Top 5 Richest Rappers in the world 2014-2015
In 2014, rap likely needs no introduction. It's everywhere. Though it only really emerged as its own genre in the late 1970s, it's now the most popular kind of pop music in the world, with musicians from South America, to Africa, to Southeast Asia, borrowing from it.
Because of its popularity, the most successful rap artists can make enormous amounts of money. This list will rank the the five richest rappers in the world as of 2014.
#5 Eminem - $160 Million
One of the world's fastest rappers, Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born in Missouri on October 17, 1972. He first gained notice with his 1999 album The Slim Shady LP, which went triple platinum. He followed up with The Marshall Mathers LP in 2000, which sold 27 million records worldwide, and The Eminem Show in 2002, which sold 22 million records worldwide. He has also won 14 Grammy Awards and an Oscar for the track "Lose Yourself," which he wrote for 8 Mile, a movie based on his life in which he also starred.
His most recent single, "Rap God," went viral on YouTube. All in all, he is one of the best rappers in the world and definitely one of the richest.
#5 50 Cent - $270 Million
Curtis James Jackson III, whose stage name is 50 Cent, is an American rapper from New York City. Prior to his rap career, Jackson was a drug dealer in his neighborhood of South Jamaica in Queens, where he was shot nine times by a rival.
His first album, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" was produced by Dr. Dre and was one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2003. It sold over 8 million copies and he has sold nearly 30 million records in total throughout his career.
While 50 Cent is one of the most successful rappers in the world, the bulk of his fortune, about $200 million, comes from his ownership stake in a vitamin water company line called Formula 50. The sale of that line to Coca-Cola in 2007 made him the fourth richest rapper in the world.
#3 Jay-Z - $520 Million
Shawn Corey Carter, who goes by the stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and producer. He is one of the most successful and famous rappers in America.
A prolific artist, Jay-Z has released over a dozen records since his debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996. He has had 13 No. 1 albums and was ranked the 4th best rapper by Billboard Magazine. His most successful album was Vol 2... Hard Knock Life, which sold over 5 million copies in the US alone. While these numbers may seem small in comparison to other artists on this list, Jay-Z has used his celebrity to build a business empire, which included the clothing line Roca Wear as well as other investments such as a stake in the New Jersey Nets, an American basketball team, and is now launching a sports agency, Roc Nation Sports. He was also the President of Def Jam records from 2004-2008. These ventures have earned Jay-Z over $500 million, making him one of the richest rappers in the world.
#2 P. Diddy - $700 Million
A rapper, mogul, and entrepreneur, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs is a force to be reckoned with. Also known as Puff Daddy, Combs founded Bad Boy Records, which established itself with the release of "Ready to Die" in 1994 from The Notorious B.I.G, aka Biggie Smalls. Having produced tracks on records from TLC, Usher, and Mary J. Blige, Combs released an album "No Way Out" in 1997 which went platinum seven times. His other albums, "The Saga Continues," and "Press Play" did not sell as well, though record sales are only a small part of Combs' fortune. Combs' other investments include a clothing line, Sean John, a movie production company and two restaurants. Combs has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music awards. His net worth is $700 Million, making him the second richest rapper in the world next to Dr. Dre.
#1 Dr. Dre - $700 Million
Finally, we arrive at the richest rapper in the world as of 2014: the incomparable Dr. Dre. First rising to prominence as part of the Compton group N.W.A., Dr. Dre released an enormously successful solo album "The Chronic" in 1992, which sold over 8 million copies worldwide. He also collaborated with Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Nate Dogg. There was a nine-year delay between "The Chronic" and his next album, "2001," which sold 7.5 million copies in the US.
However, most of Dr. Dre's wealth comes from his line of headphones, Beats by Dre, which recently sold to Apple in a deal worth over $3 billion, making Dr. Dre the richest rapper in the world.
