Forbes has announced the five wealthiest Hip Hop artists of 2012.
Deeming the exclusive group “the Forbes Five,” the publication names Sean “Diddy” Combs as the richest of the bunch, which also includes Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Dr. Dre.
Diddy ranks at the top with a net worth of $550 million, thanks to his investment in Ciroc vodka, his Sean John and Enyce clothing lines, his record label Bad Boy and several startups. Additionally, his cable channel Revolt could make him a billionaire in 2013.
Jay-Z comes in second with $460 million due to the selling of his stake in Rocawear clothing for $204 million in 2007. His business ventures flesh out his net worth, with stakes in the New Jersey Nets, the 40/40 Club chain, his ad firm Translation and more.
Dr. Dre comes in third with $270 million because of his investment in Beats Electronics, while Birdman places at No. 4 with a sum of $125 million to his name. 50 Cent rounds out the list with $110 million in the bank.
RELATED: Forbes Predicts That Sean “Diddy” Combs Will Become Hip Hop’s First Billionaire
Where all dem 50 stans they said that nigga 50 was worth half a bil. That nigga barely tops over 100 mil. Niggas career is finished!
Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and where u at Rozay? catch up with Yayo’s net worth first before u talk
young buck lost more money than rozay will ever have
umm i dont think this is net worth of total career more of what they did last year
^^^ ha rozay you aint even in the top 5!stfu
the nigga diddy stacking dat paper….birdman aint even all that rich,but he keep makin noise like he the richest
These #’s totally dead the argument between Baby & Hov. You ninjas ain’t even got my lady $$$. Take That Take That!! Diddy about to be BILLIONAIRE status BOI
he really looks like satan in that picture lol, he just needs two horns
Psssst I been saying that Diddy looks like the Devil for years.
Love how Dre Always on top 5 with hardly without prostituting himself with over marketing and exposure. Laying in the cut and making mad money.
what are you talking about? beats by dr dre, htc laptops by dr. dre., dr pepper soda by dr. dre
this nigga will do anything for a check except put out detox
hahaha preach!
You call promoting electronics and one soft drink for millions of dollars doing anything for a check? It’s not like the man’s doin late night infomercials, AND he’s gettin paid out the ass for the little that he’s doin!
Besides, is any self-respecting music lover really still waiting for Detox, a 12-year old hip hop record from a 50 year-old man?
I WOULDNT CALL DIDDY AN ARTIST
more artist than birdman
HAHA str8 up
diddy gave us biggie & lox, birdman gave us lil wayne, drake, nicki. so diddy>birdman
out of all these guys 50 been in the game is least amount of time, he hustle harder then all of them
50 Cents got lucky with that Vitamin Water deal and hasn’t did anything since. Puffy, Jigga and Baby been doing it big and ten years from now, they’ll still be on top.
How the fucc you call 50 cent water deal lucky?? NIgga is you dumb its called a Excellent/Intelligent business deal…..Damn Dummie thank GOD you don’t have to make any deals cause you’ll just go off of lucc!!!
diddy jay and baby been doing it since the early 90 and u complementing 50? bitch please
Hey, its true tho, 50 has been around for 10 yrs. while everyone else has been in for much longer.
so the 200 mill movie deal is LUCK TOO????
What about Lil B?
It’s funny how Dre and even 50 now aren’t relevant in music and still come out on top year after year
no you just think they arent relevant
either way its funny to see them making more then your fav relevant rapper
well 50 isn’t relevant in hip hop anymore and gets most of his money outside of music while dre has made nearly all his money as well from outside of producing music and making music. Dre is still relevant in hip hop though just maybe not in the sense of which he was 15 years ago.
50 is relevant in hiphop..he may not have an album flowing, but he’s helping artist in the background (i.e Jeremih – Down On Me, Dr. Dre just put together Kendrick Lamar new album) gotta know what you talking about before you make points
50’s music is IRRELEVANT to this conversation about the 5 top wealthiest Hip Hop Artist of 2012. Go learn what the word means before you use it.
Damn, I wonder how much Ronald Williams has??
