Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has done it yet again. Fresh off the digital release of Watch the Throne, his collaborative album with Kanye West, the dynamic duo are among this year’s top hip-hop earners with Hov claiming the No. 1 spot (for a third consecutive year) at $37M. Sean “Diddy” Combs came in right behind him at $36M, while ‘Ye completed the Top 3 with $16M. Check out the full list below, which includes Nicki Minaj, the first female to ever grace the list.
HIP-HOP’S TOP EARNERS
1. Jay-Z – $37 Million
2. Diddy – $35 Million
3. Kanye West – $16 Million
4. Lil Wayne and Birdman – $15 Million
6. Eminem, Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre – $14 Million
9. Akon – $13 Million
10. Ludacris – $12 Million
11. Wiz Khalifa & Drake – $11 Million
13. Pharrrell – $10 Million
14. Timbaland – $7 Million
15. Swizz Beatz & Nicki Minaj – $6.5 Million
17. Rick Ross, Pitbull & 50 Cent – $6 Million
20. T-Pain & B.o.B – $5 Million
All I ask for is 1 million…lol
Happy for Nicki!
Nice to see a female up there
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j and diddy way up there.damn. 50 fell off horriibly.i remember he use to be in the top 5.well congrats to all.
umm…actually he didn’t. he is worth well over 150 million…he’s just fine he doesn’t need to make another dime to live comfortably.
hov is always gonna be at the top he is a business man like he said men lie women lie numbers don’t lol
Dang Yeezy, you gotta get that clothing line out soon, or put your name on something other than those Air Yeezy’s so you can be standing number 2 or tied up with ya big brother JAY-Z!
I am sooooo not a Rick Ross fan. He’s #17 on the list but a boss. Hahahahaha. He’s not even making $10M but tricking off $1M in a strip club. Such an idiot. Sad representation…very sad.
I thought Lil Wayne would have been higher. Guess his time in prison hurt.
Kuddos to Nicki Minaj
couldnt have said it better myself
i really thought birdman would be higher lmao with all the show offs….
Jay said it best…”half a billy, nigg@ really you got baby money!”
Congrats to Nicki!
Congrats to thhem!!!! Cant wait til the day God bless me to be successful!!!
The way they brag you think they’re bringing in much more than what this list says. Congrats to Nicki, but I’m gon need these “ballers” to get their weight up. Not to say it’s not a lot of money… but damn..
Congrats Nicki! I am so happy for Miss Minaj. She’s a smart business woman and really took charge of her career. She can be too animated at times, but she deserves all of the success she’s getting. Even with all the negativity, she’s still on top of her game.
NICKI IS DOING THE DAMN THING! LMFAO… so I wonder how Lil Kim feels about this now? Nicki has an album that sold 1.7 million worlwide, a Top 5 single on Billboard Hot 100, is the new face for MAC… I don’t f*cking see Lil Kim’s self hating, black, hoodrat a*s anywhere accomplishing things so she need to sit down already and stop hating.
Jay is always doing it big every year.
yes and Nicki is first female rapper to appear on Forbes list. Also, she is on major tour with Britney Spears.
yes and Nicki is first female rapper to appear on Forbes list. Also, she is on major tour with Britney Spears.
lolol 50 cent mad he’s at the same spot as Ross. I’m happy for all of them though. That’s a lot of money that can be given back which I know a lot of them do.
umm…again…50 is worth 150 million…do the math!
Ok !!!!!! Really Can You Get His Meat Out Your Mouth For A Second Please. Damn Booo Its Ok We Know 50 Cent Got Money…SMH!!
OK, so now I wanna see what they ACTUALLY got after taxes, fees, management, stylists, etc.
