35 Richest Rappers In The World - Music Grotto (2024)

It’s no secret that there is some serious money in being a rapper—at least, once you sign a record deal and make it big. Rap is one of the most popular genres in the music industry, making it no surprise that these artists are wildly successful. But it wasn’t always so. While many on this list are young, some have helped make modern rap possible.

Whatever era of rap they hail from, these 35 richest rappers in the world have extended their influence across genres. If you are a fan of rap, you’re sure to know their names.

1. Jay-Z

Estimated net worth: $1.3 billion

Jay-Z was the first hip hop artist to break a net worth of a billion dollars. His musical career began in 1986, though he didn’t sign his first recording deal until the mid-1990s. Since 1996, he has released more than a dozen albums and won 24 Grammy Awards. He is also one of the best-selling musical artists in history, having sold more than 140 million albums worldwide.

However, most of his wealth hasn’t come from his music career. He is also an active entrepreneur with numerous projects and companies. He founded a clothing company, Rocawear, in 1999, followed by a chain of luxury sports bars, The 40/40 Club. His other business ventures include tech company Aspiro and cannabis company Monogram.

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2. Diddy

Estimated net worth: $1 billion

Diddy, one of the stage names of rapper Sean Combs, is one of the most successful rappers of all time. Since the late 1990s, he has continued to release successful hip hop albums, and his first one received seven Platinum certifications.

Just a year after its release, he started Sean John, a high-fashion clothing line. This has been an incredibly successful business venture, winning the Menswear Designer of the Year Award from the Council of Fashion Designs of America in 2004. He continues to hold massive sway across musical genres.

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3. Dr. Dre

Estimated net worth: $800 million

Dr. Dre, the professional name of Andre Romelle Young, is one of the most successful American rappers and record producers. Beats Electronics, which he co-founded, sold for $3.4 billion in 2014 to Apple Inc. The rapper’s career started in 1985 as a member of the World Class Wreckin’ Cru. He soon after transitioned to gangsta rap and joined N.W.A. in 1986.

He was vital to the formation and spread of West Coast G-funk. This hip hop subgenre is noted for a synth foundation with slow, heavy beats. He became one of the best-selling American musicians in 1993 with his debut solo album, The Chronic. His sound continues to reach beyond hip hop to influence wider popular music.

4. Ye

Estimated net worth: $400 million

Ye, born Kanye Omari West, is a prominent and controversial rapper, songwriter, fashion designer, and record producer. He is widely considered one of the greatest musicians of his generation with pervasive influences in hip hop. He first gained attention for producing for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s. He developed a “chipmunk soul” sampling style and produced singles for a number of musicians. He released his debut album, The College Dropout, in 2004, which rocketed him to success.

He is one of the best-selling musicians worldwide. His music explores orchestras, synth, autotune, and other diverse musical elements. He changed his name in 2021 to reflect his identification with all people, inspired by the use of the word “ye” in the King James Bible.

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5. Drake

Estimated net worth: $260 million

Aubrey Drake Graham, known professionally as Drake, is a Canadian rapper and actor. He is an influential figure in contemporary popular music for popularizing R&B style and singing in hip hop. He rose to prominence for playing the character, Jimmy Brooks, in CTV’s teen drama show, Degrassi: The Next Generation.

His career in music began in 2006 with his debut mixtape, Room For Improvement. His first three albums were critical successes that put him at the forefront of contemporary hip hop. His 2016 album Views, which explored the dancehall genre, was the first to top the Billboard 200 for 13 non-consecutive weeks in more than a decade.

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6. Pharrell Williams

Estimated net worth: $250 million

Pharrell Lanscilo Williams is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He formed the hip hop and R&B duo The Neptunes in the early 1990s with his close colleague Chad Hugo. The two have continued to produce songs for a number of musicians. He became N.E.R.D.’s lead vocalist in 1999, forming the group with Hugo and Shay Haley on drums.

Williams is one of the most successful and influential producers of modern music. He has had a major impact on modern popular music’s sound. He released his debut solo album, In My Mind, in 2006. His song Happy was the lead single for Despicable Me 2’s soundtrack.

