Net Worth stories on Suggest are meant to be simply for fun and discussion. While some numbers are possible to research, there are simply too many variables to give an accurate worth. So have fun with the numbers, but take them with a grain of salt.
Rappers aren’t known for their modesty, especially when it comes to money. From huge houses to customized cars, most hip-hop artists love to rhyme about their wealth. And who can blame them? When you’ve amassed that much money, you’ve basically earned your bragging rights. So, just how much cash do today’s top rappers earn? What are Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Eminem‘s net worths today? Here, we take a look at the world’s richest rappers —some of the stars on this list may surprise you!
Birdman
As co-founder of Cash Money Records, Birdman certainly lives up to the name. The “Pop Bottles” rapper has an estimated net worth of $100 million. Of course, he’s been around for a while, racking in dough as a rapper, record exec, and entrepreneur since the early 1990s. During that time, he’s released four studio albums, participated in lucrative collaborations, launched his own clothing line, and even started his own oil business.
LL Cool J
Another OG on the rap scene, LL Cool J, is worth approximately $120 million based on estimations from WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com. You might be surprised that he’s one of the richest rappers since it’s been a while since he’s released new music. The rhymer first rose to fame back in the 1980s with hits like “I Need Love,” “Goin’ Back to Cali,” and “I’m That Type of Guy.” He’s amassed his fortune as a result of two successful pursuits.
In addition to rapping, LL Cool J has an accomplished acting career, starring in the ‘90s sitcom In the House for four years and playing Special Agent Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles since 2009. He’s also been in a number of movies, including Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, Deep Blue Sea, Any Given Sunday, and Rollerball.
Swizz Beatz
Rapper and producer Swizz Beatz is estimated to be worth $150 million according to WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com. It’s important to note, however, that the latter outlet maintains this figure is his combined net worth with wife Alicia Keys, whom he’s been married to since 2010.
But regardless of his successful spouse, Swizz Beatz has earned his spot on this list thanks to producing monster hits like DMX’s “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here).” He’s also released two of his own studio albums and had successful partnerships with apparel companies like Kidrobot and Reebok.
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne has a net worth of $170 based on estimations from WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com. This is no surprise when you consider the fact that the “Lollipop” rapper has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, a feat that’s made him one of the world’s best-selling music artists. In 2012, he even became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley’s record for the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 109 songs.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg is also in the $150 million club. Estimations provided by WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com indicate that the West Coast rapper has a tremendous fortune thanks to his wide-ranging career. Since his rise to fame alongside Dr. Dre in 1992, the “Gin & Juice” rapper has always been on top of his game.
In addition to releasing 18 studio albums and selling over 35 million albums worldwide, Snoop has starred in movies, acted on TV, and founded his own production company, Snoopadelic Films. He even dipped his toe into the reality TV world and starred alongside his wife, Shante Taylor, in the reality show Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood.
Ice Cube
Ice Cube has an estimated net worth of $160 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. He has many successful pursuits to thank for his massive fortune, starting with his time as a member of the rap group N.W.A. After his solo career exploded in the 1990s, he also tried his hand at acting, making his debut in the Oscar-nominated Boyz n the Hood.
Since then, he’s starred in dozens of hit films across a wide range of genres, including comedy (Friday, Barbershop, and Are We There Yet?), drama (Higher Learning and Rampart), and action (Anaconda and Torque) to name just a few.
Pharrell Williams
A rapper, musician, producer, and entrepreneur, Pharrell Williams has been earning the big bucks since the 2006 release of his debut solo album, In My Mind. He has an estimated net worth of $200 million per CelebrityNetWorth.com.
In addition to winning 13 Grammy awards and being responsible for insanely popular hits like “Happy,” the 48-year-old performer is also a skilled businessman who’s collaborated on lucrative ventures with Chanel, Adidas, and Verizon. He even released his own line of all-gender skincare products last year.
Drake
Drake has an approximate net worth of $180 million based on estimations shared by WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com. Much of that figure comes from the Canadian rapper’s insanely successful music career, which includes 15 number-one singles on the US Hot Rap Songs chart, 19 number-one singles on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, four Grammy Awards, and a ranking by RIAA as the highest-certified digital singles artist in the United States. But before he became a rapper, Drake earned checks as an actor, starring on the hit Canadian show Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2001 until 2007.
