Thu:21-08-2008

- 50 Cent Tops Forbes Rich List

Fiddy Rolling In It Ya'll!

Since the Forbes' Annual Rich List was published last week, there can be no doubt 50 Cent is actually living the hip hopper lifestyle of bling, ho's and cars that he raps about with such gumption. Here we were thinking it was all bravado, but according to the list, Fiddy is sitting atop as the biggest earning hip hop stars for 2008 making $150 million in the last 12 months and almost doubling the earnings of the person in second place! 

So what made 50 all the moolaah? Well apparently the rapper made $100 million alone, after taxes, on his share of Vitamin Water when it was bought out by Coca Cola.  Not bad for fruity H20!

Even though his actual album sales paled in comparisons to other rappers, it was the money he earned from his successful clothing line, video games, and share in G-Unit Records that was the real money spinner, showing that it pays to merchandise ya'll!  With all that spare cash floating round, kinda makes you wonder why he's currently trying to evict his baby-momma out of one of his mansions... Share the love Fiddy!

50 Cent dethroned last year's top earner Jay-Z who had earnings of $82 million despite signing a $150 million, 10-year deal with Live Nation. In at number 3, for the second year in a row, Sean 'Diddy' Combs made $35 million from album sales, his record company Bad Boy, clothing line, reality TV shows and an alcohol brand.  Meanwhile, Common, Lil Wayne and Akon made first time showings on the list.

Despite being 'life-challenged', it is interesting to note that Tupac Shakur would have been tied with Dr Dre at 9 if he weren't six feet under; he's posthumous earnings have totaled $15 million over the last twelve months ahead of the likes of Ludacris, T.I., Lil Wayne, Eminem, Akon, Common, Lil John, Outkast, The Game and more.

Just more proof that moolah making has nothing to do with releasing top selling albums any more, unless they soley serve to cross-promote your perfume/alcohol/clothes/drink line, innit that right Diddy?

The top 10 earners on the Forbes Hip Hop's Cash Kings 2008 list are:

Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson - $150 million
Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter - $82 million
Sean 'Diddy' Combs - $35 million
Kanye West - $30 million
Timothy 'Timbaland' Mosley - $22 million
Pharrell Williams - $20 million
Kasseem 'Swizz Beatz' Dean - $17 million
Calvin 'Snoop Dogg' Broadus - $16 million
Andre 'Dr. Dre' Young - $15 million
Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges - $14 million

By Penelope Quinn

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