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7. Eminem

Estimated net worth: $230 million

Eminem, the professional name of Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is a rapper and record producer who popularized hip hop in Middle America. He is widely regarded not only as one of the greatest rappers of all time but as one who has challenged racial and cultural barriers. He was a significant contributor to the social acceptability of white rappers. His controversial work with themes of violence and angst has made him a representative figure of the American underclass’s frustration.

His The Slim Shady LP gained him mainstream notoriety in 1999. He has had two best-selling albums of the year worldwide: The Eminem Show in 2002 and Recovery in 2010. He was the first artist to have ten consecutive number-one album releases on the Billboard 200.

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8. Master P

Estimated net worth: $200 million

Percy Robert Miller Sr., known professionally as Master P, is a rapper, actor, and record producer. He is sometimes also known as The Ice Cream Man and The Ghetto Bill. He founded No Limit Records (now No Limit Forever Records) and P. Miller Enterprises. He also founded Better Black Television, a short-lived online TV network.

He rose to prominence for his work with hip hop group TRU and his solo rap album, Ice Cream Man. This contained his first single, Mr. Ice Cream Man. His popularity soared with his Platinum single, Make ‘Em Say Uhh!, released in 1997. He has released 15 studio albums in all.

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9. Usher

Estimated net worth: $180 million

Usher Raymond IV is an R&B singer who released his debut album at just 16. His self-titled debut album kicked off his career and his fame exploded just three years later with his album, My Way. This led to his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, Nice & Slow. He also had two top-two singles from that album.

His third album, 8701, had two number-one singles and a top-three. It sold eight million copies globally and won two Grammy Awards. He became one of the best-selling musicians of the decade with his 2004 album, Confessions, which had four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.

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10. Ice Cube

Estimated net worth: $160 million

Ice Cube, the professional name of American rapper and actor O’Shea Jackson Sr., is notable for popularizing gangsta rap. He is also widely celebrated for his political rap solo albums, which were critical and commercial successes. He has maintained an active career in film for almost 30 years.

His first rap group, C.I.A., was formed in 1986. He formed N.W.A. with Dr. Dre and Eazy-E the next year. As its lead rapper, Ice Cube wrote many lyrics for the landmark West Coast hip hop album, Straight Outta Compton. This group was also known for controversial lyrics containing violent themes.

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11. Lil Wayne

Estimated net worth: $150 million

Lil Wayne is the professional name of American rapper, singer, and songwriter Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. He has an immeasurable impact on hip hop and is one of the most celebrated rappers of his generation. He is widely considered one of the best rappers in history.

His career began at age 12 as the youngest member of the label Cash Money Records. He was the label’s flagship artist from 1995 until 2018. His music career began with labelmate B.G., then known as Lil Doogie, and their album, True Story. He has sold over 120 million records globally, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time.

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12. Snoop Dogg

Estimated net worth: $150 million

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., known popularly as Snoop Dogg, is a prominent American rapper. He debuted in 1992 on Dr. Dre’s debut solo single, Deep Cover, and solo album, The Chronic. He has sold 35 million albums worldwide and has won a Primetime Emmy Award, an American Music Award, and 16 nominations for Grammy Awards.

His debut solo album, Doggystyle, was number one on the Billboard 200 and Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It sold 800,000 copies in its first week and was certified quadruple-Platinum. His second album, 1996’s Tha Doggfather, was also number one on both charts and certified double-Platinum. He has had numerous roles acting in both film and television.

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13. Swizz Beatz

Estimated net worth: $150 million

Kasseem Daoud Dean, known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is a rapper and record producer. He started his career as a DJ at 18 when he began to gain notoriety in the hip hop industry. His family’s record label, Ruff Ryders, and friendship with East Coast rapper DMX helped propel his career. DMX continued to work as his producer, hype man, and DJ.

Swiss Beatz went on to found his own label, Full Surface, in 2001 while working with his protege, rapper Cassidy. He has produced multiple hit singles for various musicians in many genres including hip hop, soul, rock, pop, and R&B.

