It’s no secret that the majority rappers decide for a lifetime of luxurious and when given the probability, they’re pleased to flex their wealth in music movies with supercars, lavish mansions, and gold jewellery. With hip-hop being one in every of the prime music genres proper now, it’s protected to say that their cash isn’t simply for present. Here are the richest rappers in the world proper now.
Top 20 Wealthiest Rappers
1. Kanye West – $1.5 Billion
Ye is one in every of the most controversial musicians of this period. However, he’s undeniably one in every of the most affluent, being one in every of two billionaire rappers on the planet. He has bought round 140 million singles and 20 million albums worldwide.
He began his music profession as a producer and even wrote songs for a few of the greatest artists that got here earlier than him. In the 12 months 2000, he started working with performers on the hip hop label Roc-A-Fella Records, which marked a defining second in his life.
Now, Kanye West is an award-winning artist with 22 Grammys credited to his identify. In addition to music, Kanye is a dressmaker. Much of his $1.5 billion fortune has come from his personal model, Yeezy.
2. Jay-Z – $1.3 Billion
Shawn Corey Carter, higher identified by his stage identify Jay-Z, is taken into account one in every of the biggest rappers to ever grace the hip-hop scene. And earlier than Kanye took over, he was additionally the wealthiest rapper for a while.
Selling over 75 million singles and 50 million albums, Jay turned the first rapper billionaire in 2019. He is one Grammy forward of Kanye, gaining 23 Awards all through his long-running profession. He used his earnings to fund many enterprise ventures.
In 1999, he launched Rocawear, a way of life clothes firm, and in 2003, he based the 40/40 Club, a franchise of sports activities golf equipment. These are solely a few of the clever investments Jay-Z made to amass a internet price of $1.3 billion immediately.
3. Sean Combs – $900 Million
Sean Combs is thought by many names, however maybe his most well-known moniker is Diddy. He makes music, however he’s extra of an knowledgeable on the enterprise facet of hip-hop. He has a protracted monitor report as proof.
Before beginning his personal report label, Bad Boy Entertainment, in 1993, he did an internship at Uptown Records. Then, Combs made his debut album, which turned a seven-time platinum report. He has received three Grammy Awards total.
Diddy helped a few of the most interesting hip-hop artists in the early days. This consists of Mary J. Blige, Usher, and The Notorious B.I.G. Sean additionally explores different initiatives, like appearing and style, to succeed in $900 million.
4. Dr. Dre – $500 Million
Another high-earning producer is Dr. Dre, who refined many hip-hop family names which can be nonetheless going sturdy immediately. He produced for 2Pac, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, T.I., and extra. Overall, he made most of his cash by doing the work in the background.
He started his profession in the Eighties with the hip-hop collective N.W.A and ultimately went solo. He is credited with establishing Eminem’s breakthrough by signing him to his Aftermath Records label in 1998.
He has six Grammy Awards beneath his belt, together with Producer of the Year for Non-Classical music. His most profitable enterprise is the headphone model Beats by Dr. Dre. In 2014, he bought it to Apple for $3 billion, and in consequence, he’s price $500 million.
5. Russell Simmons – $340 Million
Russell Wendell Simmons is an creator, businessman, and report govt. He is most identified for co-founding the legendary hip-hop label Def Jam Records with Rick Rubin. He additionally owns different companies in varied fields.
Rush Communications Inc., Simmons’ company, is made up of ten enterprises and three non-profits. He has additionally produced Def Comedy Jam and Def Poetry Jam for HBO. He has a improvement settlement with the community.
Argyleculture, Phat Farm, and Tantris are a few of his style strains. He has additionally written books on varied matters, corresponding to artwork, success, and veganism. As a famend identify in the hip-hop neighborhood, Rusell Simmons is valued at $340 million.
6. Eminem – $230 Million
Marshall Mathers, identified by many as Eminem and his alter ego, Slim Shady, is undoubtedly the most profitable white rapper in the business. His rap abilities gave him a spot in the business that many rappers of his pores and skin colour battle to attain.
However, this wasn’t at all times the case. In the mid-Nineteen Nineties, Marshall confronted plenty of racial hatred when he initially began battle rapping in Detroit since he was one in every of the few white rappers taking part in the occasions.
This was one in every of the many challenges Eminem handled, however now, he’s one in every of the best-selling musicians alive. He is estimated to have bought roughly 220 million data worldwide. This earned him a $230 million fortune and 15 Grammy Awards.
