1. Sean “Puff Daddy or Diddy” Combs: $750 Million
Call him Puff Daddy or Diddy—either way, he lived up to the name of his 2015 mixtape MMM (for alter ego Money Making Mitch), thanks mostly to his agreement with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka. Also valuable: stakes in his TV network Revolt, clothing line Sean John and alkaline water Aquahydrate.
2. Andre “Dr. Dre” Young: $710 Million
Two years ago the superproducer’s Beats By Dr. Dre sale got him the largest one-off payday of any living musician in history; last year’s biopic Straight Outta Compton padded his coffers, too. Now he’s sitting on a nine-figure cash stash—and a jaw-dropping portfolio of southern California real estate—that even a billionaire would envy.
3. Shawn “Jay Z” Carter: $610 Million
The Brooklyn-born rapper boasts a broad range of holdings, but this year it’s his Tidal streaming service driving the growth of his fortune. The company has had its share of growing pains, but with 3 million paid subscribers, it’s now worth an estimated three times more than its $56 million purchase price.
4. Bryan “Birdman” Williams: $110 Million
The Cash Money chief moves up a spot despite the dip in his fortune, down from $140 million last year thanks to turmoil in his empire. Lil Wayne, Cash Money’s flagship artist, has slowed his once-frenetic release pace; rumors of his departure, along with fellow top acts Drake and Nicki Minaj, continue to swirl.
5. Aubrey “Drake” Graham: $60 Million
Known to the world by his middle name, the Toronto native once said he planned to make $250 million by the time he was 29. He’s got a ways to go, but he’s on the right track with recurring multimillion-dollar paychecks from Nike, Sprite and Apple—and the final spot on this year’s Forbes Five. Not a bad 30th birthday present.
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