Forbes Magazine has compiled a list of the top five earners who happen to be hip-hop entrepreneurs that double as performers.
The list was made in the same fashion that their top billionaire list was done.
It valued current holdings, past earnings, financial documents and they consulted with analysts, attorneys, managers and other industry insiders to bring you the five rappers that are making the most.
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson is at the bottom of the list, which isn't a bad place to be. The Queens rapper/actor started out in his hood circulating mixtapes when nine bullets found their way into his body taking his career to new heights. The near-death experience gave him new life, better music and a gigantic deal withShady/Aftermath.
Over a decade later, platinum albums, movie roles and a nine-figure cashout from his investment inVitamin Water have placed Fifty in fifth place on the list.
At a tie with 50, is Bryan "Birdman" Williams or "Baby," the co-founder of Cash Money Records. The label that began in the mid-90's in New Orleans was the house that built Juvenile, Lil Wayne and The Hot Boys.
None of us could foresee what the "Bling, Bling" crew from the N.O had in store years later as the Birdman continued to put out successful albums and Wayne would grow to become not only one of the best emcees, but he is also a businessman in his own right.
Young Money is a subsidiary of Cash Money and before the checks go to Drake, Nicki Minaj and the rest of the roster, Baby gets his. Though Jay-Z made a subliminal jab using the line "Baby money"in a derogatory manner, Bryan is worth around 100 million dollars which seems pretty adult to most of us.
Dr. Dre, born Andre Young will always be a top earner since his proteges and signees are bound to have banner years once in a while.
Last year 50 Cent didn't do too bad, and a rapper named Eminem sold a bunch of records and signed a few endorsement deals that Dre got a piece of. His almost imaginary album, Detox is scheduled for release this spring which should increase this year's bankroll but right now he sits at $125 million as number three on the list.
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter started out selling hand-to-hand on the corners near Marcy Projects in Brooklyn and now he's chasing a billion dollars. As the second top earner, Jay is closer than he's ever been to that billy after releasing his book, continuing his fashion, music and restaurant ventures and also being a minority owner in the New Jersey Nets.
He told us he wouldn't stop. We believed him. Sean "Diddy" Combs has personified the word "mogul" jumping into every facet of entertainment possible during his career. At $475 million, Diddy's clothing line, label, television productions and now his partnership in the vodka, Ciroc have put him at the top spot on the hip-hop dollar list.
Combs has gone from behind the scenes to behind the mic, but has never left the offices where the checks are cut and signed. Question his relevance, his ethics or even his music, but the man is about his money.
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