The highest earning rappers of the year – net worths, ranked: from billionaires Kanye West and Jay-Z, to Drake and Kylie Jenner’s baby daddy Travis Scott – who made the most money in 2021?
The 2021 Hip Hop Cash Kings list is out! This anticipated round-up compiled by former long-time Forbes editor Zack O’Malley Greenberg outlines the highest-earning hip hop artists annually.
In this latest list, there’s a mix of familiar faces and unexpected surprises. Billionaire rapper Kanye “Ye” West was topped by Jay-Z in first place, who raked in US$470 million in 2021, according to the list.
While most of them get their sweet earnings from savvy businesses or endorsem*nts, Eminem has maintained his position just from his music. Meanwhile, Doja Cat and Tech N9ne are the new faces on the rankings.
Here’s who earned what in 2021 …
10. Birdman, Doja Cat, Tech N9ne – US$25 million
Birdman earned millions from his label Cash Money Records, one of the most commercially successful labels in the hip hop music history with 50 million records sold, which represents artists like Drake, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. Its current net worth is US$300 million, Celebrity Net Worth reports. Together with his own music, the label has helped Birdman build his US$100 million fortune.
Doja Cat made it as the only woman on the list, thanks in part to her Pepsi and Candy Crush advertisem*nts. Her latest album “Planet Her” also released in 2021 and was a roaring success, making 1.5 million unit sales in the US with an astounding 1.85 billion on-demand audio spins. The 26-year-old rapper made her breakthrough in 2014, when she released the music video for her song So High, according to Vulture. Her net worth is now US$8 million.
The Strange Music boss, Tech N9ne, earns a good income from the label, which generates about US$20 million per year. Last year, he increased his bank balance a bit more with his album “Asin9ne”; Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson even appeared in his music video of Face Off.
Tech N9ne is known to be a very hard working, too: between 2008 and 2013, he performed over 1,000 shows, per Forbes. Since 2006, he’s released more than one album a year on average, putting his net worth at US$18 million.
9. J. Cole – US$27 million
Last year, J. Cole collected his cash from new album “The Off-Season”, tours, and as a shareholder through Jay-Z’s Tidal sale.
Cole is also a producer and the founder of his own record label Dreamville Records, working with artists like Janet Jackson and Kendrick Lamar. He holds the yearly Dreamville Festival concert series too, which features local music, art and food. He has a net worth of about US$60 million.
8. Eminem – US$28 million
Despite not having an album release last year, Eminem still earned a top spot in the list this year, and continues to make a stable income.
The multi-platinum-selling rapper is consistently one of the highest paid entertainers, earning around US$20 million on a given year, per Celebrity Net Worth. On better years, particularly with tours, the number can go up to US$50 million. It’s no surprise that the American rapper has a net worth of US$230 million.
7. DJ Khaled – US$35 million
In addition to his third No 1 album, “Khaled Khaled”, with appearances of fellow superstars Jay-Z, Diddy and Drake, DJ Khaled enlarged his wallet further with fashion brand collaborations including Pandora and Dolce & Gabbana.
Endorsem*nts are key to his US$75 million fortune, thanks to deals with companies like Ciroc, Apple and even Weight Watchers. Even more cash rolled in from his acting credits in Pitch Perfect 3 (2017), Spies in Disguise (2019) and Bad Boys for Life (2020), as well as his book, The Keys.
6. Travis Scott – US$38 million
Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend has been laying low lately, but he still cashed in a large sum from his record label, Cactus Jack, and lucrative brand deals. He reportedly makes three or four times more cash from endorsem*nts than music, per Yahoo News.
Forbes estimated that he makes about US$10 million a year or so with Nike. Other big partnerships for him included McDonald’s at US$20 million and PlayStation valued at at least US$1 million. He’s also appeared in a fashion campaign with Saint Laurent. All that has brought him a net worth of US$60 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
5. Wiz Khalifa – US$45 million
The Black and Yellow rapper once admitted that he spent US$10,000 a month on marijuana, and he’s since turned the plant into his own personal moneymaker. Last year, he pocketed US$45 million from his Khalifa Kush legal cannabis products and game app Weed Farm.
It contributes to most of his US$60 million net worth. The rest comes from his music and acting, Pop Culture reports. He’s starred in films and television shows like Gang of Roses 2: Next Generation (2012), Mac & Devin Go to High School (2012), American Dad (2016), Dickinson (2019-2021) and Duncanville (2020-present).
4. Drake – US$50 million
One of the most famous rappers of today, Drake added to his US$200 million fortune last year with his album “Certified Lover Boy”. It has reportedly sold some two million copies and generated 2.4 billion on-demand audio spins.
Besides music, his net worth also comes from hot deals with big brands like Sprite, Burger King, Nike and Apple. He also has his own whiskey brand, Virginia Black, and a record label, Ovo Sound, which is distributed by Warner Bros. Records.
3. Diddy – US$75 million
Most of Diddy’s 2021 revenue came from his vodka Ciroc sales increase, which he has a 50 per cent share in. Since signing with the brand in 2007, he helped it grow 40 fold in profit by making it many rappers’ vodka of choice, per Cheat Sheet.
The boss of Bad Boy Records and Sean John clothing line has also invested in tequila brand DeLeón. He’s valued at US$900 million, making him well on track to possibly joining Jay-Z and West’s billionaire rapper club.
2. Kanye “Ye” West – US$250 million
Jay-Z’s fellow billionaire, Kanye West, aka Ye, had a steady income in 2021 that came almost entirely from his Yeezy footwear empire, per Variety. Thanks to the brand’s lucrative deals with Adidas AG and Gap Inc., Yeezy is valued between US$3.2 billion and US$4.7 billion, according to Bloomberg.
Yeezy contributes to some two-thirds of West’s total net worth of US$6.6 billion. He also has some investments in ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims.
West had a fruitful start to 2022 as he claimed last month to make US$2.2 million from his newly launched MP3 device Stem Player which exclusively streams his new album “Donda 2”.
1. Jay-Z – US$470 million
Jay-Z banked almost half a billion dollars in 2021 – also reportedly the biggest annual sum of his career. He earned US$302 million from selling his streaming company Tidal to Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey’s Square and half of his champagne Armand de Brignac to luxury powerhouse LVMH for a reported US$640 million. It lifted his net worth to US$1.4 billion, up 40 per cent, Forbes reports.
He became the world’s first billionaire rapper in 2019, thanks to a series of successful businesses and investments. He is the founder of entertainment agency Roc Nation, valued at US$140 million, and cognac brand D’Usse (US$120 million). He is also a holder of Uber, SpaceX, restaurant chain Sweetgreen and life insurance Ethos.
