Illimunati

Is Illuminati a real thing? I see different musicians throwing up triangles, or certain hand signs. I wonder if they're really in the Illuminati, or if it's just a secret meaning that may not be so harmful. Although, I've heard some rappers say things that make me think no musician is actually in the Illuminati. For example, J. Cole once said "Keep on asking me about Illuminati, is you stupid, nigga? Young black millionaire, old white billionaires, I'm sure that they could do without me." And then Kendrick Lamar said "Who said a black man in the Illuminati? Last time I checked that was the biggest racist party." These are valid points by Cole and Kendrick, but I still wonder about it. Does it even affect us enough to be so concerned about it?