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NEW YORK - Hip-hop star Jay-Z's talent for extending beyond rap to the executive worlds of music, fashion and other businesses has earned him the top spot on Forbes magazine's "Hip-Hop Cash Kings" list.
Forbes said Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, raked in US$34 million (NZ$49m) in 2006, the year he released a comeback album "Kingdom Come."
But the boyfriend of pop singer Beyonce earned much of that income as chief executive of New York-based Def Jam Recordings, owner of a sports bar franchise and holder of endorsements deals with Budweiser, Hewlett-Packard and General Motors, Forbes said.
In March, Jay-Z, 36, sold his Rocawear fashion label for US$204 million -- a sum that will again place him high up in the music world's earnings for 2007.
Coming in at No. 2 was rapper 50 Cent, a.k.a Curtis Jackson. He earned US$32 million from his music and businesses such as a record label, video games and a line of books, the survey said.
Diddy -- real name Sean Combs -- came in third. He owns the Sean John clothing label and a cologne that he licensed to Estee Lauder. He also is an MTV television producer. Timbaland, whose real name is Timothy Mosley, was No. 4 with earnings of US$21 million from collaborations and running Mosley Music Group.
Forbes' Top 20 Hip-Hop Cash Kings:
1. Jay-Z - $34 million
2. 50 Cent - $32 million
3. P Diddy - $28 million
4. Timbaland - $21 million
5. Dr. Dre - $20 million
6. Eminem - $18 million
7. Snoop Dogg - $17 million
8. Kanye West - $17 million
9. Pharrell Williams - $17 million
10. Scott Storch - $17 million
11. Ludacris - $16 million
12. T.I. - $16 million
13. Outkast $14 million
14. Lil John $14 million
15. Ice Cube $13 million
16. Jermaine Dupri $12 million
17. Swizz Beatz - $12 million
18. Chamillionaire - $11 million
19. The Game - $11 million
20. Yung Joc - $10 million
- REUTERS
