Cash Kings 2012: Forbes Hip-Hop's 20 Top Earners

1. Andre "Dr. Dre" Young ($110 million)

His long-awaited album, Detox, is still on the shelf, but Dre still rakes in cash from old albums, production and the occasional concert. And then there’s that headphone line called beats.

            

 

2. Sean "Diddy" Combs ($45 million)          

It’s been 15 years since his creative opus, No Way Out, but Diddy still continues to earn from a variety of non-musical deals—namely a share of profits from Diageo’s Ciroc vodka.

  

3. Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter ($38 million)

Beyoncé’s husband continues to pull in proceeds from music (touring in support of his album with Kanye West) and business (deals with Duracell, Budweiser and others). For more, check out Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office.

 

4. Kanye West ($35 million)

The rapper-producer had a big hit with his Jay-Z collaboration Watch the Throne and the ensuing tour; he also designs shoes for Nike and a line of women’s clothing.

5. Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter ($27 million)

The diminutive rhymester’s latest album, Tha Carter IV, sold a million copies in its first week; he also launched clothing line Trukfit and a partnership with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew.

 

6. Aubrey Drake Graham ($20.5 million)

The former Degrassi star’s sophomore album moved 631,000 copies in its opening week, fueling his lucrative Club Paradise Tour. He also shills for Sprite and Kodak.

 

7. Bryan "Birdman" Williams ($20 million)

He’s the co-founder and chief of Cash Money Records—home to listmates Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj—and adds to his coffers with other ventures including clothing and vodka.

8. Nicki Minaj ($15.5 million)

Performances at the Super Bowl and the Grammys helped raise her profile while a new album, extensive touring and endorsements with Pepsi and others lined her pocketbook

9. Marshall "Eminem" Mathers ($15 million)

Sometimes music is enough. Eminem sold more albums last decade than any artist in the world, and continues to cash in from his extensive back catalog and occasional tour dates.

10. Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges ($12 million)

The multihyphenate mogul’s non-musical ventures include Conjure cognac, headphone line Soul, voiceovers for RadioShack and roles in movies such as Fast Five and New Year’s Eve. For more, read "Ludacris Dreams: A Rap Mogul Diversifies.

 

11. Pitbull ($9.5 million)

The self-proclaimed "Mr. International" has been making money all around the world, pulling in millions from touring, record sales and endorsements with the likes of Kodak and Dr. Pepper.

 

12. Rick Ross ($9 million, tie)

The portly Maybach Music Group boss banks big bucks from concerts, record sales and his aforementioned label.

 

12. Wiz Khalifa ($9 million, tie)

After exploding onto the mainstream scene in recent years, the Pittsburgh-bred rapper has continued to milk his image as an herbal enthusiast, helping him to healthy merch and album sales.

14. Snoop Lion ($8.5 million) formally snoop dog

The artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg is in the midst of a rebirth as a reggae artist -- and continues to rake in cash from a wide range of activities including album sales, touring and endorsements.

15. 50 Cent ($7.5 million)

Though the onetime top Cash King has fallen from his VitaminWater-fueled peak, he still collects cash from sales of his music, as well as G-Unit clothes and video games, SMS headphones and energy shot Street King.

16. Swizz Beatz ($7 million, tie)

Though he's still not as well-known as his wife, Alicia Keys, the multifaceted Swizz Beatz has been cashing in on production credits and deals with the likes of Lotus and Reebok.

16. Pharrell Williams ($7 million, tie)

 

The sweet-singing superproducer continues to earn big, thanks in part to new liqueur line Qream and his Billionaire Boys Club clothing line, which partnered with Rocawear last year.

16. Young Jeezy ($7 million, tie)

His recent album, Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition, has sold more than 500,000 copies since its December release; Jeezy adds to his coffers with touring and a clothing line.

19. Mac Miller ($6.5 million)

Not yet old enough to legally drink, the youthful emcee makes his Cash Kings debut on the strength of a rigorous touring schedule and the first indie record to top the Billboard charts in over a decade. For more, read "Mac Miller: Indie Music's Savior?"

20. Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley ($6 million, tie)

The portly producer makes the Cash Kings list for the sixth year in a row, pulling in proceeds from a lengthy pack catalog, new production credits and liqueur LeSutra. Up next: a new album that he believes will save hip-hop from itself.

 20. Akon ($6 million, tie)

His latest album is still on hold, but the Senegalese singer continues to collect cash from a range of ventures including touring, production, a record label, a clothing line and a rumored diamond mine in Africa.