Sales: $14.4K 11 ($10.4M), while Eminem holds down the No. Is President, Paid in Full and Microphone Fiend. Rakims influence is felt in all corners of hip-hop: A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, is named after him, DMX and Eminem are self-proclaimed fans, and rappers as big as 50 Cent (via The Games Hate It or Love It) and Lil Wayne (on Lloyds Girls Around the World) have paid in-song homage to his distinctive flow. 10. When touring is in full bloom, heritage rockers, country artists and jam bands dominate Money Makers because of their concert grosses. KISS managed to play 20 shows in 2020, generating $14.8 million in ticket sales and $5 million in take-home pay, the sole reason the road warriors made the Money Makers list this year (and last year, too). He led Run-DMC to historic heights, as they became the first hip-hop group to flex B-Boy minimalism to the masses(Sucker MCs), go gold (1984s King of Rock), appear on MTV, reach multiplatinum status (with 1986s landmarkRaising Hell, punctuated by the boundary-breaking Aerosmith collab Walk This Way), headline arena tours and ink a major endorsement deal (Adidas). Publishing: $967K Aventura makes its debut on the Money Makers list, totally on the strength of its box office. More than any rock bands fan base, the KISS Army is very late to the streaming party: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and company generated just 217 million combined streams. 10 in physical sales with 334,000 copies scanned in 2020 47% of those purchases were in the higher-priced vinyl format. Sales: $394.9K Touring: $4.2M. He was the first rapper signed to a major label, created one of hip-hops earliest hits with Christmas Rappin, earned the first gold plaque for a rap single with The Breaks and became the first rapper to embark on a national (and then international) tour. By genre, rock artists landed the most spots, 13, down one from last year; pop acts accounted for nine entries, down from 14; country, three spots, down from eight; and Latin, two berths, up one from 2019. Individually, artist streaming royalties increased a whopping 82% year to year, from $106 million to $193 million, and accounted for just under 50% of the top 40 Money Makers total income. Here are the highest-paid musicians and their estimated net worth, according to Forbes as of 2020: Kanye West - $241M Kanye Omari West is a rapper with a variety of musical genres and . Dr. Dre would be the first to tell you that he is not a traditional MC. Publishing: $2.2M 1 album, My Turn, which landed 12 songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 2020, vaulted him to No. In a typical touring year, The Lumineers would probably not have made the Money Makers top 40. Sales: $1.84M More seminal, million-plus-selling albums followed, such as Tha Doggfather, Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told; R&G (Rhythm and Gangsta): The Masterpiece and Tha Last Meal as Snoop moved on from the G-Funk era to make albums with No Limit, score crossover hits with The Neptunes and even become an early adopter of Auto-Tune. 1, El ltimo Tour del Mundo. Before rap became a cultural and commercial powerhouse, Kurtis Blow provided early proof of the genres future capabilities. 1 single, HUMBLE, the album won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, the first non-jazz or classical work to do so. With a collection of brilliant solo albums and one of the most unmistakable styles in hip-hop history, Ghostface Killah is arguably the most accomplished rapper within the Wu-Tang Clan, which already has its own stake on any GOAT rap group list. AC/DC $10.1 million14. The band also remains strong in physical album sales: It sold 412,000 copies last year, 272,000 of them on vinyl. The first became his 10th consecutive Billboard 200 No. All Rights Reserved. Touring: $0. ), among the catchiest singles in hip-hop history. Streaming: $290 A year with minimal touring resulted in top-streaming acts, many of them hip-hop artists, replacing the rock and country acts that fill arena and stadiums on Billboard's annual ranking. Streaming: $7.6M His executive producer status grew as he created his Junior Mafia clique writing and producing their 1995 Conspiracy album, then releasing JM breakout star Lil Kims Hard Core debut in 1996. The forum calculated she made $13.6 million from flowing and $1 million at the crate office, with an aggregate revenue tallied to be $32.8 million. 1 live touring revenue generator for 2020, that amounts to $17 million in take-home pay, which puts Dion at the top of the concert earnings ranking and accounted for over 98% of her overall 2020 income. 2 Billboard 200 concept album, III. Sales: $1.5M He is that rare artist who still sells downloads, and ranked at No. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic curtailing chances for any artists to tour in 2020, several big-name rappers still made money through streaming and other means last year. On Public Enemys 1987 Rebel Without a Pause, the seminal groups mighty orator backed by raps archetypal hype man in Flavor Flav made it clear that hip-hop would never be the same. Beyonce Knowles-Carters husband has succeeded in every era, spitting regal-scented rhymes that speak to the struggle, and to the opulence that follows an intensely self-made greatness. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Over a slew of genre-bending albums (Pink Friday, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, The Pinkprint) and killer guest verses (most famously on Kanye Wests Monster), Nicki has defended her title for over a decade, with incredibly animated flows and alter egos from the soft-spoken, pink-haired Harajuku Barbie to the volatile Roman Zolanski with the British cockney accent. 6 on last years list. 1 Hot 100 hits, sold 25 million albums and account for raps most recent album of the year win at the Grammys. That gave the band a $2.7 million touring payday. / 07.19.2021. Sheeran landed on the Hot 100 twice in February 2020. Streaming: $5.1M Meanwhile, the per-play publishing rates used for calculating publishing royalties from Music Choice was 43 cents; SiriusXM, $8.33; and programmed streams, $0.0003. 40 Richest Rappers of All Time. But despite the crossover success, Wayne continued to feed his Mixtape Weezy fanbase with cult-favorite series like Da Drought, No Ceilings and Sorry 4 the Wait, and fearlessly reinvented himself with a rap-rock sound via 2010 album Rebirth, which continues to inspire new-school rappers like Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti. Tariq Trotter, co-founder of the legendary Roots crew and the long-running Phillybands lead MC, still amazes rap fans with electrifying stream-of-consciousness radio freestyles and brilliant live performances. Her fans fascination with her music videos helped her rack up nearly 671 million video streams putting her at No. Those concerts grossed $12.6 million, which yielded $4.3 million in take-home pay, and earned them the No. Albums like AmeriKKKas Most Wanted and Death Certificate still stand as some of raps most provocative works and when he wasnt sharpening his pro-Black commentary against the systemic racism crippling the community, he was equally adept at balancing tongue-in-cheek insights with feel-good storytelling, as on his timeless 1993 hit It Was a Good Day.. All and all, rappers still made money in 2020 despite the impact of the pandemic on the music industry. Last years rank: Sales: $66.4K After Bun proved his chops as a solo artist with Pimp C behind bars, UGK reunited to craft its magnum opus with 2007s Billboard 200-topping Underground Kingz, released just months before Pimp Cs death at 33 in 2007. And Kanes skill set remains sharp, whether hes tackling police brutality on his 2020 cut Enough or reeling off a fantastic guest cameo on mentee Busta Rhymes 2022 song Slap.. Despite teasing a July release for a new album named after his mother, Donda, West dropped just one song in 2020, Nah Nah Nah, which was tied to his unsuccessful presidential run, and a remix that featured DaBaby and 2 Chainz. 17 Streaming: $11.7M 9 Touring: $8.8M. 2 Taylor Swift. His flamboyant rhymes helped him become one of the first West Coast rappers to sign a major deal when he signed with Jive Records in the early 90s. Streaming: $1.7M Other key performance drivers for the beerbongs & bentleys artist include his No. He received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honor in India, in 2018. Although the group hasnt put out a studio album since 2016s Hardwired To Self-Destruct, the August 2020 release of the live set S&M2 and digitally remastered versions of its 10-album catalog helped boost it to No. Last years rank: 3 in track downloads with over 1 million. Publishing: $838K Streaming: $10.6M Forbes ranking: #21. Even the title of the original queen of raps 1988 seminal debut album, Lyte as a Rock, was metaphorically heavy. 9 in the category for acts on this list and 465,000 physical album sales and 948,000 track sales, placing her at Nos. A story looking at how the catalogs of some of those late artists performed in 2020 is scheduled to run next week.). Streaming: $7.1M On-demand streaming royalties were calculated using blended audio and video rates of $0.0053 and $0.0038 per stream, respectively. 3 on the Billboard 200. NBA YoungBoy is the third highest paid rapper in 2020 behind Drake and Post Malone who was the highest earner. Floridas not-so-sunny hip-hop crooner saw his second album, Pray 4 Love, debut at No. Kid Rock, Detroit rapper Esham and Record Time's Mike Himes at the fighting for a name on the scrappy Detroit hip-hop scene of the '90s, . Streaming: $10M The White Teeth rapper ranked No. The majority of Sheeren's earnings this year were from touring. Publishing: $373K Last years rank: There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2ad8190c8c380f Sales: $10M Despite his legal problems, YoungBoy Never Broke Again managed to collect bank thanks to streaming. You Got Me, the Erykah Badi-featuring crossover duet from the Roots platinum-selling album Things Fall Apart, remains a shining moment thanks to his rich baritone and riveting storytelling. She ranks even higher on the Global Money Makers list because of her strong global performance, particularly in streaming. 