Cash Kings 2013: The Worlds 20 Highest-Paid Hip-Hop Artists check it out: forbes/pictures/eeel45eljgd/1-diddy-50-million-17/ 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 ($42 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. 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. 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. 9. Ludacris ($12 million) Though his new album Ludaversal was delayed once again, the self proclaimed “Mouth of the South” continues to cash in on live shows, Soul by Ludacris headphones, Conjure cognac and roles in films like Fast & Furious 6. 10. Pitbull ($11 million) Not even a brief exile to Alaska—the result of a fan vote to send Pitbull to any Wal-Mart in the U.S.—could stop Mr. International from earning double-digit millions. He cashed in on new album Global Warming, constant touring and endorsements with the likes of Kodak and Dr. Pepper. 11. Drake ($10.5 million) With relatively little touring and no new album last year, the former Degrassi star falls from the top ten—but with his third studio album Nothing Was the Same out this month, Drake looks poised to move up on next year’s list.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 12:22:05 +0000
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