Hip Hop’s highest earners of 2021 have been announced, and it appears the global COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t done any harm to their pockets. In fact, it’s the wealthiest list yet.
Topping the list is perennial cash king contender JAY-Z, who pulled in a staggering $470 million last year alone, the biggest annual sum of his career.
The Marcy Projects mogul added to his $1.5 billion net worth by selling his streaming company TIDAL to Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey’s Square for $297 million, a deal that saw Jay join Square’s board of directors.
Hov also offloaded a 50 percent stake in his champagne brand Armand de Brignac to luxury goods giant LVMH for a reported $600 million. According to Forbes, the deal earned JAY-Z a cash payment of at least $300 million.
The list was compiled by former Forbes editor and longtime “Hip Hop Cash Kings” list creator Zack O’Malley Greenburg, who revealed on Twitter that JAY-Z’s “What you call money, I pay more in taxes” line isn’t just an empty boast.
“Even if you assume he paid the capital gains rate of 20% on the bulk of his income after selling centimillion-dollar stakes in Tidal & [Armand de Brignac], he’ll pay Uncle Sam more than any hip-hop act earned (other than Ye).”
Coming in at No. 2 on the list is fellow Watch The Throne royalty Kanye West, who earned $250 million in 2021 almost entirely thanks to his Yeezy footwear empire.
The Chicago rap icon also saw items from his 10-year partnership with Gap sell out in mere hours while, of course, enjoying commercial success with his gold-certified Donda album.
Kanye West Beats JAY-Z, Drake & Eminem On Forbes' 2019 Highest-Paid Hip-Hop Acts
Kanye’s 2022 is already off to a lucrative start having pulled in over $2 million in less than a week from sales of his $200 Stem Player, through which he is exclusively rolling out his new album Donda 2.
Last month, Ye released the first drop from his Yeezy Gap Engineered By Balenciaga collection, which includes $440 denim jackets, $240 hoodies and $180 sweatpants.
According to Greenburg, “annual income for this year’s top two is up more than tenfold from ten years ago.” JAY-Z topped 2011’s list with $37 million, followed by Diddy with $35 million.
After a $175 million gulf, former Hip Hop Cash King Diddy sits at No. 3 with earnings of $75 million.
The Bad Boy Records boss continued to rake in a reported eight-figure salary from his deal with Diageo’s Cîroc, on top of lucrative partnerships with brands such as Pandora and Dolce & Gabbana.
JAY-Z, Kanye West and Diddy’s combined earnings amount to almost $800 million, while the entire top 10 pulled in over $1 billion, nearly double their pre-pandemic takings.
Outside of the top three, Drake‘s record-breaking album Certified Lover Boy pushed his 2021 earnings to $50 million, while Wiz Khalifa‘s successful ventures into the legal cannabis industry saw him pocket $45 million last year.
Travis Scott ($38 million), DJ Khaled ($35 million), Eminem ($28 million), J. Cole ($27 million), Birdman ($25 million), Doja Cat ($25 million) and indie rap juggernaut Tech N9ne ($25 million) round out 2021’s Hip Hop Cash Kings list.
Check out the full list of highest-paid rappers of 2021 below.
10. Tech N9ne — $25 million
10. Doja Cat — $25 million
10. Birdman — $25 million
9. J. Cole — $27 million
8. Eminem — $28 million
7. DJ Khaled — $35 million
6. Travis Scott — $38 million
5. Wiz Khalifa — $35 million
4. Drake — $50 million
3. Diddy — $75 million
2. Kanye West — $250 million
1. JAY-Z — $470 million
How TF is Diddy even on here? He doesn’t do a damn thing. Oh I forgot his ReVolt station/channel and that’s about it. I forgot all the money he gets from other artists’ publishing, masters, and royalties that he gets too. DJ InValed definitely shouldn’t be on here period cuz the fat motherf***** has never done anything in his entire career musically. He has no music talent whatsoever and even though he just released an album, I’ve yet to hear on song in rotation or see on song chart on Billboard since he’s always claiming He’s The Best. And Ye well he’s just a gay fish and Donda 2 was absolutely horrible. He needs to seriously get some mental help because he’s unstable.
You’re definitely a butthurt crip. Diddy sold 7.5 million copies of a single album “No Way Out” between 1997 to 2010, which is something that Jay Z, Kanye or even Drake is yet to achieve. You’re trying to say Combs only has Revolt network as his only wealth portfolio? Someone who was worth $900 million by 2019?! Anyway, to annoy you more, Forbes enlisted his 2021 earning at $90 million. This article posted here is just speculation by a former Forbes staffer, the actual figures are higher. Diddy is a billionaire. You can’t be poor, jealous and dumb at the same time, choose a struggle.
Where are 50 Cent and Dr. Dre at?
Executive producers of TV shows actually don’t make that much money. If I had to guess, I’d say that they pay 50 150-250k per season. The real question is how much his share in G-Unit Films and Televisions Inc. is worth right now.
True h make ur money in reruns, I guess syndication; a la friends n Seinfeld n stuff. And that’s if he has major share which he prob does. Now he’s not up there but he will eventually
You’re misguided. 50 cent signed a $150 million deal with Starz. The contract runs for 4 years. It will elapse this year. That is about $40 million per year. If you add to his other income streams, he is among the topmost earning rappers now.
The real story is how Tech N9ne in the top 10 at 25mill.
These lists always fascinating to me
no shit?
Where is Nas?
Nas doesn’t like his wealth being discussed. So far QVP has invested in over 250 startups. He is definitely making big money, albeit quietly. He just doesn’t move around with a lot of noise like the rest.
Wiz the only nigggggggaaahhh on there that ain’t sold his soul to the devil!
Wtf!! This is some real inspiration right here. Jay -Z sucks. Who the hell knows his liquor. Kanye a mental case. Diddy another one. But that’s life I guess these days. The more you make a fool of yourself and just get attention the wealthier you will be.
Forbes reported Diddy’s income at $90 million. Unless this $75 million is after-tax income then it is definitely under-estimation.
King Tekashi so humble. Almost at a billi now and Forbes don’t even know.