Jay-Z Tops ‘Forbes’ Hip Hop Cash Kings Throne Once Again

Robbie Daw | August 10, 2011 8:39 am

While you’re poring over the reviews of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s newly-released LP Watch The Throne — and, you know, actually listening to the album — consider this: Jay actually is on the throne, according to Forbes. The 41-year-old Brooklyn MC has topped the mag’s annual Cash Kings list of hip hop’s top earners, with $37 million in the bank, for a staggering fourth time in five years. Just behind Hova is Diddy and Kanye, while “Super Bass” diva Nicki Minaj is the only female to make the list of kings. Peek at rap’s biggest bank-makers below. Forbes notes that its list “charts pretax earnings for all living artists whose work is primarily classified as hip-hop or rap,” and “the estimates include income from record sales, touring, digital downloads, films, merchandise sales, endorsements, books and other entertainment ventures.”

FORBES 2011 CASH KINGS LIST

1. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, $37 million

2. Sean “Diddy” Combs, $35 million

3. Kanye West, $16 million

4 – 5. Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter /Bryan “Birdman” Williams, $15 million (tie)

6 – 8. Marshall “Eminem” Mathers / Andre “Dr. Dre” Young / Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus, $14 million (tie)

9. Aliuane “Akon” Thiam, $13 million

10. Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges, $12 million

11 – 12. Cameron “Wiz Khalifa” Thomaz / Aubrey “Drake” Graham, $11 million (tie)

13. Pharrell Williams, $10 million

14. Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley, $7 million

15 – 16. Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean / Onika “Nicki Minaj” Maraj $6.5 million (tie)

17 – 19. William “Rick Ross” Roberts / Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson / Armando “Pitbull” Perez, $6 million (tie)

20. Faheem “T-Pain” Najm / Bobby “B.o.B” Simmons, Jr. $5 million (tie)