How are people with lengthy criminal records so successful in America?

Some of the blacks who went to jail in the 80s for crack and did long sentences are up on Instagram living like celebrities. They all work legit jobs now (usually in the food/catering industry or in music or fashion) and seem to be raking in the cash, living like the rappers do.

Now these guys have been in and out of prison for decades and yet having that criminal record doesn't seem to affect them at all. They all own business, homes, assets.

Now we are often told that a man who goes to prison especially multiple times has ruined his chances for a fruitful life and that having legit employment becomes impossible the more time he spends in his prison and the more lengthy his record is.

So how the hell are these criminals prospering in the legal world with a criminal record as long as their arm? I am not talking about celebrity rappers here, just regular black men who did years in prison for drugs, robbery, and attempted murder charges.

In the UK it's very rare to see some regular person basking in riches from legal means having spent half their prime in prison. Is having a record no big deal in the States?