Kanye Surpasses Drake on 'Forbes' Richest Rappers 2019 List

Shortly after announcing that JAY-Z has become the first rapper to amass a 10-figure fortune, 'Forbes' has released its list of hip-hop's next billionaires.

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Shortly after announcing that JAY-Z has become the first rapper to amass a 10-figure fortuneForbes has released its list of hip-hop's next billionaires—the highest-paid names in the industry who are following in HOV's footsteps. 

Naturally, Jay secured the top spot, and Dr. Dre came in second with his $800 million net worth. The multi-hyphenate sold Beats by Dre to Apple in 2014 for $3 billion and shortly thereafter, declared himself a billionaire. Forbes notes that despite his premature announcement, he still has a couple of mil to go before he reaches that threshold. 

Diddy trails Dre by $60 million, making him the third richest hip-hop figurehead in the business. The "superproducer" maintains his holdings in various companies, including his cable network Revolt and the mid-aughts clothing staple Sean John. However, as Forbes notes, "Ciroc, the main driver of his fortune, is growing again after case volumes fell from all-time highs in recent years—making the impresario perhaps the most likely candidate to join JAY-Z in the billion-dollar club."

The business-minded trailblazers above have been amassing their fortunes for quite some time, however, this year's report shows that Kanye West's $240 million fortune has surpassed Drake to secure the No. 4 spot. Per the reportKanye's debut on the list can be attributed to Yeezy's partnership with Adidas. Since the sportswear giant secured his shoe line in an unfortunate move for Nike, Forbes estimates that West's fortune rests on a "conservative estimate of the brand's value."

Last but certainly not least, is Champagne Papi. The youngest of the five, Drake's $150 million fortune has grown by 50 percent in the last year alone, thanks to his Virginia Black whiskey investment and his Las Vegas residency. "The 32-year-old Canadian is the youngest on this list by a decade, but he’s quickly gaining ground on hip-hop’s elder statesmen."

You can read the full report here

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