Diddy tops this year’s Cash Kings list, pulling in $50 million over the
past 12 months. All in all, hip-hop’s top 20 earned a combined $343
million—read on to see the full list.
1. Diddy ($50 million)
Hip-hop’s net worth king claims his first annual earnings crown
thanks mostly to the success of Ciroc vodka. Other ingredients in his
cash cocktail: record label Bad Boy, clothing line Sean John and, soon,
cable channel Revolt.
2. Jay Z ($43 million)
Lost his hyphen but gained double-digit millions from lucrative
live shows, Armand de Brignac champagne, D’Ussé cognac, Roc Nation
label/management firm and other ventures. New album Magna Carta … Holy Grail
went platinum before its July launch thanks to a $5 million investment
from Samsung that fell just outside our scoring period (for more, check
out Jay-Z biography Empire State of Mind).
3. Dr. Dre ($40 million)
Last year’s Cash King slips two spots, no longer boosted by a
nine-figure payout for selling part of Beats by Dr. Dre in 2011. But
he’s still cashing in on the ubiquitous headphones, expanding the
company he founded with Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine to include a
long-awaited streaming music service
4. Nicki Minaj ($29 million)
Two years after becoming the first female artist to make the
Hip-Hop Cash Kings list, Minaj is nearing the top thanks to income from
touring, steady music sales, a lucrative American Idol gig and endorsements with Pepsi and others. For more, check out "Why Nicki Minaj Is The Only Lady On The Cash Kings List."
5. Birdman ($21 million)
The Cash Money chief continues to live up to the name of his
record label, whose lineup boasts three other artists on this list:
Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne and Drake. Birdman’s empire also includes
clothing, vodka and publishing.
6. Kanye West ($20 million)
He may be one of rap’s biggest names, but he falls just short of the top five this year. New album
Yeezus
was released shortly after the end of our scoring period, though, and a
lucrative tour this fall should vault him back toward the top of next
year’s list.
7. Lil Wayne ($16 million)
The diminutive rapper played only a handful of shows this year
and made headlines for health scares, but still cashed in on his new
album
I Am Not A Human Being II, clothing line Trukfit and his Young Money label.
8. Wiz Khalifa ($14 million)
The Pittsburgh native has been raking in cash ever since
bursting onto the mainstream scene with his hometown ode “Black and
Yellow,” the top single from his album
Rolling Papers. His follow-up,
O.N.I.F.C.—and more than 75 shows over the past year—keep him on the list.
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