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Sean "Diddy" Combs has always been one of the wealthiest Hip-Hop artists in the industry. Now he joins JAY-Z in the billionaires club shortly after Ye lost his status.
On Friday, October 28, former Forbes entertainment editor Zack O’Malley Greenburg released his new list of the Wealthiest Hip-Hop Artists of 2022. In his list, he calculates the top five highest-earning rappers in the game right now. JAY-Z still reigns at the top of the list but his net worth increased to $1.5 billion. Meanwhile, Diddy has finally been minted as one of the few billionaires in Hip-Hop after he took Ye's previous slot as the second highest-earning rap artist.
Diddy's various business ventures in music, media and spirits make up the majority of his fortune as well as his music catalog and royalties. The Bad Boy founder finds himself at No. 2 after the artist formally known as Kanye West loss millions following the end of key endorsement deals with adidas, Balenciaga, Gap and other brands due to his antisemitism controversy. According to the list, Ye is worth $500 million.
The top five also names Gilbert "Berner" Milam as the fourth highest-earning rapper in the industry. Berner is worth $410 million thanks in part to his Cookies cannabis brand that's taken off in the U.S. and seven other countries. Right behind Berner is Dr. Dre. The Aftermath founder, who made history as the first billionaire in Hip-Hop, is currently worth $400 million after he invested $70 million into a new music academy at the University of Southern California with Jimmy Iovine, dropped $40 million for Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen's L.A. mansion and paid one half of a $100 million settlement to his ex wife following their divorce.
The list was determined by "valuing every known asset and liability in each artist’s portfolio" as well as a "wide range of sources throughout the music industry, ranging from managers to lawyers to some of the artists themselves." Read the entire break-down of the list and judge for yourself.