Forbes’ Hip-Hop Rich List: The 5 Wealthiest Rappers in the World

Ever wondered who’s making the most bank in the hip-hop world? Well Forbes has your answer with the release of its annual list of the wealthiest artists that the genre has to offer. Here are the pimpingest people atop hip-hop’s mountain of money.

1. P. Diddy

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs tops the list with a net worth of $580 million. This marks his second time on the list after snagging the top spot in 2012. Beyond his music career, Diddy’s fortune stems from a great deal of branding and merchandising. Included in his empire are the clothing line Sean John as well as Ciroc Vodka, a booze brand that Forbes describes as yielding “eight-figure annual payouts.”

2. Jay-Z

Following P. Diddy comes the legendary Jay-Z, with a net worth of $475 million. The husband of Beyonce reels in most of his cash from his clothing line Rocawear and his stake in event promoter Live Nation. He even owns part of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team as well as the Barclays Center. The Blueprint rapper also has endorsements that include Duracell and Budweiser.

3. Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre is ranked third with $350 million, almost all due to his Beats brand of headphones. Beats shares have gone up 65 percent since Dre bought back half his company from HTC. His earnings also result from his record label Aftermath Entertainment, of which he is CEO, managing artists like 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar.

4. Birdman

Rapper Bryan “Birdman” Williams ended up number four of the list, with a fortune of $150 million. The record producer earns most of his keep from his record label Cash Money Records. Birdman is responsible for launching the careers of stars like Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj. He also has a hand in the label YMCMB (Young Money Cash Money Billionaires), plus a clothing line and GT Vodka.

5. 50 Cent 

Last but not least, 50 Cent landed fifth on the Forbes list, with $125 million. Curtis “5o Cent” Jackson earns his bread in music, merchandise, acting, gaming — and books, believe it or not. Ever since his debut in Get Rich or Die Tryin‘, 50 Cent has been at the top of his game running his record label G-Unit, launching artists like Lloyd Banks and Kidd Kidd. 50 Cent has also been hard at work pursuing new ventures like getting his own headphones brand like fellow rapper Dr. Dre, this one called SMS Audio, and his own energy drink, SK Energy. The rapper is also busy on his next album, Street King Immortal, to be released this spring.