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14. Birdman

Estimated net worth: $150 million

Birdman, the professional name of rapper Bryan Christopher Williams, is a co-founder and public representative of the label, Cash Money Records. He founded the label in 1992 with his older brother, Ronald Williams. Birdman released his self-titled album in 2002, which was certified Gold. At this time, he was also known by the professional name, Baby. When he became more widely known as Birdman, he changed his stage name in response.

He was featured multiple times on Lil Wayne’s globally successful album Tha Carter, released in 2004. At that time, they became the co-faces of Cash Money Records. In 2014, they had a public falling out that has since reconciled but is still being legally worked out.

15. Nicki Minaj

Estimated net worth: $130 million

Nicki Minaj is the professional name of Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty. She is often called the Queen of Hip Hop and the Queen of Rap. This rapper is based in the United States and is renowned for her sharp lyrics, animated flow while rapping, accents, alter egos, and musical versatility. Her career skyrocketed with the release of three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009. She’s also one of the wealthiest female rappers today.

Debuting her first album, Pink Friday, in 2010, she topped the Billboard 200. The album’s fifth single, Super Bass, was number three on the Billboard Hot 100. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and is considered one of the most influential rappers in history.

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16. LL Cool J

Estimated net worth: $120 million

LL Cool J, the professional name of James Todd Smith, stands for “Ladies Love Cool James.” He is a rapper, songwriter, and actor and was one of the first rap artists to gain commercial success along with other new school hip hop acts like Run-DMC and Beastie Boys. His 1984 breakthrough single, I Need A Beat, and landmark debut album, Radio, released the following year, propelled him to prominence.

His success grew with his following albums, with a string of major successes through the 1990s. He is a two-time Grammy Award winner and has appeared in many films. He also plays Special Agent Sam Hanna in CBS’s crime drama TV show, NCIS: Los Angeles.

17. Pitbull

Estimated net worth: $100 million

Pitbull is the professional name of American rapper Armando Christian Pérez. He started his career in the early 2000s with Latin hip hop, reggaeton, and crunk music. He released his debut album, M.I.A.M.I., in 2004. His second album, El Mariel, was released in 2006, and his third was released a year after that.

His fourth album in 2009, Rebelution, notably included I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho). This breakthrough single was number two on the Billboard Hot 100. He soon after rebranded as a pop artist. His 2011 album Planet Pit included his first number-one single in the United States, Give Me Everything.

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18. Ad-Rock

Estimated net worth: $90 million

Ad-Rock is the stage name of rapper, guitarist, and actor Adam Keefe Horovitz. He began his career as a member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys and, secondarily, BS 2000. When Beastie Boys disbanded in 2012 after Adam Yauch’s death, his career changed track.

While he still participates in Beastie Boys-related projects, he works as a producer and guest musician, remixed, and film actor. He remixes for other artists under the name 41 Small Stars and plays bass in cabaret performer Bridget Everett’s backing band, The Tender Moments. He has roles in films Lost Angels, Roadside Prophets, Godspeed, While We’re Young, and Golden Exits.

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19. Timbaland

Estimated net worth: $85 million

Timbaland is the professional name of rapper, singer, and songwriter Timothy Zachery Mosley. He is widely acclaimed for innovation in record production as well as his unique “stuttering” style of rhythm. Many pop trends are rooted in his influence, especially R&B, hip hop, and dance. He is also a prominent producer for hip hop and R&B artists.

He has released several rap albums with fellow rapper Magoo as well as solo ones. He produced Justin Timberlake’s hit 2002 single, Cry Me A River, and continued producing most of the former *NSYNC member’s later LPs and hit singles. He has produced with Nas, Jay-Z, Ludacris, Bubba Sparxxx, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna, and many more.

20. Kendrick Lamar

Estimated net worth: $75 million

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is a rapper and songwriter. He is known for his brilliant internal rhyme schemes, introspective lyrics, and versatile cadence. He is considered one of the most influential hip hop musicians of his generation.

He is unconventional in his genre exploration, from funk and soul to jazz and spoken word. He often includes personal, political, and social commentary in his lyrics. He started his career as a teenager using the name K.Dot. His commercial and critical success skyrocketed with his major-label debut album, m.A.A.d City, in 2012.