50 super rich and making a difference by feeding people in africa through SK.
the only rapper on this list who gives back is 50
That you know of. I’m not saying any of the others are givers, but you have no idea how much people with insane amounts of money donate to charities without putting out an ad in a magazine telling people about it. It’s possible they drop sums larger than either of us make in a year here and there without anybody really knowing about it.
thats the point 50 sets the example …these other cats just flaunt the bad stuff why not the good
50 cent has been giving back, which is pretty tight. I would have thought differently. Actually, he would seem the greediest and cockiest out of them all. But Yeah he’s doing right. Good stuff
why exactly does forbes make this list again?
for you to read it dummy
^^^ ur answer made no sense bro.
DIDDY (GAY NAME)IS NOT A HIP HOP ARTIST!!!!!!
more hiphop than lil wayne
No he isn’t idiot
he is more hiphop than wayne you idiot
diddy brought us notorious b.i.g., the lox, etc., wayne brought us drake and tyga
^^^ And there you have it. Diddy WINS! lol
^^^lmao… Would folks rather see shiny suits and a producer dancing all up in videos saying take that take that, or skinny jeans, lip rings, and some rat face looking midget with an annoying voice who kisses men… I prefer the dancing and take that, take that over the gay midget in skinny jeans any day.
ME AND YESSIR JUST GOT MARRIED
Birdman places at No. 4 with a sum of $125 million to his name!!!!
MOSTLY ALL FROM THE MUSIC ITSELF!!!!!!!!!!!
Everybody else has outside ventures!!!
because he doesnt pay for samples or producers
don’t lie to urself son, he pays to most of them.
besides, how much do them shitty beats cost? 10 milly max? 115 milly still more than u or ur kids or great great great grand kids combined will ever make
you do know that, he doesn’t have that money in liquid cash. They are just valuing his business; therefore, what you said (all from music) can turn around and bite him in the ass…….all it takes is for his label to stop making money, and there goes that estimated fortune (and we all know how fickle the music industry is -ex: No Limit)
take that, take that!
wow. success vs pain of G Dep. what a crazy world.
Always comes down to choices in life.
Who did force this fool to murder another human?
No he isn’t idiot
ive got 90$ in the bank LMAO daaammnn son!
best comment of this entire forum
i got $76, waiting for that income tax return then imma be ballin
I feel you, like every last dollar counts. I could make my $120.00 stretch for awhile, nothing but the dollar meal and bumming rides. Oh yea and the infamous I got “5” on it. I could last another 3 to 4 weeks hahaha
You guys made my day.
This list will be adjusted when Forbes realizes that Dr. Dre made $270 LAST YEAR (not his total worth). Duh! All the blogs already ran the story about them selling a chunk of beats for $600 milli. Dre was 50% owner. And IM pretty sure he had something from getting money off em, 50, snoop, etc.
The reactions to these list every year show you just how shallow ignorant delusional and just out right fuckin stupid rap ‘fans’ really are smdh…
Artist?
50 got it in the bank though. I think everyone else on the list is just worth that much based on assets they own not in cash..idk tho i could be mistaken, but thats what I understood from reading this.
Is that a good thing though? Money in the bank makes almost no interest and isn’t nearly as dope as having a stake in an NBA team, your own label, your own line of club or a partnership with a vodka company. 50 could take an lesson on investing..I mean dude got lucky with vitamin water (only reason he made the list) but hasn’t done shit since and is irrelevant in hip hop. Word life
Money in the bank makes almost no interest
^ fail…only someone who has barely any money in an account would say that.
A person with some serious money will tell you they live off of the interest and move money around to decrease the taxes. You rendered yourself irrelevant in this conversation.
In all honesty “c”, you do not know what you’re talking about. Most restaurants close due to the high overhead costs or barely make profit. If having a 1% stake in a NBA team generates revenue, I can imagine what Serena & Venus Williams make with their 1% stake in the NFL Miami Dolphins, football stadiums have more seats than NBA stadiums. Other rap people have had liquor deals like Armendale and Sizzurp, they are not on the list. If Curtis needed a lesson on investing he would not have “got lucky” with Vitamin Water or the film deal or the headphone line. And irrelevant does not mean unpopular.
Soccer revenues >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that of all other sports.
