Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Business
Business

Diddy Tops Jay Z For Richest in Hip-Hop

Posted byBy Leo | Published on: | Updated on September 26, 2013 CommentsComments (1)

Jay Z may have snagged the top spot for celebrity couple with his wife Beyonce, but Hov was edged out by Diddy for No. 1 earner in hip-hop. The Forbes list that is “tabulated from June 2012 to June 2013 and based on data” from various industry outlets on pretax earnings, reports Diddy’s earnings at $50 million this year and Jay Z’s at $43 million. According to Forbes:

“[Diddy] likely won’t find fault with our latest rankings, either: Diddy tops this year’s list of hip-hop’s top earners, pulling in $50 million over the past 12 months. He’s one of rap’s most diversified moguls, thanks to his Bad Boy record label, Sean John clothing line and Blue Flame agency. But it’s his agreement with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka that brings in the bulk of his bucks. Next up: cable channel Revolt, which will debut this fall via Time Warner and Comcast.

“Jay Z lost his hyphen this year but gained $43 million—good enough to earn the second spot on the list. He’s been padding his coffers with his lucrative live shows, Armand de Brignac champagne, D’Ussé cognac, Roc Nation label and management firm and a host of other ventures. His new album went platinum before its July launch when Samsung shelled out $5 million to buy 1 million copies.”

Rounding out the top three in list, is Dre Dre at $40 million, who had taken the No. 1 spot last year, when he sold part of his Beats By Dre ownership.

Other notables on the list were Nicki Minaj with $29 million, Kanye West with $20 million, Lil Wayne with $16 million, Wiz Khalifa with $14 million, Ludacris with $12 million and Pitbull with $11 million.

Check out the entire list below:

1.    Diddy ($50M)
2.   Jay Z ($43M)
3.   Dr. Dre ($40M)
4.   Nicki Minaj ($29M)
5.   Birdman ($21M)
6.   Kanye West ($20M)
7.   Lil Wayne ($16M)
8.   Wiz Khalifa ($14M)
9.   Ludacris ($12M)
10. Pitbull ($11M)
11.  Drake ($10.5M)
12.  Snoop Dogg ($10M)
12.  Eminem ($10M)
14.  Kendrick Lamar ($9M)
14.  Pharrell ($9M)
14.  Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ($9M)
17.  Swizz Beatz ($8.5M)
18.  Tech N9ne ($7.5M)
19.  50 Cent ($7M)
20. Lil Jon ($6M)
20. Rick Ross ($6M)
20. Mac Miller ($6M)
20. Jeezy ($6M)
20. Questlove ($6M)

Independent journalism doesn't fund itself.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top