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21. Will.I.Am

Estimated net worth: $70 million

William James Adams Jr., known by his stage name will.i.am, is a rapper and songwriter. He is the founder and lead of Black Eye Peas, an American rap group. He has released four solo albums, the most recent being 2013’s #willpower.

He has worked as a producer for musicians such as U2, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Kesha, Michael Jackson, Usher, Nicki Minaj, and Britney Spears. He has also been a talent judge and a mentor on the TV competition show The Voice UK. He has received seven Grammy Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award, and a Latin Grammy Award.

22. Nas

Estimated net worth: $70 million

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known professionally by the name Nas, is an East Coast hip hop artist considered one of the best rappers in history. He is the son of the jazz musician, Olu Dara. He began his music career in 1989 under the stage name Nasty Nas.

His debut album, Illmatic, was universally acclaimed upon release in 1994. It is considered one of the best hip hop albums ever. His second album, It Was Written, debuted two years later and topped the Billboard 200 for four consecutive weeks. This propelled him to international fame.

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23. Wiz Khalifa

Estimated net worth: $70 million

Wiz Khalifa is the stage name of rapper, songwriter, and actor Cameron Jibril Thomaz. His debut album was Show And Prove, released in 2006. His first minor hit was 2008’s Eurodance-inspired song, Say Yeah. With his single Black And Yellow, a tribute to his hometown Pittsburgh, he took a more pop-oriented and radio-friendly style. It debuted at number 100 and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

He has multiple Top 40 singles including No Sleep and Roll Up. His 2015 song See You Again with Charlie Puth peaked at number one for 12 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

24. Ice-T

Estimated net worth: $65 million

Ice-T is the stage name of rapper, songwriter, actor, and producer Tracy Lauren Marrow. His career began in the underground rap scene of the 1980s. He signed with Sire Records in 1987 with his debut album, Rhyme Pays. He founded the label Rhyme $yndicate Records in 1988, named for his collective of fellow hip hop artists. His next album, Power, went Platinum, and multiple other albums would go Gold.

He co-founded the heavy metal band Body Count and debuted it in his 1991 rap album O.G. Original Gangster. He generated controversy with his 1992 track, Cop Killer. He has played NYPD Detective Odafin Tutuola in the police drama, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

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25. Akon

Estimated net worth: $60 million

Akon, the professional name of Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam, is a Senegalese-American rapper and record producer. He achieved notoriety with the single Locked Up from his 2004 debut album, Trouble. Soon after, his second single, Lonely, propelled him further.

Konvicted, his second album two years later, was nominated for three Grammy Awards for the singles Smack That with Eminem and I Wanna Love You with Snoop Dogg. He is prominent as a vocalist and has over 300 credited guest appearances, including 35 Billboard Hot 100 songs. He has had five Grammy Award nominations altogether.

26. Rev Run

Estimated net worth: $60 million

Run, Rev. Run or DJ Run, the professional name of Joseph Ward Simmons, is a rapper, DJ, and TV personality. He is a founding member of Run-DMC, a highly influential hip hop group. He is an ordained Pentecostal minister and is also called Reverend Run.

His family’s 2005 MTV reality show, Run’s House, brought him further mainstream popularity. He does much charitable work and has been open about his personal life in front of TV cameras, including his newborn daughter Victoria’s death. He is a practicing vegetarian, which he credits to personal religious inspiration.

27. J. Cole

Estimated net worth: $60 million

Jermaine Lamarr Cole, known by the stage name J. Cole, is a rapper and songwriter regarded as one of his generation’s most influential artists. His early recognition as a rapper came with his debut mixtape in 2007, The Come Up. He released two more mixtapes in 2009 and 2010 to critical acclaim.

His debut solo album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, was released in 2011 at number one on the Billboard 200. The following album two years later, Born Sinner, also topped the Billboard 200. So did albums 2014’s Forest Hills Drive (2014) and 2016’s 4 Your Eyes Only, with the latter reaching number one.

