Rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs edged out Jay-Z and Drake as the world's top-earning hip-hop artist last year, according to a list published Tuesday by Forbes magazine. Though he hasn't released an album since 2010, Combs pulled in an impressive total of $60 million between June 2014 and June 2015, much of that coming from non-music related ventures like his Ciroc vodka and Revolt TV network. Jay-Z, meanwhile, pulled in $56 million, much of that earned on his highly successful co0headlining tour with his wife Beyonce. Canadian rapper Drake came in at distant third, earning $39.5 million thanks to fruitful endorsement deals with Nike and Sprite and a successful world tour. Rapper producer Dr. Dre and Pharrell Williams rounded out the top five on the list, with earnings of $33 million and $32 million, respectively. The only female artist in the top 20 was Nicki Minaj, who made No. 9 with earnings of $21 million. Check out the full Top 20, plus a handful of artists that just missed the Top 20 despite earning more than $1 million, below.
Forbes Top-Earning Hip-Hop Artists of 2015
1. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs - $60 Million
2. Jay-Z - $56 Million
3. Drake - $39.5 Million
4. Dr. Dre - $33 Million
5. Pharrell Williams - $32 Million
6. Eminem - $31 Million
7. Kanye West - $22 Million
8. Wiz Khalifa - $21.5 Million
9. Nicki Minaj: $21 million
10. Birdman: $18 million
11. Pitbull: $17 million
12. Lil Wayne: $15 million
13. Kendrick Lamar: $12 million
13. J. Cole: $11 million
14. Snoop Dogg: $10 million
16. Rick Ross: $9 million
17. Tech N9ne: $8.5 million
18. Ludacris: $8 million
19. T.I.: $6 million
20. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: $5.5 million
The following artists just missed the Forbes top-earning hip-hop artists list, despite earning more than $1 million: DJ Khaled,Young Jeezy, Nas, Tyga, A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller and 2 Chainz.
To compile its annual list of top-earners in the hip-hop industry, Forbes looks at a variety of factors including record sales, streaming revenue, endorsements and touring receipts. Data used comes from Nielsen SoundScan, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and interviews with managers, lawyers and even the artists themselves.
