Dr. Dre, Diddy, Jay-Z, Kanye West Among Highest-Earning Rappers
It certainly pays to be a hip-hop star.
Forbes unveiled its annual ranking of the highest-earning rappers in the world, and with a top 20 that pulled in a combined $415 million last year, it's obvious the industry is doing well.
At the top of the heap is Dr. Dre, who made $110 million. Though his long-awaited "Detox" album still hasn't gotten a release date, Dre got a hefty payday on his signature Beats By Dr. Dre headphones, which now account for nearly half the country's premium headphone market.
In second place is Diddy with the $45 million he made largely from his share in Ciroc vodka.
Diddy is followed by Jay-Z, whose $38 million income came from his ownership in several brands, including cosmetics company Carol's Daughter, the Brookyln Nets and a joint venture with battery maker Duracell.
The fourth-highest earner is Jay-Z's best friend, Kanye West, who pulled in $35 million. Rounding out the top 5 is Lil Wayne, who just dropped his "Dedication 4" mixtape, with $27 million.
Forbes compiled the list by evaluating the earnings for all living hip-hop or rap artists. The magazine calculated pre-tax income from record sales, touring, films, publishing, merchandising and endorsements.
See the top 20 hip-hop earners below:
1. Dr. Dre, $110 million
2. Diddy, $45 million
3. Jay-Z, $38 million
4. Kanye West, $35 million
5. Lil Wayne, $27 million
6. Drake, $20.5 million
7. Birdman, $20 million
8. Nicki Minaj, $15.5 million
9. Eminem, $15 million
10. Ludacris, $12 million
11. Pitbull, $9.5 million
12. Rick Ross, $9 million (tie)
12. Wiz Khalifa, $9 million (tie)
14. Snoop Dogg, $8.5 million
15. 50 Cent, $7.5 million
16. Swizz Beatz, $7 million (tie)
16. Pharrell Williams, $7 million (tie)
16. Young Jeezy, $7 million (tie)
19. Mac Miller, $6.5 million
20. Akon, $6 million (tie)
20. Timbaland, $6 million (tie)
20. Tech N9ne, $6 million (tie)
