Streaming: $7.3M 1 Hot 100 hit to the top 10 of the Streaming Songs chart in October 2020. His fourth studio album had the makings of a bonafide classic with incredible singles (How Do You Want it, California Love, & I Aint Mad at Cha) and superior production and it reigned for eight weeks at No. Before Ice Cube, born OShea Jackson, became a Hollywood heavyweight and basketball league owner, he wrote brilliant and incisive verses for his N.W.A groupmates (Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Arabian Prince, DJ Yella and MC Ren) and himself on Straight Outta Compton, the groups classic 1988 debut. The video rate is higher than generally used because MRC Data counts official video streams and subscriber-paid streams but not user-generated streams for the United States. Queen $13.2 million8. 9 with $11.9 million. But through only two studio albums that still resonate nearly 30 years later, Wallace proved that a charismatic big man could mix lyrical street rhymes with heart and humor and permeate the mainstream with style. Snoop Lion. Another hip-hop artist who shines in the streaming format, Lil Uzi Vert ranked fifth in both audio streams and combined streams with 4.4 billion and close to 5 billion, respectively, fueled by the March 2020 release of Eternal Atake, which led to him becoming only the third artist to simultaneously chart 20 songs on the Hot 100, 18 of them from the new album. 1 spot on the list and because of the pandemic had little influence over the ranking in general. I will not lose. Brooklyns Shawn Jay-Z Carters defiant-yet-confident declaration has proven true through his legendary career. They did even better internationally and topped the 2020 Global Money Makers ranking. At 19 years old, Billie Eilish is indestructible. 40 Richest Rappers of All Time. Few lyricists possess the dexterity to pull off a brilliant allegory about the history of hip-hop on I Used to Love H.E.R. while also firing off a savage takedown of a fearsome Ice Cube on The Bch In Yoo, and then later becoming a Grammy-nominated hitmaker on The Light. And in 2017, Common became the first rapper to get the first 3/4 of the way to an EGOT by winning an Emmy (Letter to the Free, from 13th), Grammy (Love of My Life with Erykah Badu) and Oscar (Glory with John Legend, from Selma). The deluxe set boosted Combs total streams for 2020 to almost 4 billion and streaming royalties to $5.5 million. The albums smash single, The Box, spent 11 consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100, and Ricchs feature on DaBabys No. Sales: $336.6K Publishing: $436.3K YoungBoy Never Broke Again breaks into Money Makers for the first time, due almost entirely to the prodigious number of streams his music generated. Doubling as one of gangsta raps foundational platforms, the album featured the controversial anthems Fuck Tha Police and Gangsta Gangsta, and was certified triple-platinum despite minimal radio or MTV promotion. Sales: $446.8K Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. As a lyrical purveyor of the violence that littered his Bronx neighborhood, KRS-One started his career in the late 80s on Boogie Down Productions classic Criminal Minded. Sales: $1.8M They also moved more than 2.6 million digital downloads. He showcased his genuine connection to fans by rapping over a YouTube producers J. More than 20 years after making his debut on the Wus Enter the 36 Chambers, hes not done: a standout verse on Conway the Machines 2020 single Lemon found him just as sharp as ever. Click to reveal 1 on the Billboard 200. Last years rank: No. Publishing: $3.2M Touring: $0. The classic psych-rockers ranked even higher in the sales royalties category No. Sheeran landed on the Hot 100 twice in February 2020. Streaming: $2.7M 2 with $23.2 million, most of which came from streaming ($8.1 million) and touring ($12.4 million) before he had to shut it down due to the pandemic. Drizzy Drake Rogers forecasted his superstar climb when he was Wheelchair Jimmy on the popular 00s teenage show Degrassi: The Next Generation. Post Malone is one of the handful of artists on this list who was touring prior to the pandemic shutdown. After collaborating on projects by Aaliyah and others, the pair focused their attention on Elliotts solo career, beginning with her arresting 1997 debut, Supa Dupa Fly. In 2020, hip-hop came on strong because its artists often have a strong streaming game. Although Eilish played just three 2020 pre-pandemic dates on her Where Do We Go? While 2020 proved to be a huge setback for most artists' revenue, a new Billboard article says a number of rappers are among the highest-paid musicians of the year. 1 album since 1982. Snoop Dogg. A 10% managers fee was deducted from artist and publishing recorded-music royalty pools. Touring: $0. Last years rank: From his Slavery is a choice remarks in 2018 to his more recent reliance on antisemitic tropes (which began during a troubling global rise in hate crimes against Jewish people), Yes fall from grace, amid ongoing reported mental health issues, has sadly been as monumental as his artistic output. Beyonce Knowles-Carters husband has succeeded in every era, spitting regal-scented rhymes that speak to the struggle, and to the opulence that follows an intensely self-made greatness. Sales: $970K Publishing: $1.6M Publishing: $1.1M BILLIE EILISH. Last years rank: No. By now, his vivid storytelling (Black Girl Lost & I Gave You Power) and precocious diction (Nas Is Like & Made You Look) are goated, and his resiliency has proven to be Hall of Fame-level especially when he scored a TKO against Jay-Z and added a new verb to the hip-hop lexicon with his scathing comeback diss Ether in 2001. 