J. Cole Named Highest-Paid Rapper Of 2015

Drake recently found himself in the company of Dr. Dre and Puff Daddy as the wealthiest Hip Hop artists in the game right now. However, J. Cole reigned in the year of 2015 as rap’s highest-earning artist on Billboard’s “Top Money-Makers List.”

The “Love Yourz” rapper lands at #27 overall on the list after raking in a reported $8.8 million last year, with a bulk of that through touring. He embarked on the “2014 Forest Hills Drive Tour,” which took him around the world and ended with a homecoming show in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Cole cashed in an estimated $5.5 million from shows alone. He made $1.5 million in sales, $1.1 million in publishing and $788,000 from streams. His last LP, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, was released in December of 2014.

The Weeknd, Drake and Nicki Minaj follow Cole on the list. The “Can’t Feel My Face” singer made $8.6 million at #28, with the majority coming from $3.6 million in sales. Drake lands at #32 with an income of $7.4 million, $4.4 million of which comes from sales. Minaj, like Cole, made her money through touring, with $3.5 million from “The Pinkprint Tour” helping give her an earnings of $6.3 million and a #39 spot on the list.

Taylor Swift was the #1 money-maker of 2015, earning $73.5 million over the course of the year. Her majority income was touring as well, bringing in $61.7 million from shows.