Master P
Master P’s net worth, which is estimated to be $200 million by WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com, has been amassed through his success as an entrepreneur, an investor, and a rapper. He’s had successful ventures with record labels, clothing lines, management companies, and food and hospitality brands, including a restaurant called Big Poppas Burgers in New Orleans.
His food brand, Uncle P’s Louisiana Seasoned, was launched as an alternative to Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben products. The 54-year-old also earned checks for appearing in films like Hollywood Homicide, Toxic, Foolish, and I Got the Hook Up. He even launched his own family-friendly cable TV network, Better Black Television (BBTV).
Eminem
It’s no surprise to see Eminem on this list, who has a net worth of $230 million based on estimations from WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com. The “Lose Yourself” artist has had 10 number-one albums and has won 15 Grammy Awards. He’s also the first hip-hop artist to win an Academy Award, which he picked up in 2002 for Best Original Song for the movie 8 Mile. In addition to his rapping career, Eminem co-owns the label Shady Records, which helped launch artists like 50 Cent and Yelawolf, and has his own SiriusXM channel, Shade 45.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre has earned his wealth as a member of N.W.A., a solo rapper (his debut studio album, The Chronic, made him one of the best-selling American music artists of 1993), and a record producer extraordinaire. He’s also had big success in the tech world with his headphones brand, Beats by Dre, which Apple bought in 2014 for a reported $3 billion.
Dr. Dre’s net worth is estimated at $800 million. But there’s a bit of a dispute about this hip-hop giant’s net worth. It’s estimated at $820 million by WealthyGorilla.com and $780 million by CelebrityNetWorth.com. Forbes reported it to be $800 million in 2019, which seems like a nice compromise. Whatever the exact figure, we’ll be keeping an eye out on how it will be impacted by his looming divorce from longtime partner Nicole Young.
Sean Combs (P Diddy)
Whether you know him as Diddy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, or just Sean Combs, his estimated net worth is mind-blowing. We estimate that his net worth is approximately $890 million, based on figures from WealthyGorilla.com and CelebrityNetWorth.com.
He’s earned millions through his Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group and his breakthrough clothing line, Sean John. He’s also head of Combs Enterprises, an umbrella company for his entire portfolio of businesses, including Combs Wine & Spirits, AQUAhydrate water, Revolt Films, and Revolt Media and TV.
Jay-Z
Hova has tipped the scales into the billions, making him one of the richest rappers in 2021. However, the exact figure varies a little bit depending on the source. Forbes reports Jay-Z’s net worth at $1.4 billion, CelebrityNetWorth.com approximates it to be $1.3 billion, and WealthyGorilla.com puts the figure at $1 billion. Whatever the true number may be, it’s a jaw-dropping amount of money. But it makes sense when you consider this 51-year-old’s incredible career as a rapper and media mogul.
In addition to being one of the most influential hip-hop artists in history, his business empire includes Rocawear, the 40/40 Club, and shares in the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets (he sold the latter for $1.5 million in 2013). He’s also made lucrative investments in Armand de Brignac champagne, site (the tech company responsible for the music-streaming service Tidal), JetSmarter, and many others.
Kanye West
Kim Kardashian’s ex tops our list as the richest rapper, but there have always been some disputes about his true net worth. CelebrityNetWorth.com estimates that Kanye West is worth a whopping $6.6 billion. However, other sources report the figure to be significantly lower. WealthyGorilla.com has him at $3.2 billion. Forbes slashed the number down even further, estimating that Yeezy is actually worth $1.8 billion.
Even if the Forbes figure is closer to the correct one, Yeezy’s fortune is nothing to sneeze at. With more than 20 million albums and 140 million singles sold globally, he’s one of the world’s best-selling artists. He’s also responsible for one of the most influential and highly coveted footwear lines of all time, the Adidas Yeezy collab.
And then there’s his record label, GOOD Music, which has been the home to artists like John Legend, Big Sean, and Travis Scott. Add that to his co-ownership of the streaming service Tidal and a huge deal with The Gap, and you’ve got a genuine billionaire.
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