5 Hip-hop artists remain music's top money makers. Publishing: $1.5M 1 live touring revenue generator for 2020, that amounts to $17 million in take-home pay, which puts Dion at the top of the concert earnings ranking and accounted for over 98% of her overall 2020 income. Touring: $0. #1 of 29. He earned $10 million in combined streaming royalties including over 1.4 billion in video streams, 6.2 billion in audio streams, and almost 7 billion in overall combined streams. (The genre dates back to 1973, when DJ Kool . Streaming: $9.1M Last years rank: Queen, which owns its masters, ranked second in sales royalties with $5.3 million thanks, in part, to the 2020 rerelease of its $500-plus limited-edition colored vinyl Studio Collection box set of the bands 15 studio albums. He wasnt necessarily the best lyricist, nor did he possess the craziest flow. 4 in physical album sales after moving 517,000 copies of their recordings. Sales: $89.3K Her fans fascination with her music videos helped her rack up nearly 671 million video streams putting her at No. The Greatest of All Time, aka the GOAT. Read through our list of the highest-paid musicians to see just how rich the most successful performers can be! 1 overall streaming artist (as he was in 2019) with almost 8 billion streams when the on-demand video and web radio streams he amassed last year are included. In early 2023, Billboard/Vibe is ranking the Top 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time as part of our salute to this years golden anniversary of hip-hop. Radio likes Combs as well: He racked up the third-most programmed web radio plays (804.4 million) and finished seventh in terrestrial radio airplay with almost 1.5 million spins. Fueled by 744 million web radio plays they were the No. He struck special chemistry with Wu compatriot Raekwon when the two adopted prominent roles on each others classic 90s debuts, Ironman and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, respectively. highest paid rappers 2020 billboardkristen wiig daughter. Last years rank: No. Eminem $9.7 million15. A year with minimal touring resulted in top-streaming acts, many of them hip-hop artists, replacing the rock and country acts that fill arena and stadiums on Billboard's annual ranking. Dre e ha ottenuto il primo successo due anni pi tardi con il singolo My Name Is. Last years rank: As of March 2023, J. Cole's net worth is estimated to be $60 Million. (Billboard counts her siblings share as part of the artists revenue base.) The world of hip hop still found a way to get to the bag in a pandemic-plagued 2020.. But few rappers, if any, have repped the Bay longer or stronger than E-40. In 2020, however, they played 20 shows to 215,000 fans behind their 2019 No. The candid presentation of Southern California in his songs has won him many awards, as well as hearts. Last years rank: Her 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty established her as a lyrical powerhouse, shortly before she emerged as the First Lady of Young Money, solidifying the labels ineffable trinity of chart-conquering rap beasts with Lil Wayne and Drake. Cole Type Beat on procrastination (broke). He also went platinum with all five of his 2010s albums the last three (2014 Forest Hills Drive, 4 Your Eyez Only and KOD) with no features, of course. The highest-paid hip-hop artists of 2021 have been revealed and JAY-Z and Kanye West once again top the list. A year later, the first universally hailed God MC demystified the allure of the Big Apple (New York, New York) and distilled the crisis of the cocaine epidemic (White Lines [Dont Dont Do It]) before crashing pop radio with his 1984 appearance on Chaka Khans Grammy-winning, No. Hip Hop's highest earners of 2021 have been announced, and it appears the global COVID-19 pandemic . This year, artists should be able to stack some cheddar now that music festivals and tours are opening back up from coast to coast. Touring: $0. Publishing: $2.2M Q-Tip, co-founder of the alternative hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, has been on point for over 30 years. Sales: $126K Sales: $485K His lyrical intensity and fearless aggression are battle-tested, as he sparred with the likes of 50 Cent and Beanie Sigel in the 2000s before single-handedly dismantling Dipset in a 2021 Verzuz battle. In fact, Reggie Noble led off Eminems list of the greatest MCs within the latters pump-up perennial Till I Collapse. With EPMDs Erick Sermon as a mentor, Redman (aka Funk Doc) exceeded