Remember when Rap was a fad? Ya… me neither. That’s because Rap has proven itself to be one of the most popular and enduring types of music over the years. Below is a list of the 20 richest rap moguls in the world. Some of the names and their net worth may surprise you, some definitely won’t. Some of the richest people in the music business are rappers and it should come as no surprise that these people have diversified themselves over their careers and made themselves filthy rich.
Here now are some mind blowing net worth numbers of the 20 richest rap moguls in the world.
20 Richest Rap Moguls in the World
20. Rick Ross: This American rapper has been all over the place during his career. While he hasn’t diversified himself as much as the top earners on this list it is still mind blowing to note that his net worth is $25 million, with most of that coming from music alone.
19. T.I. & T-Pain: These guys are both representing themselves well and they tie for the 19th spot on this list. T-Pain remains a force both behind the scenes and on the mic, while T.I. currently sits atop the Billboard 200 with his collaboration with Robin Thicke in Blurred Lines. Net Worth: $40 million each.
18. Nelly: Nelly has been around a while and continues to reinvent himself. He is currently dipping his feet into the country music scene again with Florida Georgia Line in the smash hit “Cruise.” Not only has his music stood the test of time, but his popular clothing lines Vokal and Apple Bottoms help Nelly land at a net worth of $55 million.
17. Busta Rhymes: With 7, count them, 7 gold or platinum albums Busta Rhymes easily makes most of his money on the mic. One of the most respected rappers in the game comes in at #17 on this list with a net worth of $60 million.
16. Ludacris: Ludacris has been a popular mainstay on the Billboard charts, as all of his albums have been in the top 5 somewhere. However, it is his willingness to do movies that has really added to his fortune. His net worth clocks in at $65 million.
15. Beastie Boys: This is where we hit the world of Hip-Hop pioneers. Together, the Beastie Boys, Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock have millions of fans and have been a huge cultural icon and influencer over the past couple of decades. Net worth: $75 million each.
14. Timbaland: It isn’t so much about the albums for Timbaland ad it has been for the beat writing. He has written beats for some of the biggest names in the business including Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake and the late Aaliyah. This brings his net worth to an amazing $75 million.
13. Pharrell Williams: Like Timbaland, Pharrell Williams has made most of his money producing music. He has been around for years going all the way back to his days with the Neptunes. He currently has the top two tracks on the Billboard hot 100, Blurred Lines with Robin Thicke sits at #1 while Get Lucky by Daft Punk sits at #2. He also has a successful clothing line that helps bring his net worth to $77.5 million.
12. LL Cool J & Akon: Another tie on the chart at #12, this time between legend LL Cool J and surprising countdown entry Akon. While LL Cool J has made a lot of his fortune in acting, Akon has a list of successful portfolio moves and a wildly popular clothing line called Konvict Clothing. Net worth: $80 million each.
11. Kanye West: You may have thought Kanye West would be ranked higher, but that simply isn’t the case. He has his successes in music, both producing and on the mic, but is also a pretty savvy businessmen. His net worth comes in at $90 million.
10. Lil Wayne: There are several names on this list that most have a love/hate relationship with. Lil Wayne is probably one of those names. However, no matter what you think of him you have to admit he has put himself out there. It seems like he is on just about every track out right now either as a main performer or a collaborator. Net worth: $95 million.
9. Ice Cube: The first rapper on the list to hit the triple digit mark is another old school guy. Ice Cube has been around since his days with NWA and is considered one of the originators of gangsta rap. He transitioned into movies but his portfolio of music and movies makes him one of the richest rappers in the world. His net worth comes in at an even $100 million.
8. Snoop Dogg: Or, Snoop Lion if you prefer. This old school rapper dips his face and presence into everything. Music, movies, advertising and more. Perhaps this is why his net worth reaches an estimated $110 million.
7. Birdman: Surprised to see this name on the list? Don’t know who this is? Birdman is actually the founder of Cash Money Records. Who do you think is behind Lil Wayne? He is rolling in the cash with a net worth of $115 million.
6. Eminem: This name isn’t a surprise. Eminem (Marshall Mathers) has been one of the most successful rappers in the world over the last 15 years. Not only that, but he also has a huge hit movie to his credit. All this work makes for a nice net worth of $120 million.
5. 50 Cent: The top 5 starts with someone who not only has a great music career, but also has a very diversified portfolio that includes endorsement deals, stocks and a huge chunk of cash. All of this puts 50 Cent’s net worth at an estimated $250 million.
4. Dr. Dre: I know you were waiting for this name so here it is. One of the founders of gangsta rap and one of the true cultural icons in this music business. Dr. Dre has been putting it down for 30 years and is behind some of the most recognizable songs and faces that the rap industry has ever seen. These days he dominates the headphone market with his dynamic (but expensive) “Beats by Dre” headphone line. All this puts his net worth at an estimated $260 million.
3. Master P: While Master P wasn’t the number one name on this list he arguably has the most diversified portfolio on the list. He has his hands in everything from rap labels, clothing, management companies, video games, and even a phone sex line. There is basically nothing he won’t get involved with if he thinks it will be successful. No Limit Records is still his baby and this along with everything else puts his net worth at around $350 million.
2. Jay-Z: Surprisingly enough he isn’t the number 1 name on this list. Despite arguably being one of the most recognized faces in the world, Jay-Z comes in not at number 1, but at number 2 on our list of the 20 richest rap moguls in the world. Co-founder of Roc-A-Fella records, Jay-Z has his hands in everything from clothing to sports. He is expected to earn over $1 billion by the time it is all said and done but right now his net worth is still a huge $475 million.
1. Diddy: That’s right. Despite what you thought about Bad Boy Records and Diddy not getting it done the fact of the matter is that his name still dominates this list. Diddy has his hands in so much more than music but the point is he is still the founder of Bad boy Records and owns the rights to some of the most listened to rap songs of all time. This, along with his clothing line and other endorsements put his net worth at a mind blowing $500 million.
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