Jay-Z and Kanye West were the highest-paid hip-hop musicians of 2021, according to a list compiled by former longtime Forbes editor Zack O’Malley Greenberg.
Jay-Z topped the list with $470 million after selling portions of his music streaming service Tidal and Armand de Brignac champagne last year, bringing his net worth to $1.5 billion.
The “Big Pimpin’” singer sold 80% of Tidal to Jack Dorsey’s Square for a reported $350 million last May.
Business endeavors outside of music paid off for fellow billionaire Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who came in second with $250 million for the year. Ye’s fortune was derived almost entirely from his Yeezy sneaker empire.
Last year, the “Runaway” rapper’s has seen his Yeezy shoe and streetwear empire surge in value, making him a multibillionaire, with a net worth of as much as $3.7 billion, a year ago.
Claiming the number four and five spots Diddy and Drake with $75 million and $50 million, respectively, followed by Wiz Khalifa, who brought in $45 million.
The “Black and Yellow” singer, rounded out the top five, when he sold off a piece of his publishing catalog and cashed in on cannabis with a variety of products, including his Khalifa Kush. last year.
There were a few surprises on the list. Rapper Tech N9ne, came in 10th place, thanks to a previously unreported digital-only catalog deal that added eight figures to his coffers.
Doja Cat, the only woman featured on the list, tied for tenth place with Tech and Birdman, thanks to partnerships with Pepsi, CandyCrush, and more.
According to MRC Data, hip-hop now accounts for 27.7% of US music consumption—more than any other genre and roughly equal to rock and country combined— but its highest-paid acts are successful because of their diversified portfolios.
“Hip-Hop has, and always will, set trends,” Kim Kaupe, founder of the creative agency Bright Ideas Only told Vibe. “Brands realize they can no longer sit on the sidelines and test what ‘might’ work. They need to be in the mix testing partnerships and trends before they have the data to back it up.”
See below to see the full list of hip-hop’s top earners:
1. Jay-Z – $470 million
2. Kanye West – $250 million
3. Diddy – $75 million
4. Drake – $50 million
5. Wiz Khalifa – $45 million
6. Travis Scott – $38 million
7. DJ Khaled – $35 million
8. Eminem – $28 million
9. J Cole – $27 million
10 (tie): Birdman – $25 million
10. (tie): Doja Cat – $25 million
10. (tie): Tech N9ne – $25 million