Ever wondered who the richest rappers in the world are?
We’re about to show you…
Rappers are notorious for big houses, fancy cars and extravagant purchases; and when you take a look at just how much some of them earn, it’s no wonder.
This article is a list of the 25 richest rappers, how much they’re worth, and some of our favorite quotes from them.
The 25 Richest Rappers in the World
All figures listed within this article have been taken from Forbes, The Richest and Wikipedia. We’ve tried to make sure they are as up to date as possible.
Rev. Run, born Joseph Simmons, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C. He is also a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run.
In 2019, his net worth is $70 million, which puts him at #24 on this list.
“There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.” – Rev Run
Will.I.Am started his career in the music business as a member of the hip hop group, Black Eyed Peas, which became a huge success. Later on, he transitioned into a solo career, and has also seen great success there as well.
Will.I.Am’s net worth is $75 million, making him the 23rd richest rapper in the world.
“You can rule ignorance; you can manipulate the illiterate; you can do whatever you want when a people are uneducated, so that goes in line with corrupt business and corrupt politics.” – Will.I.Am
Bryan Williams, known more commonly by his stage name Birdman, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, executive producer, and investor. He helped found the Cash Money Records label with his brother, Ronald.
As of 2019, Birdman’s net worth is $80 million.
“I’m a hard worker, and everything with me is, if I work hard, I should get paid for it. Everything with me, I try to symbolize something flashy like jewelry or a car. The rubbing hands is a symbol of hustling, so it goes back to the money.” – Birdman
Akon is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, businessman, record producer and actor. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of “Locked Up”, the first single from his debut album Trouble.
Akon has become one of the richest rappers in the world, with a net worth of $80 million.
“I don’t want to know I’m getting older. Then I’ll start to think about getting checkups and insurance. I don’t want that.” – Akon
Timbaland is an American record producer, singer, songwriter, rapper and DJ.
Timbaland’s first full credit production work was in 1996 on Ginuwine… the Bachelor for R&B singer Ginuwine. It was after this year that Timbaland became a prominent producer for R&B and hip hop artists.
“I’m trying to do something real different; I’m trying to bring the street to real pop. I’m trying to bring the street to pop. Not watering it down, no nothing.” – Timberland
Nicki Minaj is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer, songwriter, model, and actress; and has collaborated with a wide number of best selling artists, including Drake, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, Birdman, Tyga, Chris Brown, and more.
Nicki Minaj’s net worth is $85 million.
“When I win and when I lose, I take ownership of it, because I really am in charge of what I do.” – Nicki Minaj
Mike D is of course a member of the famous hip hop boy band, the Beastie Boys. The Beastie Boys formed in the 80’s, and consisted of three members: Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock.
Adam Horovitz, better known as Ad-Rock or King Ad-Rock, is an American musician, guitarist, rapper, producer, and actor. He is best known as a member of the hip hop group the Beastie Boys.
Horovitz is the 16th richest rapper in the world, with a net worth of $90 million in 2019.
LL Cool J is an American rapper, actor, author, and entrepreneur from Queens, New York. He is known as one of the forefathers of pop rap, releasing 13 studio albums and two greatest hits compilations within his career.
“When adversity strikes, that’s when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on.” – LL Cool J
Aubrey Drake Graham is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Drake initially gained recognition as an actor on the teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation in the early 2000’s.
Alongside his Grammy Award wins, Drake has won three Juno Awards and six BET Awards. He has the most number one singles on the Hot Rap Songs.
“Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.” – Drake
Snoop Dogg is an American rapper and actor from Long Beach, California. His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre of N.W.A, and as a result was featured within Dr. Dre’s very first solo album, The Chronic.
Snoop has since sold over twenty-three million albums in the United States and thirty-five million albums worldwide.
“If it’s flipping hamburgers at McDonald’s, be the best hamburger flipper in the world. Whatever it is you do you have to master your craft.” – snoop dogg
Pharrell Williams is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and film producer.
Williams owns a media venture that encompasses entertainment, music, fashion, and art called i am OTHER, a multimedia creative collective and record label that serves as an umbrella for all of Pharrell Williams’ endeavors, including Billionaire Boys Club.
“You don’t know what people are looking for. What you know is what you feel like might be missing. It’s up to the people to agree with you or disagree with you, and you’ll know in their reaction.” – Pharrell Williams
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American hip hop recording artist and author from New Orleans, Louisiana.
In 1991, at the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. He’s since then sold millions of records, and worked with a lot of other famous artists.
“Hate is only a form of love that hasn’t found a way to express itself logically.” – Lil Wayne
Ice Cube is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor and filmmaker. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the N.W.A.
After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music and has put his acting skills to the test. Cube has featured in ‘Boyz N the Hood’, ’21 & 22 Jump Street’, ‘Barbershop’, ‘Ride Along’, and several other films.
“Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide.” – Ice Cube
9. Ronald Slim Williams
Net Worth: $170 Million
Ronald Slim Williams founded the Cash Money Records label, with the help of his brother ‘Birdman’. Slim has worked with a number of famous artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne.
Usher is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. His Albums have sold in the millions of copies; 43 million to be exact. Usher is one of the richest rappers in the world, and it’s very easy to see why once you look at the stats.
