P. Diddy named highest earner in hip-hop

P. Diddy has topped Forbes Cash Kings list of the highest earning people in hip-hop.

The ‘Come With Me’ hitmaker made in $50 million between June 2012 and June 2013 according to the business magazine, despite not releasing any music under his own name.

The rapper and businessman – who has previously accused Forbes of misjudging just how much he is worth – said: ”You started learning how to count right, I see – thank God!”

Diddy’s net worth mainly comes from his Bad Boy record label, Sean John clothing line and endorsement deal with Ciroc vodka.

Behind him is Jay Z, with a net worth of $43 million, amassed from touring and his recent ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ album – for which technology giant Samsung paid him $5 million for one million copies to give away – as well as other interests, including his Roc Nation record label and management company.

Third is Dr. Dre – who topped the list last year – whose fortune can also largely be put down to his business interests, with his Beats by Dre line of headphones accounting for a large chunk of his fortune.

The magazine noted the top ten earners in hip-hop made a grand total of $256 million, $15 million more than its calculations for the ten highest-paid DJs in the world.

Diddy added: ”I don’t want my career to be defined on [whether or not] I was quote-unquote a billionaire. But to be honest, I’d be blessed to be a billionaire … hopefully someday it’ll come true and I’ll be able to do some good with it.”



Forbes Cash Kings 2013, highest paid people in hip-hop:



1. P Diddy, $50 million

2. Jay Z, $43 million

3. Dr. Dre, $40 million

4. Nicki Minaj, $29 million

5. Birdman, $21 million

6. Kanye West, $20 million

7. Lil Wayne, $16 million

8. Wiz Khalifa, $14 million

9. Ludacris, $12 million

10. Pitbull, $11 million

11. Drake, $10.5 million

12. Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion, $10 million

13. Eminem, $10 million

14. Kendrick Lamar, $9 million

15. Pharrell Williams, $9 million

16. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, $9 million

17. Swizz Beats, $8.5 million

18. Tech N9ne, $7.5 million

19. 50 Cent, $7 million

20. Lil Jon / Rick Ross / Mac Miller / Young Jeezy / Questlove – tie, $6 million