1 Billboard 200 albums and three RIAA-certified Diamond singles (Lose Yourself, Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid), his unprecedented commercial success makes for one of the most noteworthy rags-to-riches tales in popular music. (Only living acts were included on this list.) Streaming: $431K Works like BDPs By All Means Necessary and the KRS-formed Stop the Violence Movements star-studded 1989 single Self-Destruction are some of the most powerful moments that hip-hop has ever witnessed. Eminem $9.7 million15. According to Billboard's 2020 Money Makers list they published today (July 19), Post Malone, Drake and YoungBoy Never Broke Again were the three highest-earning hip-hop artists in 2020, a year that saw the COVID-19 pandemic effectively stop large-scale touring across the entire world. Billboard Quiz. Streaming: $6M Streaming: $3.48M 7 with $35 . Read through our list of the highest-paid musicians to see just how rich the most successful performers can be! Publishing: $194.5K Last years rank: linguistic divergence anthropology; what happened to birk balthazar; laidlaw environmental services inc website; prompted his signing to Eminems Shady Records under Dr. Dres Aftermath Entertainment banner, and was followed by the Billboard 200 No. 1 as a guest on Rae SremmurdsBlack Beatles.. All revenue figures cited are Billboard estimates and, due to rounding, an artists total may not equal the sum of the subcategories. Like George Straits, Sheltons more than 1.6 billion combined streams were strong for a country artist, but his 749,000 track sales were also healthy and just shy of the top 10 for the format. Streaming: $939.5K 5 Despite the COVID-19 pandemic curtailing chances for any artists to tour in 2020, several big-name rappers still made money through streaming and other means last year.. And he did all of it as one of the Souths first real rap stars, showcasing lyrical complexity and emotional depth in a region that was once wholly dismissed while also making classic cuts with legends from both coasts, like Jay-Z, Nas and 2Pac. 3 title on the year-end Billboard 200 albums chart. Last years rank: No. His $66,400 in sales royalties came entirely from digital downloads. 5 in audio streams with almost 6.2 billion; and No.3 in overall combined streams with almost 7 billion. For artists like Taylor Swift and The Rolling Stones who own only a portion of their recorded masters catalog, a blended royalty rate was used. Touring: $2.7M. 39 He can turn the mundane into something sweet (Foldin Clothes) or act out in rebellion (Fire Squad). So for example, as estimable as his career is, British rapper Slick Rick isnt on this list. But few rappers, if any, have repped the Bay longer or stronger than E-40. Song Quiz. Sandra Denton. The highest-paid hip-hop artists of 2021 have been revealed and JAY-Z and Kanye West once again top the list. Top Rap Artists Ranking is based on an artist's chart performance on the Hot Rap Songs, Top Rap Albums and Boxscore touring revenue. His lyrical intensity and fearless aggression are battle-tested, as he sparred with the likes of 50 Cent and Beanie Sigel in the 2000s before single-handedly dismantling Dipset in a 2021 Verzuz battle. It was one of five songs she landed on the chart that year: Three were collaborations, with Marshmello (Be Kind), Machine Gun Kelly (Forget Me Too) and Kelsea Ballerini (The Other Girl), while the fourth was her country-flavored solo track, You Should Be Sad, which peaked at No. However, after the murder of the groups DJ Scott La Rock, he shifted to socially conscious rap aimed at empowering Black people and resolving the ills plaguing inner-city communities. KRS-One is also battle-tested: 1987s The Bridge Is Over, recorded in response to MC Shans The Bridge, is one of the most respected (and referenced) diss tracks of all time. Publishing: $166.3K Streaming: $3.74M This year's top 5 highest-paid musicians on a worldwide scale encompass a variety of genres that may stun you. Although Eilish played just three 2020 pre-pandemic dates on her Where Do We Go? Touring: $129K. When his metal band Body Counts incendiary Cop Killer (1992) nearly derailed his career, Ice also helpedopen a new lane for hip-hop: acting (New Jack City, Law & Order: SVU). When he wasnt baring his soul, DMX steadily proved he could hang with raps best: LL Cool J, Jay-Z, Nas, Busta Rhymes and others have all experienced Xs untameable aggression firsthand. Last years rank: No. Ludacris became Atlantas first crossover superstar of the 2000s, dominating theairwaves and the clubs with an arsenal of Dirty South anthems at his disposal, coupled with his uniquely charismatic twang. And if you ask him, its also a testament to the power of hip-hop. Thee Album became an instant hip-hop classic with its early use of funk samples and hilarious punchlines. 7. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Last years rank: No. Publishing: $840K 1s with Mo Money Mo Problems and Hypnotize. Big completed two classic solo albums, 1994s Ready to Die and 1997s double-disc Life After Death the latter spending four weeks at No. Sales: $348K According to Billboard 's report, published on Monday (July 19), rappers Post Malone, Drake, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Lil Baby are among the publication's Top Paid Musicians of 2020. Last years rank: No. The rockers also racked up 1.3 billion in combined streams that translated to $3.9 million in royalties. Last years rank: Sales: $1.8M BTS $8.9 million20. Publishing: $1.3M 1. Can you pick the top 11-20 highest paid rappers Of 2019 (Top 11-20)? (1989) were eloquent hood testimonies. Touring: $17M. Publishing: $2M (The genre dates back to 1973, when DJ Kool Herc first set up his two turntables to rock a Bronx party.)