They're called Hip-Hop's Cash Kings. And that name says it all.
While the economy has been shaky and the music industry in flux, Jay-Z has prospered. Over the past 12 months, the music mogul has pulled in $63 million, landing him at the top of Forbes' Hip-Hop top-earners list. He's the king of the Cash Kings.
"Jay-Z is in a league of his own right now,"
Ryan Schinman, chief of Platinum Rye, the country's largest buyer of music and talent for corporations, tells Forbes.
"There are very few artists of any genre, not just hip-hop, who've created such brands for themselves."
(Just last month, we told you that Jay-Z's $63 million put him at No. 6 on Forbes' Top-Earning Musicians of 2010 list. Wife Beyonce landed at No. 3 on that list, outearning Jay-Z with $87 million.)
The No. 2 man on the Hip-Hop list isn't even that close behind. Diddy pulled in $30 million.
1. Jay-Z – $63 Million (The wife brought in $87 million)
2. Diddy – $30 Million
3. Akon – $21 Million
4. Lil Wayne – $20 Million
5. Dr. Dre – $17 Million
6. Ludacris – $16 Million
7. Snoop Dogg – $15 Million
8. Timbaland – $14 Million
9. Pharrell – $13 Million
10. Kanye West – $12 Million
11. Drake – $9 Million
11. T.I. – $ 9 Million
12. Swizz Beatz – $9 Million
14. Eminem – $8 Million (This doesn’t include mega smash rebound album Recovery. Expect him to make the list again next year.)
14.50 Cent – $8 Million
14. Young Jeezy – $8 Million
17. Common – $7 Million
18. Soulja Boy – $7 Million
18. T-Pain – $7 Million
20. Lil Jon – $5 Million
20. Gucci Mane – $5 Million
20. Rick Ross – $5 Million
