The Forbes Five: Hip-Hop's Wealthiest Artists

[JordanWearinThe45]

#1 Sean “Diddy” Combs: $750 M

Call him Puff Daddy or Diddy—either way, he lived up to the name of his 2015 mixtape MMM (for alter ego Money Making Mitch), thanks mostly to his agreement with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka. Also valuable: stakes in his TV network Revolt, clothing line Sean John and alkaline water Aquahydrate.

#2 Andre “Dr. Dre” Young: $710 M

Two years ago the superproducer’s Beats By Dr. Dre sale got him the largest one-off payday of any living musician in history; last year’s biopic Straight Outta Compton padded his coffers, too. Now he’s sitting on a nine-figure cash stash—and a jaw-dropping portfolio of southern California real estate—that even a billionaire would envy.

#3 Shawn “Jay Z” Carter: $610 M

The Brooklyn-born rapper boasts a broad range of holdings, but this year it’s his Tidal streaming service driving the growth of his fortune. The company has had its share of growing pains, but with 3 million paid subscribers, it’s now worth an estimated three times more than its $56 million purchase price.

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#4 Bryan “Birdman” Williams: $110 M

The Cash Money chief moves up a spot despite the dip in his fortune, down from $140 million last year thanks to turmoil in his empire. Lil Wayne, Cash Money’s flagship artist, has slowed his once-frenetic release pace; rumors of his departure, along with fellow top acts Drake and Nicki Minaj, continue to swirl.

#5 Aubrey “Drake” Graham: $60 M

Known to the world by his middle name, the Toronto native once said he planned to make $250 million by the time he was 29. He’s got a ways to go, but he’s on the right track with recurring multimillion-dollar paychecks from Nike, Sprite and Apple—and the final spot on this year’s Forbes Five. Not a bad 30th birthday present.

The Forbes Five

 

[JordanWearinThe45]

Double​

 

[10:31]

Poor Wayne

 

[Houston911]

That list is terribly off

Looks like they forgot to account for what jay did with the raw

 

[NC'sFinest]

#3 Shawn “Jay Z” Carter: $610 M

The Brooklyn-born rapper boasts a broad range of holdings, but this year it’s his Tidal streaming service driving the growth of his fortune. The company has had its share of growing pains, but with 3 million paid subscribers, it’s now worth an estimated three times more than its $56 million purchase price.

From all the negative press to that...

 

[BK The Great]

at the top 3, them dudes cakin for real

 

[DontEemTry]

You know it's when Jay still at Dre's neck even after Apple fronted that nikka almost a billy for Beats

 

[Da King]

Same Forbes that overvalued bankrupt :flabbynfif: for years?

 

[Tony D'Amato]

I would bet Dre is worth more than everyone on that list. And Eminem gotta have 200mili at least.

Forves stay overvaluing Diddy and Jay. No way they worth that. Bey is worth more than Jay

 

[Fani Willis fan]

You know it's when Jay still at Dre's neck even after Apple fronted that nikka almost a billy for Beats

he didnt get anything near a billy, THAT was

Dre had the most invested in beats, but he didnt make the shyt himself

 

[Monoblock]

These list be so off. Puff even came out and said himself he wish he was worth as much as they claim him to be. Not hating I'm just saying when the top guy says the list are off then I believe it.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Forbes stays making shyt up

 

[Osmar]

Same Forbes that overvalued bankrupt :flabbynfif: for years?

Lil Wayne was on the forbes list for years until his dealings with Birdman/Universal came out that they were not paying him what he's earned

Birdman used to never be on the list even when Wayne, Drake, Nicki where at their peak, then he started popping up recently


They're just guessing and taking media clips at their word without confirming

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

Wouldn't Ice Cube be up there or do they just account for money made OFF hip-hop

if you're counting Cube as a hip-hopper (which he is obviously), then I believe he's like $150 mil or something

 

[Prince.Skeletor]

What about 50?