Forbes Names the Five Wealthiest People in Hip-Hop

Last year, Dr. Dre snatched every headline in sight by becoming "the first billionaire in hip-hop." While his Beats deal with Apple was certainly substantial--indeed, it tipped the scales with nine figures--it wasn't quite enough for him to hold onto the title as rap's cash king. Forbes has released their annual list of the wealthiest people in the genre, and Dre comes in at #2, with a personal net worth $700 million. After him, it was Jay Z at a healthy $550 million, with 50 Cent and Bryan "Baby" Williams rounding out the top five at distant marks of $155 million and $150 million, respectively. But it was Diddy who took the crown, clocking in at a staggering $735 million. Beyond music, the Bad Boy founder derives his wealth from ventures such as Ciroc, Revolt and other companies.

Placements on the list come at interesting times for the artists mentioned. Diddy, long dormant as a rapper and producer, has announced a return to music. A new album, Making Money Mitch, will be his first since 2010's Last Train to Paris; Kanye West has joined his legendary producer collective The Hitment to help finish the LP. Baby is at a crossroads with his longtime protege and flagship artist, Lil Wayne, who is demanding a release from Cash Money Records, but Williams has brought budding star Young Thug into the fold in his place. As for the others, 50 Cent is helming a long-anticipated G-Unit comeback, while Dre and Hov plot their next moves.

Filed Under: 50 Cent, Birdman, Diddy, Dr. Dre, Forbes, Jay-Z

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