biotech made him a highly successful entrepreneur and brought him much wider public attention.