It’s no secret that being a rapper can be a very lucrative profession, especially if you are regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Ten of the richest rappers right now include the likes of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Drake, and many more. Rappers can get paid from brand deals, performances, their music being bought or streamed, and much more. They usually display their wealth in large diamond VVS chains and huge homes, but some have special interests only the mega wealthy can take up.
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#10 Lil Wayne: $150 Million Net Worth
Lil Wayne is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists of his generation and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Lil Wayne started his career at age 12, joining Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the company in June 2018. Since then, he has sold over 120 million records worldwide and won five Grammy Awards, 11 BET Awards, and four Billboard Music Awards, among other accolades.
Currently, Lil Wayne is CEO and owner of Young Money Entertainment, which launched the careers of Nicki Minaj, Drake, and DJ Khaled. Because he’s into skateboarding, Lil Wayne has his own private skate park at his Miami home. He also partially owns DEWeezy Skatepark that opened in NOLA, his hometown.
#9 Ice Cube: 160 Million Net Worth
Ice Cube is a Los Angeles rapper, actor, and filmmaker included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His lyrics on N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton album is considered to have contributed greatly to gangsta rap’s widespread popularity.
Ice Cube made most of his money acting and making music. He landed his first acting gig playing Doughboy in Boyz n the Hood, a 1991 drama. Ice Cube’s most notable performance was in comedy film, Friday. The success of the show reshaped his persona into a bankable movie star, leading him to appear in 40 films as of 2020. He also made money off of endorsements and his fashion line, Solo by Cube, which featured headphones built into hoodie strings.
#8 Drake: 180 Million Net Worth
Most people know Drake got his start playing Jimmy Brooks in Degrassi, a popular Canadian teen drama. After Lil Wayne signed Drake to Young Money Records, the Canadian rapper quickly found success, project after project. With albums like Nothing Was the Same and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late certified multi-platinum in the US, nobody could deny the path Drake was making for himself in the industry. This lead him to create his own record label, OVO Sound with long time collaborator 40 in 2012.
Drake has worked hard to amass a fortune and his spending habits attest to his love of the best in life (because YOLO). Drake owns a $7.7 million mansion in Hidden Hills, California and continues to add to his collection of extreme and rare cars. Additionally, he owns a $185 million dollar Boeing 767 jet plane customized with his own logo “Air Drake.” Because he loves his OVO brand, he also has many custom-made necklaces displaying the owl logo; some can be worth up to $100,000 each.
#7 Master P: $200 Million Net Worth
Master P is a rapper, record executive, actor, and philanthropist. He reached fame for being a member of TRU and for his fifth solo rap album, Ice Cream Man. During this time, he also owned a small record store that gained popularity in 1990 after artists like Snoop Dogg and Silkk the Shocker worked there.
Additionally, he founded No Limit Records with the help of $10,000 from his grandfather, which relaunched many times before becoming No Limit Forever Records. As soon as his career developed he started using the money to propel other ventures, including film productions, a television network, and a real estate firm.
#6 Pharrell Williams: $200 Million Net Worth
Pharrell Williams is an American rapper, singer, and music producer. Most importantly, many refer to Pharrell as one of the most successful music producers in the 21st century. His success helped him create a $200 million net worth, earning his spot on our richest rappers list.
In 1999, he became lead vocalist of the band N.E.R.D., but released his debut solo album, In My Mind, in 2006. His song “Happy” and “Get Lucky” gained him the most success with “Get Lucky” winning two GRAMMYs; one of which was for for Record of the Year. Currently, he’s won 13 GRAMMYs and owns a media venture that encompasses entertainment, music, fashion, and art.
#5 Eminem: $230 Million Net Worth
Eminem is among the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of over 220 million records. This has helped him earn his $230 million dollar net worth, making him one of the richest rappers alive. He is credited with popularizing hip-hop in Middle America by breaking down racial barriers and gaining acceptance of white rappers. In the early 2000s, he came to be a representation of American underclass angst, and has been cited as an influence by many artists of various genres. He also founded Shady Records, which helped launch the career of 50 Cent and established his own channel on Sirius XM Radio.
Eminem also has a presence in film, playing a fictionalized version of himself in the movie 8 Mile, featuring his track “Lose Yourself,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. This was the first time a hip-hop artist ever won the award. Since then, Eminem has made cameo appearances in movies such as Funny People and The Interview.
#4 Dr. Dre: $780 Million Net Worth
In 2018, Dr. Dre was the second-richest in hip-hop with an estimated net worth of $800 million. Since then, other rappers have climbed the list.
Dr. Dre is a rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Aftermath Entertainment, Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded Death Row Records. He found fame with membership of N.W.A, a gangsta rap group that popularized explicit lyrics about the violence of street life. During the 2000s, Dr. Dre focused on producing for artists such as Eminem and 50 Cent, occasionally lending vocals. Additionally, he has produced albums for artists such as 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, and Kendrick Lamar.
#3 Puff Daddy: $900 Million Net Worth
Sean Combs, known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy, or Puffy, is known as one of the top three richest rappers right now. He is also a songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding Bad Boy Records in 1993. Through the record label, Combs cultivated artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Usher.
His debut album, No Way Out, has been certified seven times platinum, meaning the song sold seven million copies. The album was followed by other successes winning P Diddy three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards.
#2 JAY-Z: $1.4 Billion Net Worth
JAY-Z, a songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur is the second richest rapper right now. He is hip-hop’s first billionaire and many consider him a prominent business man and the greatest rap artist in history.
Having a similar story to Lil Wayne and Drake, JAY-Z, as the CEO of Def Jam Recordings, propelled the careers of Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole. In 1996, he released his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt, and it gained widespread critical success, putting his name on the map in the music industry. He went on to release twelve additional albums, including the acclaimed albums Watch the Throne with Kanye West and Everything Is Love with his wife Beyoncé.
Outside of rapping, JAY-Z has attained significant media attention for his career as a businessman. From 1999-2020, he’s founded multi-million-dollar clothing brands, luxury sports bars, Roc Nation, and took charge of Aspiro’s streaming service Tidal. His most recent venture is the launch of Monogram, a luxury cannabis company.
#1 Ye: $6.6 Billion Net Worth
Ye, aka Kanye West, the record producer and fashion designer for Yeezy, is also the richest rapper in the world. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential rappers of all time and has remained in the public eye for years.
Though born in Atlanta, he was raised raised in Chicago, gaining recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records. In 2004, Ye released his solo debut album, The College Dropout, successfully selling 441,000 copies in its first week of sales. He is also responsible for other successful albums including The Life of Pablo and Donda, among many others, but he makes the majority of his money from Yeezy, Ye’s footwear and apparel brand. The company’s revenue reached $1.3 billion in 2020 and it’s estimated that Ye pocketed about 11 percent; meaning his most recent earnings from the company would be around $143 million.
In 2014, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West bought their home in 2014 for $20 million and reportedly spent the same amount renovating it over a 4-year period. Kris Jenner later tweeted that the home’s updated value was $60 million. Ye also purchased a 20-carat diamond engagement ring for Kim, worth an estimated $4.5 million. This price made it one of the most expensive celebrity engagement rings ever. When North was 18 months old, Ye reportedly spent $74,000 on gifts for her. The haul included a $62,000 diamond-encrusted tiara and a $12,000 toy replica of his black SUV.
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