WTF?!?!?!!??!!?!?!? fuck didddday
This guy is a fucking annoying ass Somalian prick.
Diddy makes the best music! This list proves it! Men lie, women lie…
How can you hate Puff? Dude has been around since the early 90’s and he’s still around making money….10 Years from now he’ll still be on top. lol The GOAT, gotta respect it…
So now I gotta rob Diddy…
we hit em up
Yeah nigga let’s take money this bitch made and get rich
Not the surprise the Devil will do anything to get his riche’s.
This just made my day, looks like I got a lot of work to do.
If you pay attention to the article, you will realize that 50 is the only real money maker. Because it says 50cent has 110mil in his BANK ACCOUNT not his networth that can go up ad down depending on popularity of the product they own.
man, you sound real stupid.
DEAR “THE TRUTH”
IT SAYS “IN THE BANK” NOT BANK ACCOUNT.
STFU B
its termanology dipshit
Dame them 60s babies are some beast.That 60s baby winning!!!60s babies killing it as far as black 60s babies.He still can’t mess with Oprah that 50s baby lol!!!
the richest dudes in hiphop..
GOT DAMN MAN,WE OVER HERE TRYNA MAKE 300 DOLLAS LAST FOR TWO WEEKS AND THESE NIGGAS OVER HERE TOUCHING MILLIONS AND NOT NO TYLER THE CREATOR 1 MILLION DOLLAR TYPE SHIT,WE TALKING 100 MILLION OR BETTER. DO THE MATH,DIDDY MADE 90 MILLION MORE DOLLARS THAN JAY Z…90 MILLION!!! GIVE ME 90 THOUSAND DOLLARS IM HAPPY BUT 90 MILLION? LIKE WTF IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD?
He worked hard for it for 2-3 decades. Nobody just gave him his money for nothing.
These numbers is just crazy.
LOL @ worked hard for 2-3 decades
working must mean someone different to you, cause where i come from we dont call putting on a shiny suit and dancing in videos working
ANYBODY ON THIS LIST CAN GIVE TYLER THE CREATOR 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO MATCH HIS NET WORTH AND HE STILL WOULDNT EVEN BE CLOSE TO WHAT THESE GUYS ARE WORTH. 50 CENT SAID HE SPENDS 1 MILL ALONE A YEAR ON SECURITY. NOT TRYNA TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM TYLER THE CREATOR,HE’S VERY CREATIVE AND TALENTED AND RICH..I’LL TAKE 1.5 MILLION ANYDAY…HE’S A MILLIONAIRE I WAS JUST SAYING THAT TO SHOW YOU HOW RAPPERS ARE RICH GUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE NOT THAT RICH WHEN YOU COMPARE THEM TO THE RAPPERS WHO MADE THIS LIST.
and the rappers on this list are broke as fuck compared to zuckerberg and billy gates
damn, i knew dre was banking off them damn headphones.
anyone else find the irony in the richest “hiphop artist” not being a real artist? dude doesnt even write his own raps! Now that is a hustle… and sad for hiphop at the same time.. smh.
big is rolling in his grave right now.
diddy making more then jay-z? certainly not deserved.
WTF??
DIDDY been on this business thing when Jay was still selling rocks.
You’re a producer Puff? “Nah I just pay for the albums to be made.” So you’re a clothing designer? “Nah I pay someone to design those clothes.” Well, your dancing isn’t really dancing so you can’t be considered a dancer. You must be a rapper! “Nah I pay someone to write those rhymes.” Okay, so…what exactly do you do?
he makes money, that’s what he does, he has the skill to make money and that’s not a given talent to anyone
Fuck Diddy! He did all his artists wrong! Craig Mack, Total, Black Rob, G-Dep, The Lox, Shyne, Them Making The Band people, Danity Kane, Loon. Add on if I forgot someone. And ALL Y’ALL posting anonymously is straight pussy! Like Herm Edwards said, put ya name on it!
THE LOX
So putting a name like “Killem Dafoe” makes you hard? It’s funny how you know all of those artist finances and what type of contracts they signed. I wonder why your not mention on this list? Since your so smart and know everything, just wondering.
LOL. You still anonymous, you fucking fool.