expectations in 1992 when his debut studio project Whut? Rod Wave is among the many hip-hop artists who dominated last year and earned a spot on Billboard'sranking of the highest-paid musicians of 2020, including Travis Scott, DaBaby, Kanye West, Roddy Ricch, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and Lil Uzi Vert. Five No. Top Rap Artists Ranking is based on an artist's chart performance on the Hot Rap Songs, Top Rap Albums and Boxscore touring revenue. Even after his death, Pacs legacy pushed forward with seven posthumous albums (including three Billboard 200-toppers), induction into the Rock Hall of Fame, and even a spot in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry (for Dear Mama) and despite his short life and career, Pacs legacy continues to resonate today as much as any rapper CL. Can you pick the top 11-20 highest paid rappers Of 2019 (Top 11-20)? & Rakim, producing classic albums like 1987s Paid in Full and 1988s Follow the Leader with eternal singles like Eric B. Publishing: $1.3M In 2022, he relaunched the Rock the Bells Festival in Queens, which included performances from Rick Ross, The Diplomats, Ice Cube and more. With unapologetically controversial and macabre (yet frequently hilarious) bars and unparalleled rhyme schemes and syncopation, hes relished playing the role of raps supervillain. His 2002 mixtape Guess Whos Back? 8. In 1987, MC Lyte bumrushed her way into hip-hops boys club with a throat-grabbing voice and dynamic lyricism that seemed well beyond her 16 years. So for example, as estimable as his career is, British rapper Slick Rick isnt on this list. Ludacris became Atlantas first crossover superstar of the 2000s, dominating theairwaves and the clubs with an arsenal of Dirty South anthems at his disposal, coupled with his uniquely charismatic twang. Publishing: $1.6M Under his now-retired moniker Mos Def, Brooklyn native Bey broke into the underground scene on Rawkus Records influential 1997 compilationSoundbombingwith a charismatic presence that recalled the early 80s chief rocker days of Busy Bee Starski. 24 ($7.4 million), Rod Wave at No. He can turn the mundane into something sweet (Foldin Clothes) or act out in rebellion (Fire Squad). Busta Rhymes scene-stealing feature on A Tribe Called Quests 1992 single Scenario introduced a Brooklyn MC that took over the late 90s and early 00s with his animated voice and exuberant rhymes. With the first-week million-seller Tha Carter III and its smash hits A Milli and Lollipop in 2008 the latter of which was his first Hot 100 No. Touring: $4.2M. Touring: $0. 1 with High Off Life in 2020 and became the artist with the fourth-most Hot 100 entries (110). Touring accounted for the $9.6 million more he made then, but the hip-hop artists April 2020 virtual Fortnite concert, Astronomical, which drew 12.3 million concurrent players, boosted his streams by as much as 160% from the day the show was announced (April 20), thanks, in part, to the post-show release of a new single with Kid Cudi, The Scotts. The day after the event, digital downloads of his catalog blew up 1,488% from 2,000 to 34,000. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. His robust output yielded a record 20th top 10 entry on the Top Rap Albums chart in 2019, claiming the title belt from Tech N9ne. The group notched three No. expunged any doubt about his MC credibility via his grit and lyrical precision. Streaming: $3.2M 26. Hes the artistic, esoteric and philosophical rapper who juxtaposed the streetwise and humble delivery of the groups late Phife Dawg. The White Teeth rapper ranked No. But in fact, his limitations were what made the 25-year-old wunderkind one of the greatest MCs to touch Gods green earth: He knew of his shortcomings, but relied on his voice and motivational messaging to resonate and crack through the toughest gangstas. Tips laid-back, smooth-talkin flow came peppered with immortal lyrics in playful songs like Bonita Applebum. His body of work further established the creative link between hip-hop and jazz. . With a collection of brilliant solo albums and one of the most unmistakable styles in hip-hop history, Ghostface Killah is arguably the most accomplished rapper within the Wu-Tang Clan, which already has its own stake on any GOAT rap group list. In previous years, it has made up 75% to 80% of the top 40 Money Makers income. Streaming: $5.5M As the legendary rap duo UGK, Bun B and the late Pimp C kept the spotlight on Texas while taking the baton from the Scarface-led triad Geto Boys. Wave had zero physical sales last year. Metallica $9 million19. Earnings of the world's highest earning rappers and hip-hop artists 2019 . Weve revealed 10 more rappers each week since, with the final top 10 now unveiled below. Following Taylor Swift, who ranks No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in April and land eight tracks on the Hot 100. The murder trial of rapper Lil Boosie has taken several twists and to commit the killing - Michael "Marlo Mike" Louding - had admitted . 