7. Pharrell Williams – $250 Million
Pharrell is a identified rapper, singer, and report producer. He is extensively considered one in every of the most influential producers of the twenty-first century as he helped form the sound of latest music.
In the early Nineteen Nineties, he based the hip-hop and R&B manufacturing group The Neptunes, with whom he has collaborated on tracks for quite a lot of artists. In 1999, he turned the lead singer of N.E.R.D, a hip-hop and rock band.
He has received 13 Grammys in complete. Pharrell Williams is the proprietor of I’m OTHER, a multimedia inventive group and report label that homes all of his initiatives. This helped him enormously in reaching a $250 million internet price.
8. Drake – $250 Million
Aubrey Drake Graham is a rapper, songwriter, producer, and actor from Canada who rose to prominence over a decade in the past. Drake has been constant along with his releases, and now, he’s one in every of the most efficient artists in the sport.
In the early 2000s, he rose to prominence as a younger actor on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Now, Drake is the highest-certified digital singles musician in the United States, with over 170 million data bought round the world.
Drake has two Brit Awards, three Juno Awards, 4 Grammy Awards, and 6 American Music Awards to his identify. He additionally owns a liquor firm, a garments model, and a considerable actual property portfolio so as to add to his $250 million internet price.
9. Master P – $200 Million
Percy Robert Miller Sr. is a rapper, report govt, actor, and businessman who goes by the stage identify Master P. He is well-known for his basic songs, flashy fashion, and quite a few abilities.
His grandfather left him $10,000 as a part of the settlement after he died, which he used to purchase a report retailer named No Limit Records in California. The cash he created from this initiative inspired him to pursue appearing.
He additionally dabbled with sports activities by taking part in basketball and wrestling. As a rapper, he was the Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist in the American Music Awards. Master P’s $200 million internet price is because of his enterprise empire of clothes, administration, video games, and music.
10. Usher – $180 Million
Millions of music followers know Usher Raymond IV, or just Usher, for his candy singing vocals and dance abilities. He has bought over 80 million data, making him one in every of the best-selling musical artists of his time.
He launched his debut self-titled album in 1994. The album was a significant success, bringing Usher worldwide acclaim. This launched his profession, which reaped a complete of eight Grammys.
Usher co-owns the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball franchise in addition to the Tidal streaming platform. He can also be a co-founder of the RBMG Records report label. This provides him a complete internet price of $180 million.
11. Ice Cube – $160 Million
O’Shea Jackson Sr., identified popularly as Ice Cube, is one in every of the pioneers that popularized the subgenre of gangsta rap. Since the early Nineteen Nineties, he has additionally pursued a filmmaking profession.
He started writing songs at the age of 14. In 1986, he based C.I.A., his first rap group. Then, he established the groundbreaking gangsta rap ensemble N.W.A. alongside Eazy-E and Dr. Dre in 1987. He went solo when he turned 21.
Jackson has additionally directed, produced, written, and carried out in various movies since 1995. Some of his hit motion pictures are Straight Outta Compton, 21 Jump Street, and xXx: Return of Xander Cage. These initiatives are a substantial issue in his $160 million fortune.
12. Lil Wayne – $150 Million
Many of his friends deem Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., higher identified by his stage identify Lil Wayne, to be one in every of the most impactful hip-hop acts of his era, and he’s ceaselessly thought-about as one in every of the greatest rappers of all time.
Wayne started his profession in 1995 when he was 12 years previous. He was recruited by Cash Money Records as the label’s youngest artist. Since then, he has bought over 120 million data all throughout the world.
He has received 4 Billboard Music Awards, 5 Grammy Awards, and 11 BET Awards. With 109 tracks, he has the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100. He constructed his personal music label, Young Money Entertainment and is now price $150 million.
13. Snoop Dogg – $150 Million
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., identified professionally as Snoop Doggy Dogg, turned a well-liked rapper and media persona because of his ultra-smooth sound and melodic cadence. His persona can also be cherished by many on the web.
Dr. Dre’s first solo single, “Deep Cover,” and Dre’s first solo album, The Chronic, catapulted Snoop to recognition in 1992. Since then, he has bought greater than 23 million data in the US and 40 million throughout the globe.
Snoop Dogg acquired Def Jam and have become its new Executive Creative and (*20*) Consultant in June 2021. His place permits him to work proactively throughout the group’s govt workforce and artist pool. Snoop’s $150 million internet price is simply anticipated to rise due to this.
