Hip-hop is one of the most influential and popular genres of music in the world. The art of mixing cultural overtones with lyrical waviness and more is an art form that started in the Bronx region of New York City in the 1970s and has only grown since then.
Many artists have come and gone, talking about the daily life struggles of working-class families, disparities between the rich and the poor, the rift between various cultural subsections of society, or maybe just the success story of a person who overcame all these hardships.
All these issues and the way they are presented in a quasi motivational manner is what has made hip-hop a global phenomenon. This global phenomenon is still on the rise, and new artists keep on coming to make a living out of it, and quite a healthy one if you ask us.
Today we are looking at the richest hip-hop artists in the world, people who have moved masses with their music and keep on creating history with their every move.
1. Kanye West
A top 10 artists list without Kanye in it? That is impossible!
Kanye West is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, and businessman born in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kanye started off his career as a music producer, making music for Roc-a-Fella records before jumping on to the music scene in 2004 with his debut album, The College Dropout.
Kanye’s music has been widely praised and he has become one of the highest-streamed artists of the last decade.
Apart from his musical endeavors, Kanye’s success outside the studio has been because of his multiple business ventures, most popular one being his shoe collaboration brand called Yeezy.
Kanye has a net worth of 1.8 billion dollars today.
2. Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter, better known by his on-stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, and businessman.
Jay-Z is also a very popular name in the hip-hop industry, and his music has been a big reason for the rise of this industry as a whole.
He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings and record label Roc-A-Fella. He also has many business ventures which have increased his market value significantly, including clothing brand Rocawear, sports bar franchise names 40/40 club, and music streaming service Tidal.
Jay-Z has a net worth of 1.4 billion dollars today.
3. Diddy
Sean Combs, better known as Diddy, is an American music producer, hip-hop artist, and entrepreneur.
Diddy is an old name in the music industry and he’s known for creating his label Bad Boy Records and raising artists such as Usher, The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and many more.
He has a clothing line named Sean John, a couple of restaurants called Justin, named after his son, and has a stake in athlete beverage called Aquahydrate.
Diddy has a net worth of 885 million dollars.
4. Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young, better known as Dr. Dre, is an American hip hop artist, music producer, and businessman. He is better known for his audio brand Beats by Dr. Dre, and as a member of rap group N.W.A..
Dre’s most iconic music venture was his collaboration with Ice Cube for Ruthless Records, a label run by Eazy-E. Their music in the gangsta rap genre took things to the next level and gave them all huge successes in their career.
Dre has had a lot of success in music as well as outside music, with people such as Eminem and 50 Cent being his proteges.
Dre has a net worth of 800 million dollars.
5. Eminem
If you are a rap and hip-hop fan from the 2000s era, you would have listened to Eminem at least once and been in awe of what kind of music he has been able to put out for more than 20 years.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Marshall Bruce Mathers III or Eminem is credited with being a prominent white rapper in an industry dominated by black artists, and his work is highly respected amongst his peers.
Eminem has his own label called Shady Records, his own clothing line as well his own restaurant called “Mom’s Spaghetti” in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan.
Eminem has a net worth of 230 million dollars.
6. Master P
Percy Miller, better known as Master P, is an American rapper, hip hop artist, music producer, and entrepreneur.
He is known for his work at No Limit Forever Records, as well as with hip-hop group TRU.
Master P has put out 15 studio albums, yet his biggest financial successes have been through his business ventures. He has invested in retail businesses a lot and put his money in real estate, stocks, media production, toy making, clothing, and much more.
Through his business dealings, his net worth has been reported to be 200 million dollars.
7. Pharrell Williams
Pharrel Williams is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur born in Virginia in 1973.
Pharrell is famously known for his songs ‘Blurred Lines’, ‘Get Lucky’, and ‘Happy’. He has won 13 Grammy awards till date.
Pharrel has had a lot of success with his music, and also with his business ventures, having collaborated with fashion industry leaders to form brands such as Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream footwear. He has also created a line of special clothing with Adidas called ‘Human Race’.
Pharrell has a net worth of 200 million dollars.
8. Ice Cube
O’Shea Jackson Sr., better known as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, actor, and filmmaker.
Ice Cube is known prominently for his works with the rap group N.W.A., a flagbearer of the West Coast hip-hop rap scene along with his N.W.A. compatriots Eazy-E and Dr. Dre.
Ice Cube has also featured in several movies such as the Jump Street franchise, Ride Along, and the 2015 hit biopic Straight Outta Compton.
Ice Cube has a net worth of 160 million dollars.
9. Drake
Aubrey Drake Graham, better known as Drake, is a Canadian rapper, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur. Hip hop is Drake’s playground, so to speak, and it seems like whatever he touches turns into a million-dollar success.
Drake has broken multiple records, stood in the Billboard 200 charts for as long as one can remember, and broken boundaries like no other artist out there.
Drake has his own record label called OVO Sound, is the global ambassador of popular NBA franchise Toronto Raptors, and has a production company called DreamCrew with his friend and popular American rapper Future.
Drake has a net worth of 150 million dollars.
10. Lil Wayne
Dwayne Carter Jr., popularly known as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. Lil Wayne also has a spot in the greatest of all time list, and we also think the same way.
Wayne has been rapping since the age of 12, and his work with labels such as Cash Money Records, Hot Boys, and Young Money Entertainment have only secured his place at the top amongst the greats. He has sold over 120 million records worldwide. It is through his label that he earns the most money.
Lil Wayne has a net worth of 150 million dollars.
To sum it up, these are all hip-hop artists that have revolutionised not just the genre of music, but the whole art of making music. Their work is etched in the pages of history, and we only hope that more and more such influential artists keep on breaking boundaries to produce entertaining yet substantial music.
Which one out of these is your favorite artist? Do you think any one of these should be called the greatest of all time? Do let us know in the comments down below!