1 twice on the Billboard 200, while all six of the groups albums were certified either gold or platinum. Billboard Quiz. Outside of the top 10, The Weeknd ranks at No. Ed Sheeran - $200 Million. 4 in the top streaming royalties category. Sales: $215K The shows grossed close to $25.8 million, giving the band almost $8.8 million in take-home pay. According to Billboard's 2020 Money Makers list they published today (July 19), Post Malone, Drake and YoungBoy Never Broke Again were the three highest-earning hip-hop artists in 2020, a year that saw the COVID-19 pandemic effectively stop large-scale touring across the entire world. Bolstered by two mammoth deals with luxury giant LVMH and Jack Dorsey's Square, Jay-Z has lapped the competition to become the highest-paid rapper of 2021; and as per Rolling Stone, the 2nd highest-paid musician behind Bruce Springsteen and his US$590 million / AU$811.9 million music catalogue sale.. Hip-hop's first billionaire managed to rake in a grand total of US$470 million / AU$646.75 . Quizzes; Events; Quiz Creation; Community; Videos; Private Events; Remove Ads . Last years rank: No. Run the Jewels, "Walking in the Snow". Streaming royalties consist of on-demand audio and video streams plus estimated royalties from programmed satellite, cable and webcasting services like SiriusXM and Music Choice. The embattled rapper finished at No. Who you calling a bch? Despite teasing a July release for a new album named after his mother, Donda, West dropped just one song in 2020, Nah Nah Nah, which was tied to his unsuccessful presidential run, and a remix that featured DaBaby and 2 Chainz. The multi-talented artist may write, rap, produce, act and more but his wealth comes mainly from his clothing line and stakes in companies like Croc Vodka, Revolt TV and Aquahydrate. Streaming: $7.1M LLs list of achievements includes being the first rapper to be awarded the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. Touring: $0. Aventura $10.2 million13. He was featured on Eminems Those Kinda Nights, which peaked at No. Touring: $0. For artists like Taylor Swift and The Rolling Stones who own only a portion of their recorded masters catalog, a blended royalty rate was used. He set a new benchmark for erasing musical boundaries and ignoring popular trends, influencing a host of generation-next talents like Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and Tyler, the Creator. In 2020, Forbes ranked Kohli 66th in their list of the top 100 highest-paid athletes in the world for that year, with estimated earnings of $26 million. Sales: $1.1M The Staten Island lyricist draws from a Technicolor palette of inimitable slang, colorful character profiles, luxurious wares and slippery flows to craft vibrant, imaginative stories. Before Power-ing up his TV empire, 50 Cent continued to top the charts with follow-ups like The Massacre and Curtis, while also making stars of his G-Unit label roster mates, including Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and The Game. Then came The Message (1982), hip-hops seismic GOAT recording, elevated by the rapper born Melvin Glover and his vivid ghetto portrait. KISS managed to play 20 shows in 2020, generating $14.8 million in ticket sales and $5 million in take-home pay, the sole reason the road warriors made the Money Makers list this year (and last year, too). Certified double-platinum, the album spun off three consecutive No. The combined royalties from those streams add up to just shy of $10 million, which makes him the fourth top-earner in that category. The Disturbing Tha Peace label co-founders industry acclaim finally caught up to his mainstream appeal when he took home the Grammys for best rap album and best rap song Grammys in 2007, thanks to the introspective Release Therapy and its Pharrell-featuring smash lead single Money Maker., Gucci Mane went from teenage drug dealer to Atlanta rap deity in the 200s, with sedated raps and a Hollywood story Spike Lee couldnt script. Streaming: $939.5K Like George Straits, Sheltons more than 1.6 billion combined streams were strong for a country artist, but his 749,000 track sales were also healthy and just shy of the top 10 for the format. On Public Enemys 1987 Rebel Without a Pause, the seminal groups mighty orator backed by raps archetypal hype man in Flavor Flav made it clear that hip-hop would never be the same. We also opted not to include thesignificant contributionsof reggaetn and dancehall MCs on this list,just to keep our pool of nominees a little more focused. 1. In 2020, Forbes reported that the English singer-songwriter received $64 million from his singing activities. Last years rank: No. 6 with $14.2 million with most of his revenue coming from streaming ($11.7 million) and publishing ($1.9 million). Lil Baby $11.7 million11. History is also on his side: Hov has 14 Billboard 200 No. Streaming: $5.5M It's impossible to overstate the influence of rap on popular culture. A year with little touring resulted in many of rock and country musics regular road warriors giving up their spots to artists with strong 2020 streaming and physical sales performances many of them hip-hop acts.