14. Swizz Beatz – $150 Million
Swizz Beatz, whose actual identify is Kasseem Daoud Dean, is a musical producer, rapper, and entrepreneur. He can also be well-known for being the fortunate man to tie the knot with singer and songwriter Alicia Keys.
He began out as a disc jockey when he was a teen after receiving the vital gear from his stepfather and uncles. As his expertise and recognition grew, he made raps and beats for artists in hip-hop, rock, ought to, and R&B.
Many publications think about him one in every of the greatest producers to ever exist. Dean’s resume consists of quite a lot of entrepreneurial pursuits in addition to music. As a dressmaker, artwork collector, and board director, he acquired his internet price to $150 million.
15. LL Cool J – $120 Million
James Smith, higher often called LL Cool J, had a number of hits in the 90s and have become one in every of the most sought-after rap musicians of all time. He is considered one in every of the innovators that sparked the creation of pop rap.
Smith started rapping when he was ten years previous, impressed by the Treacherous Three hip-hop trio. He turned one in every of the first hip-hop performers to realize mainstream recognition with the stardom of his tune “I Need a Beat” and the Radio LP.
LL Cool J was the first hip-hop artist to be honored with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017. He was welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 with a Musical Excellence Award. Currently, LL Cool J is price $120 million.
16. Birdman – $120 Million
Bryan Christopher Williams, generally often called Birdman and typically known as Baby, is a rapper and report govt who helped set up many notable initiatives in the hip-hop class.
He and his brother co-founded Cash Money Records in 1992. In 2002, Birdman dropped his first album. He turned one in every of the two members of Big Tymers round this time. Williams can also be the one who first noticed the potential of Lil Wayne.
Birdman has additionally earned a fame for himself by aiding in the improvement of the report label YMCMB. The model stands for Young Money Cash Money Billionaires, a mixture of Lil Wayne and Birdman’s labels. This is why Birdman now has a internet price of $120 million.
17. Nicki Minaj – $100 Million
Nicki is arguably the most acknowledged feminine rapper on the market, and he or she is the solely girl to make it to this record. Her flexibility as a performer is emphasised by her poetry and energetic movement. She can also be a grasp of utilizing accents and alter egos.
Earlier in life, she was turned down for 15 jobs in a row because of her rudeness. Fortunately, Lil Wayne found her, and he or she acquired to make 100 million report gross sales thereafter.
Now, she has conquered over 100 noteworthy awards. She has been nominated ten instances for the Grammys. By standing out in the music business, she secured plenty of endowment offers to acquire a internet price of $100 million and be one in every of the richest rappers immediately.
18. Pitbull – $100 Million
Armando Christian Pérez, higher identified by his stage identify Pitbull, is a rapper and vocalist who began his profession someday round the early 2000s. He initially made reggaeton, Latin hip hop, and crunk songs.
He selected to rebrand himself as a pop artist with a brand new fashion and sound. He collaborated with main pop and hip-hop stars to make a few of his hit tracks. This consists of his songs Timber, Give Me Everything, and Feel This Moment.
Pitbull has bought greater than 25 million albums and round 100 million singles internationally. He has 35 Billboard Latin Music Awards to his account that contribute to his $100 million honeypot..
19. Ad-Rock – $90 Million
Adam Keefe Horovitz, generally often called Ad-Rock or King Ad-Rock, is an entertainer, guitarist, and rapper who is thought for being a core member of the Beastie Boys.
Horovitz started his musical profession as a member of the band The Young and the Useless, which shared the stage with the Beastie Boys on a number of events. Beastie Boys unique guitarist left the band in 1982, and Horovitz took his place. After this, the group turned extra hip-hop oriented.
They signed with Def Jam and have become a sensation. Under the pseudonym 41 Small Stars, Horovitz additionally remixes quite a lot of tunes for completely different artists. Furthermore, he’s been featured in quite a few TV exhibits. That’s why Ad-Rock’s internet price is round $90 million.
20. Timbaland – $85 Million
Timbaland, born Timothy Zachery Mosley, is a rapper, producer, songwriter, and report govt. He’s gotten plenty of reward for his distinctive stuttering rhythmic method and intelligent manufacturing work.
He achieved recognition in the R&B and hip-hop sectors in the late Nineteen Nineties. Timothy has 5 tracks which were at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, promoting 15 million copies. He’s labored with big-name artists, corresponding to Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, and Ludacris.
Additionally, the producer makes some huge cash from royalties, as he’s paid each time one in every of his works is used in a film or TV present. His music has been featured in over 100 exhibits and movies up to now. Thus, Timbaland’s wealth sits at $85 million.