@Blaze
I got The Lox up there.
@RealTalk
Not trying to ‘be hard’ first off. Second, where are they now? My point was to say that signing to BadBoy is career suicide. The proof is in the pudding. You have to see that.
@DK
Is DK short for Dick? That’s what you sound like you fucking bitch. If that’s your name, change it!
Homie, you cant blame diddy, for niggas being broke or signing bad contract, it call learn how to read, have a lawler look it over, aint nobody tell niggas to sing away they work, names and live for a car nigga, the music bussy is not standing on the corner selling nickles and dimes nigga.
Dre has been around since the 80’s, Puff been around since like 93, Jay released Reasonable Doubt in 1996, Birdman been around since the early 90’s and 50 came out in 2003
50 cent that wack ass nigga, thoght he was locked away in his FBI safe house, FEDS must pay good
shut up you absolute vagina
lol why you hating tho.. he still richer than your whole extended and beyond family…lol smh
Nas lost.
half a bill still cant afford POWER … WHO GIVESA FUK ABOUT MONEY WHEN PEOPLE WHO GOT POWER GOT THEM ENSLAVIN FO A PIECE OF PAPER WITH NUMBERS
I’m surprised that Diddy is as successful as he is considering he’s an absolute moron.
ahh did i upset a 50 fan
u fuckin clown, go home n suck on u mamma bitch
The comment sections of websites were created by satan…u want proof? just read 95% of the comments on this website.
SO MUCH MONEY BUT HE DOES NOT PROMOTE HIS ARTISTS AND IS NOT ABLE TO RELEASE A DECENT BIGGIE aLBUM
You lot do know that all these numbers are a prediction of what their total value of all their assets added together are and not their money. Secondly 50 cent got way more money, hes a private partner and investor in many companies where he can’t says how much he makes.
You call this faggot a hip hop artist??
To all niggas on here catching feeling, dont be mad, the nigga diddy is rich, stop front and go find a way to make your paper too, serious is doing his thing
yeah money , money, money its all they care about. what about good music?
Now that I know Diddy is the richest I gotta rape rob and murder him and his whole family
FUCKKK THE GLAMOUR LIFE. I LIVE FOR THAT ILLEGAL MONEY, THAT DRUG MONEY, KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING. FUCK LIVING STRAIGHT, IMMA SELL LLELO TILL I FUCKING DIE
diddy & jay-z = illuminati puppet
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“50 Cent rounds out the list with $110 million in the bank”
Even though that’s still alot of money, it shows how the business juggernaut that was once 50 is slowly dwindling.
1) Diddy is considered an hip hop artist? He hasn’t realeased anything hip hop that sold in a decade!
2) Jay-z STILL eating off rocwear!?
3) 50 cent gonna keep losing millions if he keeps up with his amount of security!
So basically forbes saying aint none of them made moves since 2011 cause this is the same list from last year and the year before that….I know birdman done ripped off drake nicki wayne an the others to make another 50mil. 50 inked a 10year 100million movie deal and put out all ten of his movies, now he got the sk energy drink thats doing good so that should add 50-80mil to his networth
AINT IT KINDA FUCKED UP HOW DIDDY GRADUATED FROM HARVARD AND DAMN NEAR SIGNED 50 CENT TO BAD BOY WHEN HE WAS BROKE THEN A FEW YEARS AGO 50 MADE MORE MONEY THAN DIDDY AND HE DIDNT EVEN FINISH HIGH SCHOOL?LOL FUNNY HOW LIFE WORKS. EVENTHOUGH DIDDY BEEN RICH A VERY LONG TIME AGO,HE’S JUST NOW BECOMING WEALTHY. HE’S NOT QUITE THERE YET BUT IF HE KEEP IT UP HE CAN BE A BILLIONAIRE IN 5 TO 10 YEARS OR SO DEPENDING ON HIS FUTURE BUSINESS VENTURES. THESE GUYS MAKE ME WANT TO GRIND HARD
JIMMY IOVINE NET WORTH IS 700 MILLION DOLLARS..EVENTHOUGH HE’S NOT A RAPPER,I DONT SEE DIDDY BECOMING A BILLIONAIR BEFORE HIM