“Success is about dedication. You may not be where you want to be or do what you want to do when you’re on the journey. But you’ve got to be willing to have vision and foresight that leads you to an incredible end.” – Usher
Eminem is without a doubt the most successful white hip hop artist of all time. When he first start battle rapping in Detroit, he was subject to a lot of racial hate, being one of the only white rappers to be performing at the shows.
Another issue that Eminem suffered from when we was younger, was being bullied at school. He moved around a lot as a child, and as a result struggled to make friends with people.
Eminem’s success story is phenomonal, considering he has become the richest white rapper in the world, and was responsible for changing the game entirely. This year, Eminem’s net worth is $210 million, placing him at 7th on this list of the richest rappers in the world.
“The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed.” – Eminem
Percy Robert Miller is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, author, record producer, philanthropist, and former basketball player.
He has founded his own record label, and is also the CEO of P. Miller Enterprises. His numerous ventures have made him one of the richest rappers in the world.
Kanye’s net worth is another figure in question, since he’s supposedly in some serious debt. We’ve include the latest figure from The Richest.
Kanye West is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. He is the 5th richest rapper in the world, with a net worth of $250 million.
“I was never really good at anything except for the ability to learn.” – Kanye West
Russell Simmons is an American entrepreneur, producer and author. Simmons is the Chairman and CEO of Rush Communications, he co-founded the hip-hop music label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris.
“I’ve been blessed to find people who are smarter than I am, and they help me to execute the vision I have.” – Russell Simmons
Dr. Dre is considered to be one of the best hip hop producers of all time. Andre Young started his career with N.W.A in the 80’s, and then went solo. He is also the founder of the “Beats by Dr. Dre” series, which was sold to Apple for $3 billion several years ago.
Dr. Dre is the 3rd richest rapper in the world, with a net worth of $820 million.
“You just have to find that thing that’s special about you that distinguishes you from all the others, and through true talent, hard work, and passion, anything can happen.” – Dr. Dre
Sean Combs does just about everything; rapping, producing, acting, songwriting and he’s also an entrepreneur on top of all that. Otherwise known as his stage name ‘Diddy’, Combs is one of the richest rappers in the world.
For a long time, P Diddy was the richest rapper in the world, until someone else swooped in with their success in the entrepreneurial world, as well as music. Find out who that somebody is in the final section below.
In 2019, P Diddy’s net worth is $855 million.
“Success doesn’t just land on your lap. You have to work, work, work, work, and work some more.” – Sean Combs
Jay-Z is an American rapper and entrepreneur from Brooklyn, New York. In fact, the majority of Jay-Z’s net worth has come from his smart investments; in clothing lines, record companies, nightclubs and so on.
Jay-Z is now the richest rapper in the world, with a net worth of $930 million in 2019.
“I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me.” – Jay-Z
Summary
Here’s a quick recap of the top 25 richest rappers in the world:
Jay-Z
P Diddy
Dr. Dre
Russell Simmons
Kanye West
Master P
Eminem
Usher
Ronald Slim Williams
Ice Cube
Lil Wayne
Pharrell Williams
Snoop Dogg
Drake
LL Cool J
Adam Horovitz
Michael Diamond
Nicki Minaj
Timbaland
Akon
Birdman
Pitbull
Will.I.Am
Rev Run
Nas
Who is your favorite of the richest rappers in the world? Leave a comment below.
Dan Western is the founder of Wealthy Gorilla. Dan has been running Wealthy Gorilla for the last 5 years, whilst traveling the world and being able to call Bali, Indonesia, his HQ. To this day, Wealthy Gorilla has become one of the fastest growing self-development sites in the world; with over 40 million views worldwide, and more than 200,000 followers on social media. Dan's mission is simply, to inspire others to live their dreams and be the person to whom they say; "Because of you, I never gave up."
tanaka
Jul 4, 2017 at 9:50 am
Big up Sean Combs
LIL wayne fan
Oct 24, 2017 at 3:51 am
Best rapper alive LIL WAYNE
TacoGuySean
Jan 17, 2019 at 4:15 pm
that makes no sense cause Eminem has sold over 2x the amount of records as Wayne.
macdonald chidi
Jan 18, 2018 at 6:45 pm
puff daddy i love u from moon to the sun..u are the greatest ever..God bless u more.
Jet Swang
Feb 4, 2018 at 10:16 pm
Lil Wayne 🙂
Cjay
May 17, 2018 at 5:02 pm
Dr. Dre.
elias
May 28, 2018 at 3:59 pm
my fav is usher with his confessions my boo and burns blow out makes him the best to me
Derek
Jun 5, 2018 at 4:13 am
Usher The King of R&B he has one of the best Music Catalogs in the world.
symo senior
Jul 14, 2018 at 8:42 pm
Drake
tanaka
Jul 16, 2018 at 6:31 am
Just found out that Nas is one of the best rappers the world has to offer…
Long life to FILA?
Benson
Nov 9, 2018 at 11:01 am
what about 50 cent
Alhassan Bawa
Dec 1, 2018 at 9:45 am
Akon the world R&B king be the best of all tym
Sam Rose
Jan 12, 2019 at 9:43 am
I bet Nas hates being on the bottom of the list and Jay-Z being at the top