Top 10 Richest Rappers

From chart-topping albums and sold-out tours to lucrative business deals and strategic investments, rappers know how to amass massive fortunes. Leveraging their fame and success as artists, many rappers have made significant strides to create million-dollar empires. In this article, we take a look at the top 10 richest rappers as of 2024. 

10. Lil Wayne - $160 Million

Born as Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., Lil Wayne currently has a net worth of $160 million. Signed to a record label since the age of nine, Wayne has accumulated a hefty amount from his career as a rapper. However, the majority of his wealth comes from his label Young Money, which he sold to Universal Music for a whopping $100 million. With an average revenue of $35 million a year, Wayne is also keen on investments, owning a luxury car rental business with an annual profit of $4.7 million and a lavish real estate portfolio. However, Wayne also suffered losses in his wealth due to a lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend Tammy Torres, which ended up in Wayne paying $11.5 million as a settlement.

9. Usher - $180 Million

Usher Raymond IV, better known as Usher, has a net worth of around $180 million as of 2024. Usher’s majority of wealth comes from his career in music spanning over thirty years. Usher has made significant wealth from concerts, earning around $40 million from his 34 shows at Las Vegas’ Dolby Live Amphitheater. Usher also appeared as a judge on the singing competition show “The Voice," earning close to $7 million per season. Usher is also co-founder of RBMG Records, from which he sold his interests in Justin Bieber’s music catalog for a whopping $40 million to HarborView Equity Partners in 2022. In terms of investments, Usher owns a 1% stake in the basketball team Cleveland Cavaliers and has also invested in Jay Z’s music streaming platform Tidal.

8. Master P - $200 Million

Percy Robert Miller, also known as Master P, has a net worth of around $200 million as of 2024. Selling over 100 million records worldwide, Master P’s major wealth comes from his success as a rapper and owner of the record label No Limit Records. Master P also has a humongous business empire, which includes a clothing line, a management company, a high-end travel agency, a film production company, and a video game company that contribute significantly to his wealth.

7. Pharrell Williams - $250 Million

One of the most prolific music producers in the world, Pharrell Williams's net worth as of 2024 is estimated to be around $250 million. While most of his net worth comes from his career as a music producer and rapper, Williams has also made sure to diversify his portfolio by investing in several ventures. Pharell co-founded the streetwear brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream in 2005. He also became the co-owner of a Dutch designer clothing company, G-Star Raw, in 2016. His role as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear earns him around $20 million a year. He has invested in several tech companies, including Tidal, a music streaming service, and also co-founded Bionic Yarn, an eco-friendly textile company.

6. Eminem - $250 Million

Oscar-winning rapper Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, is currently worth about $250 million. With album sales going over 220 million worldwide, Eminem has earned a spot amongst the top ten best-selling artists of all time while also making a chunk load of money from albums like The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, and The Eminem Show. Eminem also founded Shady Records in 1999, signing successful artists like 50 Cent, D12, and Obie Trice. The rapper reportedly makes around $50 million in a touring year and has made around $420 million in his career. While Eminem is not very keen on business ventures, his endorsement deals with brands like Nike and G-Shock contribute significantly to his wealth. 

5. Drake - $250 Million

Canadian rapper Drake has accumulated a massive net worth of $250 million over the years. Most of his net worth comes from his album sales, billions of streams across platforms, and concerts and live tours. His latest tour, "It's all a Blur," grossed $105 million. Drake also has one of the biggest recording contracts ever, a $400 million multi-faceted deal with Universal Music Group. Besides that, Drake has also diversified his portfolio by investing in other businesses. Drake owns a stake in whiskey brand Virginia Black and also has his own record label, OVO Sound, which generates revenue through record sales, tours, and merchandise.

4. Kanye West - $400 Million

Once the highest-earning musician in 2020, Kanye West currently has an estimated net worth of $400 million. While Kanye has benefited a lot from his album sales and touring revenues, the core of his net worth mostly comes from his fashion brand Yeezy. Yeezy, which was initially launched with Nike and later moved to Adidas after striking a deal worth $1.5 billion, making West a billionaire. However, West lost his status as a billionaire after Adidas backed out of the deal due to West’s anti-Semitic remarks. West’s ventures in the fashion industry also include his fashion brand Yzy and a 5% stake in his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s shapewear firm, Skims. Apart from his fashion line, Kanye also generates significant revenues from his record label G.O.O.D. Music, which has signed artists like Big Sean, Pusha T, and Teyana Taylor. 

3. Dr. Dre - $500 Million

As of 2024, Dr Dre’s net worth is estimated to be around $400 million. Initially gaining fame and fortune as a member of N.W.A., Dr Dre went on to have a successful career as a solo rapper. While Dr Dre has accumulated a significant amount of wealth as an artist, his major net worth comes from his business ventures. His company, Beats Electronics, which he co-founded with Jimmy Iovine, was acquired by Apple for $3 billion. Dr. Dre alone received around $750 million pre-tax from the deal. Dre also made around $200 million from selling a chunk of his music catalog to Universal Music and Shamrock Holdings in 2023. Besides that, he owns several properties, and his real estate portfolio is estimated to be worth around $80 million. 

2. Sean Combs (Diddy) - $800 Million

With estimated annual earnings of around $60–$90 million, Sean Combs, better known as Diddy, currently has a net worth of around $800 million. A big chunk of Diddy's net worth comes from his record label, Bad Boy Records, which has signed numerous successful artists over the years. Diddy has also partnered with Diageo for his tequila brands, Ciroq and DeLeren. This deal with the liquor giant has earned Diddy a steady paycheck of $60 million annually until the partnership ended this year. To further diversify his portfolio, Diddy has multiple ventures under his umbrella company, Combs Enterprises, which include his clothing line Sean John, water brand AQUAhydrate co-owned with Mark Wahlberg, and television network Revolt TV.

1. JAY Z - $2.5 Billion

Jay Z, much like any other rapper on the list, has multiple ventures apart from artistry, which build the foundation of his $2.5 billion empire. While he has benefited a lot from his album sales and touring revenues, Jay Z’s major source of income comes from his record label Roc Nation, which has signed big names like Rita Ora, J. Cole, and Shakira. Jay Z is also quite a businessman when it comes to diversification. Despite selling his clothing line Rocawear for $204 million in 2007, he still retains a stake. Other brands owned include a Cognac brand D'Ussé with a current valuation of $120 million and luxury champagne brand Ace of Spades, half of which he sold to LVMH for around $315 million. Jay Z also sold his majority stake in the music streaming company Tidal for $297 million to Jack Dorsey.