28. PSY

Estimated net worth: $60 million

Park Jae-sang, known by his stage name PSY, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is known in South Korea for his funny videos and unique stage performances. However, internationally, he is best known for his globally successful single, Gangnam Style. It was the first single that surpassed one billion views on YouTube and remains the 11th most-watched video with more than four billion views.

He was declared the “Viral Star of 2012” and was invited to perform in a globally televised Times Square New Year’s Eve concert with MC Hammer. The crowd contained more than a million people.

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29. Chamillionaire

Estimated net worth: $50 million

Hakeem Temidayo Seriki, best known by his professional name Chamillionaire, is a rapper and founding member of The Color Changin’ Click. He started a solo career in 2002 with numerous local releases. He signed with Universal Records in 2005, at which point The Color Changin’ Click disbanded.

He has numerous hit singles and albums, and the number-one single Ridin’ was a Grammy Award winner. He left Universal Records in 2011 with his would-be third album, Venom, unreleased. He is currently working on his third studio album, Poison. He now focuses more on his entrepreneurial work as part of the venture capital firm Upfront Ventures.

30. Common

Estimated net worth: $45 million

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, known by his professional name Common and Common Sense, is a rapper and actor. His first album, Can I Borrow a Dollar?, garnered critical acclaim in 1992. His first major-label album, Like Water For Chocolate, was released eight years later to wide commercial success. He won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for Love Of My Life.

He received his second Grammy Award, for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for 2007’s Southside with Kanye West. He won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, as well as the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his track Glory with John Legend.

31. Cardi B

Estimated net worth: $40 million

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, known by her stage name Cardi B, is a rapper and songwriter best known for her blunt, candid lyrics, and aggressive flow. She initially gained fame using Vine and Instagram. Her musical aspirations were depicted in the TV show Love & Hip Hop: New York from 2015 to 2017.

Invasion Of Privacy, her first studio album, debuted in 2018 and topped the Billboard 200. This was the first female rap album in 15 years to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. She is the only woman to win the Grammy as a solo artist.

32. Ludacris

Estimated net worth: $30 million

Ludacris is the stage name of American rapper, actor, and record executive Christopher Brian Bridges. He began rapping at age nine. He formed his first record label in the late 1990s and became one of the first Dirty South rappers to become a mainstream success. He has won three Grammy Awards and one MTV Video Music Award.

His first album, Incognegro, was a local success but achieved national fame in 2000 during re-release as Back For The First Time. His next three albums, Word Of Mouf, Chicken-N-Beer, and The Red Light District, were all multi-Platinum certified. He has a recurring role as Tej Parker in the Fast & Furious film franchise.

33. T.I.

Estimated net worth: $20 million

Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., known most widely by his professional names T.I. and Tip, is a rapper, actor, and record producer. He is one of the highest-selling hip hop musicians in history and is considered one of the pioneers of the trap music subgenre. He has won three Grammy Awards and released 11 studio albums. Seven of his studio albums have reached the Billboard 200’s top five.

He has also released numerous highly successful singles, including multiple Billboard Hot 100 hits. He began to gain greater notoriety after collaborating with Bone Crusher for the single, Never Scared.

34. Busta Rhymes

Estimated net worth: $20 million

Busta Rhymes is the stage name of rapper Trevor George Smith Jr. He was nicknamed by Chuck D of Public Enemy, in reference to wide receiver George “Buster” Rhymes. He has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards and is one of the most-nominated musicians not to win one.

He has been called one of the best, most prolific rappers of the 1990s and one of the best lyricists in history. Originally a member of Leaders Of The New School, he broke out as a solo artist as a guest artist with A Tribe Called Quest. He also founded the record label, Conglomerate.

35. Nelly

Estimated net worth: $8 million

Nelly, the stage name of Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., is a rapper, actor, and entrepreneur who began his hip hop career with St. Lunatics in 1993. He signed with Universal Records in 1999 and debuted his solo career with the album Country Grammar the next year. That album had two top-ten singles and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200. It remains his best-selling one with over 8.4 million copies sold in the United States alone.

This rapper has generated many chart-topping hits including Sweat, Suit, Brass Knuckles, and 5.0. He has also won three Grammy Awards and nine Billboard Music Awards.

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