Music royalties: Hip hop’s wealthiest artists

Diddy beats Jay-Z as richest hip hop artist.

LOS ANGELES:

Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs topped the list of hip hop’s wealthiest artists compiled by Forbes on Wednesday, beating out contemporaries Jay-Z, Dr Dre, Birdman and 50 Cent.

Combs’ net worth was estimated at $550 million, including high returns from his investment in clothing lines Sean John and Enyce, record label Bad Boy, marketing company Blue Flame and numerous tech start-ups.

The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper, 42, beat out hip hop mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, who came in at no. 2 with a net worth of $460 million. Carter, 42, who is married to R&B superstar Beyonce Knowles, continued to rake in substantial earnings from music and tours after signing a $150 million deal with concert promoters Live Nation in 2008, as well as investments in the New Jersey Nets basketball team, the 40/40 club chain and numerous other business ventures.

Pioneering rapper Dr Dre, 47, who has worked with top artists including Eminem and 50 Cent, took the third position, with a net worth of $260 million, a bulk of which comes from his headphone company, Beats Electronics.

The top five was rounded out by Cash Money Records co-founder Bryan “Birdman” Williams, 43, at no. 4 with a net worth of $125 million, while Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, 36, takes the no. 5 spot with $110 million and earned $100 million in 2007.

The Forbes Five list is compiled by the publication’s editors after valuing current holdings, past earnings, financial documents and speaking to analysts and experts in the field.

The list only took into account hip hop artists and rappers who perform and did not include producers and other industry influencers.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2012.