Exactly! I was just about to say that lol. Ppl forget that all that money doesn’t go to them. Not to mention the 360 deals and advances that have to be paid back to their labels
Kanye makes more than Lil Wayne :-/
@REAL AS IT GET:
I hear you. What people have to realize is that these are their “GROSS’ numbers, not ‘NET’. Just as it is wtih our income so it is with theirs. You don`t live off the ‘GROSS’, but the ‘NET’. It would be nice if we could take our gross income home instead of the net but The US Government won`t allow that. So really it`s what these Entertainers/Athletes have in ‘LIQUID’ money that really counts. I submit to you that probably none of them are taking home these high end numbers that are posted such as 20 mil and up. You look at their gross and then you subtract Uncle Sams` share plus the share of their employees/handlers, including body guards, rent for studio time, the songwrtiters, producers. engineers, etc. and it`s not nearly the numbers or ‘GROSS’ that was reported. And then you add the fact that these record companies have clauses in fine print that these artists aren`t even aware of. You see when you really break it down the record companies are getting over BIG time. Unless they really know how to network their earnings they are being CHEATED down to the last penny. A lot of people liked to bash, and still do, Michael Jackson. But one thing about it Mike was a ‘SHREWD’ business man. Why do you think he published that lucrative catalog, containing Beatles music, Elvis Presely, etc? It was becaused he learned the business end at a very young age. He then merged with Sony giving him 50% ownership of the company. He was also in a long battle with Sony to obtain his masters of his catalog. With that catalog as well as 50% ownership of Sony he was very astute when it came to networking. This in turn created a bitter relationship with Sony because he basically beat them at their own game and in the final analysis told them he was not renewing his contract. So you see that is why I say Mike was murdered because there was a lot of many involved, I mean billions. There was no way those white people were going to allow Mike to best them like he had and live with all that power and then basically tell them to kiss his ass. You see with that publishing that he purchased as well as part ownership of Sony we are talking about ‘REAL’ money. All you have to do is follow the money and you`ll see why Mike was taken out. Call me paranoid and a fool if you want, but humbly ask that you do the research. When it came to the allegations and so forth it was all a carefully crafted plan to take him down because those devils were furious. You see Mike knew the ends and out of the game. A lot of people joked, laughed, and bashed Mike but he was no fool. How many artists, today, do you suppose are in a battle with their record companies to obtain their master recordings? You have to be very savvy on the business end in order to partake such a task, and Mike was definitely that. Perhaps I digressed somewhat but I was simply trying to convey the business end of the Entertainment Industry. Don`t for one minute think these artists are pocketing 20 mil and upwards in one year because it ain`t happening. Remember the whites have been controlling the game a long time. And it ain`t checkers, it`s chess.
Peace, in the name of my ‘HERO’, Malcolm X
You mean to tell me Soulja Boy not even on the list and he buying jewelry and planes. Amber done had her 2 men on the list, top notch GOLDIGGER
Go Snoop I know my girl Shante Broadus stay ready for shopping. They can take all the pictures with Snoop and groupies they want, Shante name on them bank accounts.
Jay-Z better get it! And Diddy. There has always been something about the two of those men that I’ve been attracted to. I think they both have that smart, grown man swag that you just got to love. I love seeing men taking care of their work with intelligence. These men aren’t just laying rhymes on tracks and getting this money….they KNOW business. These other rappers need to take notes.
On the other hand, all I know is that Jay and Bey’s children are ALL SET. That’s a power couple for you.
Jay, and Beyonce are so rich! I love it though. To the ppl that are saying that they thought that they were making more than this. U have to remember this is prolly from the previous year earnings, so it could be more now! Congrats to all.
Congrats to all of them even though a lot of the “music” they’ve put out is weak lately.I am most happy for Wiz especially for the fact I was watching him from when he was grinding on myspace.Wiz has set the bar for new cats coming up.I would like to see a list for the ol school rappers just to see who may surprise you on how well or not so well they’ve done.
@simmie all I ask for is 1 million too..lol
Thanks CL, welcome back J Dakar been missing you! I love it!! Angel & CL Staff!
What does it profit and man to gain the whole world (and lots of money) and lose his soul.
I DON’T THINK THIS IS IN THE RIGHT ORDER CONCRETELOOP … LOOK HERE >>> http://www.therichest.org/entertainment/forbes-richest-rappers-2011/
this shit reminds me of old pharrell aha
http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/song_details/9727886
WHY THE HELL ARE THEY STILL CALLING THIS HIP HOP ,HIP HOP DIED LONG TIME AGO….
Out of the ones mentioned lyrically in an artistic way, Jay-Z, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj and Kanye are the best to me, especially Luda. He has really been growing on me these last couple of years. I love Snoop but I don’t know what the hell he’s doing right now with his music. I find it funny that Drake, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj are so sought after but are making less than losers like Eminem, Diddy and Pharrell. Speaking of Diddy should he even be on here? Most of his earning most likely weren’t from Hip-Hop music it was from whatever person he’s pimping today and his products. In all honesty I don’t know why the majority of these “artist” are making this much money. They are so mediocre. Where are the creative artist like Busta, Eve, Missy, Mc Lyte, Ja Rule(better than 50cent), Outkast, Ice Cube, Naughty by Nature? More than that where the rappers that can rap on any subject without reverting to talking about themselves, their riches and who they killed. Left eye and Biggie we need you back!
CONGRATS TO ALL THAT MADE THE LIST, HARD WORK PAYING OFF VERY WELL.